Salads

Ingredients for 8 servings:

2 cups cracked wheat (bulghar)

2 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon hot curry powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt to taste

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 cup cauliflower flowerlets cut into 1/4" pieces

1 cup broccol flowerlets cut into 1/4" pieces

• Line a quart bowl with damp cheesecloth. Add the bulghar and pour on freshly boiled water. Cover the bowl and let the grain stand for 1 hour. Lift the bulghar out of the bowl in the cheesecloth and squeeze tightly to remove any remaining water. Empty the grain into a dry bowl.

• Fold in the curry powder and salt. Add the zest and lemon juice, and toss well. Stir in the cauliflower and broccoli pieces. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

POACHED SALMON WITH KASHA, FENNEL AND DILL SALAD

Ingredients:

1 bunch beets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound wild salmon fillet

Court boullion: ½ onion, sliced; 1 carrot, sliced; ½ stem celery, sliced; 1 bay leaf;

3 stems parsley; 2 cups water 2/3 cup dry white wine

1 cup kasha (roasted buckwheat groats)

1 large egg

1-1/2 cups boiling water

1/3 cup scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

½ head fennel, diced

Dressing: 1/4 cup roasted garlic oil

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

1 cup spinach leaves

Directions:

Beets: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Trim the beet stems to 1” , scrub and wipe dry the beets.  Place them on a sheet of aluminum foil on a bake sheet.  Drizzle olive oil on the beets and tightly seal in the foil.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Remove, open the foil and cool.  When cool enough to touch, peel and slice 2 beets ¼” thick.  Reserve.

Salmon: Combine the court bouillon ingredients in a pan just large enough to hold the salmon.  Bring to a simmer.  Remove the skin from the salmon and lower it into the bouillon.  If the fish is not fully submerged, add water until it just covers.  Keep at a bare simmer using the guideline that the fish needs 10 minutes per inch of thickness measuring at its thickest point.   Allow the salmon to cool in the broth.

Kasha:  Preheat a large skillet. Beat the eggs together in a mixing bowl.  Add the kasha and stir well to coat the groats.  Turn the kasha out onto the skillet and stir to seal the egg on the kasha, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the boiling water ¼ cup at a time allowing the water to be absorbed before adding more.  Off the heat, turn the kasha into a mixing bowl to cool.

Assembly:  When the kasha is cool, add the fennel and scallion pieces.  Fold in the olive oil, followed by the vinegar.  Toss salad with the dill and season to taste.

Serving:  Make a bed for the salad with the spinach leaves over one-third of each individual plate or a large platter.  Spoon on the kasha, partially covering the spinach.  Divide the salmon into servings and center one on each plate or in a row down the center of the platter next to the kasha salad.  Overlap the beet slices next to the salmon along the last third of the plate or platter.  Lightly salt and pepper the salmon slices and serve.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1 bunch of Tuscan kale (lacinato)

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 cup vegetable stock or water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon hot curry powder

1/8 teaspoon each: cinnamon, cardamom and cloves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, membrane removed, thinly sliced

• Rinse the kale leaves, drain and trim off the center stem. Gather the leaves together and slice into thick ribbons.

• Combine the kale, potato pieces and spices in a deep skillet. Toss to mix well. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook slowly, partially covered, stirring occasionally until the liquid in the pan is cooked off and the vegetables are tender. Off the heat, season to taste with pepper and salt.

• Squeeze on the lime juice and drizzle on the oil. Sprinkle the jalapeno pepper slices before serving warm or at room temperature.

POACHED SALMON WITH KASHA, FENNEL AND DILL SALAD

Ingredients:

1 bunch beets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound wild salmon fillet

Court boullion: ½ onion, sliced; 1 carrot, sliced; ½ stem celery, sliced; 1 bay leaf;

3 stems parsley; 2 cups water 2/3 cup dry white wine

1 cup kasha (roasted buckwheat groats)

1 large egg

1-1/2 cups boiling water

1/3 cup scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

½ head fennel, diced

Dressing: 1/4 cup roasted garlic oil

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

1 cup spinach leaves

Directions:

Beets: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Trim the beet stems to 1” , scrub and wipe dry the beets.  Place them on a sheet of aluminum foil on a bake sheet.  Drizzle olive oil on the beets and tightly seal in the foil.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Remove, open the foil and cool.  When cool enough to touch, peel and slice 2 beets ¼” thick.  Reserve.

Salmon: Combine the court bouillon ingredients in a pan just large enough to hold the salmon.  Bring to a simmer.  Remove the skin from the salmon and lower it into the bouillon.  If the fish is not fully submerged, add water until it just covers.  Keep at a bare simmer using the guideline that the fish needs 10 minutes per inch of thickness measuring at its thickest point.   Allow the salmon to cool in the broth.

Kasha:  Preheat a large skillet. Beat the eggs together in a mixing bowl.  Add the kasha and stir well to coat the groats.  Turn the kasha out onto the skillet and stir to seal the egg on the kasha, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the boiling water ¼ cup at a time allowing the water to be absorbed before adding more.  Off the heat, turn the kasha into a mixing bowl to cool.

Assembly:  When the kasha is cool, add the fennel and scallion pieces.  Fold in the olive oil, followed by the vinegar.  Toss salad with the dill and season to taste.

Serving:  Make a bed for the salad with the spinach leaves over one-third of each individual plate or a large platter.  Spoon on the kasha, partially covering the spinach.  Divide the salmon into servings and center one on each plate or in a row down the center of the platter next to the kasha salad.  Overlap the beet slices next to the salmon along the last third of the plate or platter.  Lightly salt and pepper the salmon slices and serve.