Outdoor Gourmet Maple Plank Salmon, Remix!

Note about the guest blogger- Katie Ross

Katie is sneaking ever closer to the end of her final semester at Gonzaga University and is author of the Schweitzer Mountain Resort Blog, which annals the life and times of a Schweitzer Marketing Intern.  Thanks Katie! 

Let’s get one thing straight: I am not a cook. Mostly I make PB n' J, chicken pasta with jarred alfredo sauce and things that were once frozen. However, I was extremely excited when I was asked to do this blog. I’ve never cedar planked anything in my life, but cedar planked salmon is one of my favorite foods in the world. I enthusiastically chose a recipe from outdoorgourmet.com (maple cedar plank salmon) and commenced preparations. Since I was cooking anyway, I decided to turn it into a par-tay, Schweitzer style.

So I spread the word, bought ingredients and said some prayers for the turnout. And it was a blast. The night started out fairly typical of me trying to cook: I had foolishly placed my jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil in the fridge, and all the oil congealed into a solid mass. Also, as I was hand-shelling pistachios, I managed to spill half of them on the floor. (What to do, what to do…well, a little floor spice never hurt anyone). Placing the jar of tomatoes in a glass of hot water melted the oil back to liquid form. Soon after that, the drinks started flowing and things started looking up.

First I made the appetizer, which wasn’t as easy as I thought. I got the recipe from the Food Network and it said prep time would be 20 minutes. False. Maybe if you bought already shelled and crushed pistachios, but that’s not the way I roll. I also fought a hard-won battle with the goat cheese. But, it was delicious and a huge hit with everyone.

While I made the salad and prepped the salmon, my dad had the great idea of putting some of the extra pistachios on the salmon. Instant success. I threw in on a plank, but the plank on the rack of a roasting pan and baked it for about 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees. Heaven. I have to say it was possibly some of the best salmon I’ve ever had!

After the food had been devoured, an intense game of Apples to Apples commenced. Someone, who shall remain nameless, got a little too competitive for his own good (...or maybe it was the beer?) and got a little rowdy every time he won. But it was all in good fun.

Overall, the experience was amazing and I’m so glad I got to share it with some of my favorite people. Even my dad came up for the big event. I think what I learned from this experience is that cooking some great food is an awesome way to bring people together…maybe I’ll have to start doing it more often!

Outdoor Gourmet Maple Plank Salmon, KR style
2lbs. fresh salmon
Brown Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Crushed pistachios
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle brown sugar, salt and pepper on salmon. Cover with crushed pistachios and bake for 20-25 minutes or until fish is light pink throughout

Aunt Julie’s Salad

Dressing:
½ cup sugar (I probably used less than ¼ cup)
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated red onion
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)


Salad:
1 bag fresh spinach
¾ finely chopped red apples
Desired amount red onion
Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix. Then combine with spinach, apples and onions in a large bowl. Toss and serve.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Skewers
1 jar sundried tomatoes, packed in oil
8-10oz log of goat cheese, chilled
Half bunch of fresh basil
1 cup pistachio nuts, finely chopped
20 cocktail skewers
Cut goat cheese log in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 10 pieces and roll into balls. Roll each of the goat cheese balls in shallow bowl of crushed pistachios so half of each ball is covered. Place on chilled baking sheet. Drain tomatoes and pat dry with a paper towel. Fold one tomato around a fresh basil leaf and skewer to the goat cheese balls. Repeat with remaining skewers.

"Higher Ground" Alder Planked Ono with Pineapple

When tsunami sirens sound and beaches evacuate, it’s time to take the hint, run for higher ground and fire up the grill.

Fortunately, tropical planking was already in the plan and the necessaries were already gathered- and yes, I packed planks. People are picky about their boards- for some, rental surfboards are out of the question and anything besides my Outdoor Gourmet board(s) make me uneasy. Except no substitutes and all that.

Ono (Acanthocybium solandri) also called Wahoo or Peto, is known in the sports fishing world for it’s speed in the water and high-quality, firm white flesh... well, out of the water. Ono is also the Hawaii’ an word for "tasty" or "delicious.”

Ingredients
1 5x11" Alder Plank from our Outlet Store, soaked for 20 minutes in hot tap water
2 Ono Fillets
3 ¼ inch Pineapple Rounds
1 bunch of cilantro
1 cup of rice, steamed
1 white onion, diced
½ cup fresh mango, diced
½ of assorted berries (I used blackcap raspberries and Suriname cherry)
Sea salt and a squeeze or two of lime

Directions

First: Soak Alder Grilling Plank for 2 or more hours.

 

Next: Preheat grill to medium heat, place soaked alder plank on grill and add pineapple rounds. Close lid and allow to smoke and smolder for 5 to 7 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, mix mango, onion, cilantro, and berries together with lime juice for a topical salsa fresca.

Then: Add fillets on top of pineapple rounds, sprinkle sea salt atop fish, and scoop half of the salsa fresca on top. Allow fish to grill for 10-12 minute.

Finally: Carefully remove from grill, serve over rice and top with remaining salsa fresca. And enjoy!

Come hell or high water (really high water), we’re still getting’ our grill on.

Mahalo and welcome to your weekend. -KB

Hearthside Cocoa Company

Yes, we just had the Spring Equinox, but in this neck of the woods, it's not all blooming flowers, chirping birds and sunshine on the 20th of March. In fact, I'd say that it's still distinctly cold weather- hot cocoa weather, if you will. 

That's why I picked this up- Hearthside Cocoa Company's All Natural Gourmet Hot Cocoa.   Yuuummm.

Here's how you make it...

I also picked up a little Green and Black's 70% Bittersweet Dark Chocolate for a garnish. And what isn't good with a little whipped cream?

Did I mention how local they are? Hearthside is headquartered exactly one click north of the Outdoor Gourmet manufacturing facility.  Stay warm ('cause dry is a little too much to ask) this spring with Hearthside Cocoa Company's All Natural Gourmet Hot Cocoa.   -KB

Cedar Plank Finished Corned Beef

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! My beef has been "corning" for the past four days and now it's show time! But first... A brief, yet corny history:

A Corned Beef is a cut of brisket that is brine-cured. The term “corned” refers to the course salt or rock salt kernels used to preserve the meat. It is said to be a spring celebratory meal because the meat would cure in salt crocks all winter and be ready to eat just in time for the equinox.

Beef was considered to be an indulgence in Ireland and was only available to the wealthy, as cows were kept for their milk or for breeding. Corned Beef was reserved for special occasions and export, so pork joint or ham was the meat of the common Irish man. The Irish immigrants substituted brisket in their traditional Bacon and Cabbage dish because it was more readily available in New York in the 1800’s, so Corned Beef and Cabbage is actually an American St. Patty’s Day tradition, along with green beer. Cork’s Canned Corned Beef was one of Ireland’s only exports in the 1700’s and supposedly exclusively sustained the British armies during the Napoleonic wars. In 1861, Corned Beef and Cabbage was served at Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural dinner.

The corned beef you buy in the stores stays a lovely, rosy shade because it has some preservatives, which is fine- lots of delectable things from pepperoni to pasta have preservatives- but when you make it minus the sodium nitrate, it tends to stay more well-done colored. The advantage to plank-finishing your corned beef is that smoky flavor and a nice, crispy crust to the meat, while the inside stays very moist.

Ingredients

1 Large Cedar Grilling Plank, soaked 2 or more hours.
4-5 lb. corned beef (you don't have to cure your own. Store-bought is just fine.)
2 Guinness... for cooking purposes. More for drinking purposes.
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 whole allspice
3 medium turnips
8 unpeeled medium white-skinned and red-skinned potatoes
6 medium carrots, peeled
4 medium onions, peeled, halved through root ends
2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 1-pound head of cabbage, quartered
Loaf of Irish Soda Bread

Directions

First: Place corned beef in very large wide pot. Add Guinness and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Toss in the bay leaves, coriander seeds, and allspice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until beef is tender, about 2 1/4 hours and remove from pot. Note: If you corned your own beef like I did, give it a quick rinse, then cook.

Then: Add turnips and all remaining vegetables to liquid in pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until all vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

Next: While your veggies is simmering, heat grill to medium heat (350-400) and place plank on grill 5 minutes prior to brisket. Then place the beef on the plank, close grill lid and allow to cook for 20 to 25 minute.

Finally: Remove from grill, slice thinly. Using slotted spoon, serve veggies with corned beef and Irish Soda Bread. Crack another Guinness and enjoy!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Welcome to your weekend. -KB

Outdoor Gourmet Prepares for St. Patrick's Day

Just a shade over a year ago, I started blogging about everything grilling plank-related and one of my first experiments was the St. Patrick’s Day classic Corned Beef, except I finished mine on a plank. It was an early triumph that bears repeating.

A traditional Corned Beef is a cut of brisket that is brine-cured over a couple days or more and the term “corned” refers to the course salt or rock salt kernels used to preserve the meat. Last year I used a pre-cured cut of meat because it was already the 17th and I didn’t have the time nor the salt. Well, I came at it this year a bit more prepared- I'm going to corn my own beef.

I called up my local ranch/butcher- the V-X Ranch and Wood's Meat Processing- and they pre-trimmed a beautiful 4.5 lb. brisket and had it ready to go a week before the big day. 

Now, you know how corned beef can sometimes be that lurid red/pink color? That is from the sodium nitrate (NaNO3), a preservative found in tons of processed meats. Stuff like salami, pepperoni, bologna, hot dogs, and SPAM pretty much all contain sodium nitrate. There are two main reasons why sodium nitrate is added to meat- The biggie is color. This chemical preserves color and keeps your SPAM rosy pink rather than the color of over-cooked Hamburger Helper. Secondly, it prevents a modicum of foodbourne bacteria.

Fresh meats from your local butcher generally don’t contain any such chemicals- not that I’m against some NaNO3- I like my SPAM just as rainbowbrite as the next girl- but since I special-ordered this brisket, I decided to go preservative-free, even if it meant no brightly-colored beef. Ok, so no nitrates- then what to use?

Ingredients
4 1/2 lbs beef brisket
3 cups sea salt (the sea salt is better)
1/2 cup golden sugar
4 bay leaves
16 peppercorns
4 teaspoons pickling spices
4 garlic cloves, halved

Directions

First: Wash and pat dry your brisket dry, the rub with ¼ cup salt.

 

Next: In large saucepan, heat water about 16 cups of water, sugar, the rest of the salt and dissolve.

Then: Place beef in large brining vessel and pour salted water over and add bay leaves, peppercorns, pickling spice and garlic cloves.

Now: Refrigerate 72-96 hours.

Now just wait and prepare for St. Patty's Day... Welcome to you weekend!. -KB

Maple Planked Brie with Rhubarb Compote

Rhubarb- a very well documented plant with medicinal uses and horticulture records dating back to 2700 BC. It’s also the first thing to pop up in the garden in the spring. No, it didn’t pop out of my garden and won’t any time soon, as it’s buried beneath three feet of snow. So, this week’s recipe is optimistically springy.

Maple Planked Brie with Rhubarb Ginger Compote

Ingredients
1 Outdoor Gourmet Fromagier Line Maple Plank, soaked for an hour or more
1 wheel of brie
1 nob of ginger, peeled
3-4 stocks of rhubarb
1 cup of sugar
2 Tbs. Honey or Agave Syrup
1 baguette
Lots of napkins!

Compote Directions:

First: Stir together rhubarb and sugar in a large saucepan. Let stand- no heat- until rhubarb releases some liquid, about 10 minutes.

Then: Bring rhubarb mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb has broken down but some whole pieces remain, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Next: Grate ginger into mixture and set aside.

Maple Planked Brie Directions:

First: Soak 7 x 7 Outdoor Gourmet Fromagier Line Cedar or Maple for an hour or more. Preheat grill to Medium-High (400°).

Next: Place Brie on soaked plank. Cover cheese with compote.

Then: Place plank with cheese on the grill and close lid. Planks will smolder and smoke when applied to direct heat. This is how the cheese will be infused with a subtle, savory flavor. Smoke 12-17 minutes, until cheese is golden brown, slightly puffy, and topping is hot. Remove plank from grill and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes.

Finally: Drizzle honey over hot brie and serve immediately with fresh sliced baguette, a few big spoons, and lots of napkins!

Note: If flames occur, don't panic! When wood, even wet wood, is applied to flames, it tends to catch on fire. It's ok- just sprinkle with water and keep on plankin'. Also, cupping of the plank is completely normal, especially with the hardwoods, as shown in the picture below.  
Welcome to your weekend! -KB