Category: alaska seafood

Copper River Sockeye Sliders

Copper River Sockeye-How to Stretch One Pound

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

It’s here. The 2025 Copper River King and Sockeye salmon season has launched. The Simplicity Shines with Copper River Salmon Campaign is underway. And, as a result, I’m launching into further recipe development with these rich and robust wild salmon from Alaska.

Yesterday, I found some gorgeous fillets at the Edmonds QFC for $19,99 per pound. I had asked for an eight ounce center cut. However, the fishmonger cut a one pound piece with the tail end intact. I opted to take it.

A display of Copper River Sockeye salmon fillets at a grocery store with a price tag of $19.99 per pound.
Copper River Sockeye Sliders
A close-up of a salmon slider featuring a richly seasoned salmon fillet atop slaw, served in a sesame seed bun on a wooden cutting board.

The tail end of the salmon is often thinner than a center cut. It doesn’t generally have as much fat.These pieces lend themselves to some very inventive preparations one of which is my Salmon Slider technique.

I first developed my Kid-Friendly Salmon Slider recipe for Real Food Magazine back in 2010. I did this because the article was featuring how to stretch one pound of sustainable seafood. (The economy was in a serious rut back then so that’s how I devised that concept. And indeed history repeats itself so I am revisiting that concept!)

And on a purely practical level, I had been making these sliders for my own children and their friends for some time. Everyone loved them, and they always flew off the serving plate!

The sliders only use about one or two ounces of salmon per serving and they are a perfect bite-sized way to feature this wonderful fish economically. The sliders appeal to children. They also make great finger food for a party. They can even be a light easy lunch.

Yesterday, I took that tail end, rubbed it with the Salmon Rub from Market Spice located in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. I drizzled it with oil and baked it in my Breville Smart oven at 400 F for about 10 minutes. The tail end cooked perfectly. It easily separated into quadrants. This made it a snap to plop onto the small slider rolls. A quick homemade chop chop coleslaw and some tartar sauce finished the gig.

These simple sliders are a great way to get a taste of the season in small bites!

Note: These sliders used only about six ounces of that one pound I purchased. The remaining ten ounces or so were baked or grilled for super quick midday lunches. Again, stretching one pound of Copper River sockeye by using it in different ways!

Copper River Salmon: Seasonal Taste Luxury and Cooking Tips

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Dubbed the Noble Fish over forty years ago, Copper River salmon is indeed a seasonal taste luxury that has withstood the test of time. Thanks to the rugged Alaska region this fish calls home, these salmon–king, sockeye, and coho–are some of the finest salmon available to consumers.

Inherently silky, rich, and robust, they are a seasonal taste that seafood lovers have been celebrating for decades now. When these fish hit the market fresh in May, the annual celebration of salmon begins.

There’s no denying however that these fish come with a price tag that some folks scoff at. The price does fluctuate each year and throughout the season, but for savvy seafood cooks, there are ways to still appreciate these all-American beauties while at the same time being fiscally savvy.

The answer?

Watch the sales in season and avoid any waste.

Buy the fish whole, if possible.

Ask the fishmonger to fillet it,  and use all parts of it.

Get creative and try different seasonings and techniques.

Think beyond dinner. Use the trim for breakfast.

I’ve known this for years but last week I was reminded of this when I ventured to Town and Country Markets in Shoreline.  Family owned and operated, T&C has, in my opinion,  the finest full service seafood counters in the area. Their Big Board Sale Notice featured whole fresh Copper River Sockeye for $7.99 a pound ($17 off the usual price). The Big Board also noted that the fishmongers would fillet the beauties for free.

Without missing a step, I was off to see my favorite fishmongers. I asked for a big fat sockeye and requested that they fillet it and cut it into six-ounce portions. I also asked to keep the carcass, which included the bones, the backbone, the tail and collar because I was going to make stock.

At home, the salmon was gorgeous. Fresh and silky and a small piece cooked beautifully for lunch. Simply sprinkled with salt, drizzled with a little olive oil and seared on my Le Creuset grill pan it cooked in minutes. Served over salad it was great.

This little exercise got me thinking.

 How many ways could I use the salmon, fillets, carcasses, collars and even that swanky tail?

When I went back on Sunday to get another salmon, there was a line of seafood lovers patiently waiting and chatting to place their order for a Copper River salmon. The staffers were still serving everyone at a fast clip and with a smile!

I mentioned to one customer that I was going to use the fillets in a variety of ways and that I was going to vacuum pack some with my Food Saver to make easy lunches in the next month or so.  She got on board and requested her fillets be cut into 6 ounce “lunch size portions”. She, too, was going to vacuum pack hers.  

When she rejected the carcass and bones, she offered them to me and said, “No Bones about it. You can have em!”  We all laughed and I was happy to snag them!

Another mom alongside with a baby in tow, got in the conversation. She asked me the best way to have hers cut.  I told her to have them filleted and cut into six-ounce portions as the portions are a bit easier to cook than a whole fillet. She loved that idea.

When the guy asked her how she wanted hers cut, she pointed to me and said, “The same as her.”

Clearly, the love for fresh Copper River salmon, with its superior quality, remains a stalwart here in Seattle.

At home, I really began to think of how home cooks can utilize all aspects of this wonderful fish. Years ago, when I took cooking classes at Peter Kump’s Cooking School in NY (now ICE) and at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, Peter Kump and Darina Allen taught the students how to use a whole chicken…cut it up, use the skin, make stock, use the leftovers.

Well, I thought, of course those same techniques apply to a whole Coopper River Sockeye…And so my little experiment began.

My husband and I laid out all the pieces when I got home. We had gorgeous “lunch size” fillets, plus the tail ends, plus the carcass with the backbone and pin bones, Then I had the collars, which still had hunks of meat and cartilage. And I had the swanky tails which in many ways made me think of a mermaid…

So, here’s a little lineup of my creations this week:

Grilled on a Le Creuset Grill Pan

My first easy dish was to simply salt a six-ounce fillet, spray with a little oil and sear it on my preheated Le Creuset Grill Pan. I flipped it and finished the cooking on the other side. It was done in short order and made a great topping for a simple salad.

Sockeye Tagine with Cilantro

Next up? A Moroccan inspired tagine. The traditional clay tagine was perfect. It’s cone shaped dome naturally steamed the sockeye and it came out perfectly cooked and moist.  Although most homes don’t have tagine at hand, the concept of baking the fish covered (perhaps lightly with foil) is one that can easily be adapted. The traditional flavorings of onion, garlic, pepper, cilantro and cumin added some culinary spunk to the dish.

Mermaid Broth

Next up? Go for the Stock Option!  I don’t normally make fish stock with salmon bones, tails and collars but with these beauties I did. (For stock I generally use white fish such as halibut and cod.) I simply rinsed the carcass, added it to a large Dutch oven and then sprinkled on savories such as carrots, onions, celery and herbs. The tail flopped over the edge of the pan and I immediately chuckled and imagined a mermaid! The medley was gently simmered on the stove for about an hour. I let it cool, strained it and let it cool further. The fish stock came out clear and lightly flavored with scent of the sea. It went into a Leek and Tarragon sauce that I drizzled over yet another six-ounce fillet.

For Stock Option Round Two, made with another carcass, I used ginger, garlic, lemongrass, carrots, celery, scallions to bring some Asian influence on the project. I might use this in a coconut curry sauce of some sort…. still working that one out.

Monday Eye Opener

On Monday morning, I needed a power boost before launching at my desk, so ITook a tail end of the fillet, and with a sharp knife carved off some flesh strips on an angle. I seared those in a pan for about 20 seconds each side, salted and drizzled with a dash of olive oil. They were great with poached eggs and sour dough disks. And, frankly, it really did keep me fueled through the morning, which was great! My Cronometer Nutritional Tracker noted increases in protein and Omega Three fatty acid intake for breakfast that day, so Monday was off to a solid start!

The Bottom Line

I am still working through other concepts, but the bottom line is keep your eyes open for fish market specials featuring Copper River Salmon while its fresh and in season. And, when you do purchase these beautifies, ask questions, experiment and use it all up. Whether it’s bits of trim, the carcass, or the leftovers!

If you want more tips on using Copper River, fresh and in season, check out the tips I wrote last year for the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association. Forty Tips to Enjoying Copper River Salmon.

For some background on the fishery itself, check out Forty Years of Fresh, which I wrote and which explores the history of how this fish made the leap from being relegated to cans to being celebrated fresh at markets and restaurants throughout the country.

My Other Posts on Salmon

Process This: The Ultimate Salmon Burger Recipe-this is a wonderful method for creating a salmon burger without the added fillers of panko, egg, and it uses small bits and bobs of the fish.

Fresh Dungeness Crab

Savoring the Wild Winter Seafood of the Pacific Northwest!

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

What’s on your plate during these dark dreary winter days?

For me, it’s been the wild and wonderful winter seafood of the Pacific Northwest.

Yes, I know that sounds a bit odd. Seafood always hits the hot button during the summer months when we naturally pair it with sunshine and sea breezes.

That said, in January and February I was drawn to the fabulous seafood counters we have here in the Emerald City. During the rare moments when I can escape my desk,  I often choose to visit the supermarket and troll the produce and seafood counters, watching the sales and in store specials for inspiration.

In January, I noticed that retailers in town were featuring fresh Pacific Rockfish, a wild whitefish harvested in the cold offshore waters. On sale for less than $6 a pound, I dove in and bought a few fillets. At home, I decided to take a French inspired approach and, after pin boning the fillets, crafted a basic herb sauce to top the baked fish. A delicious success that sent me back to the fish counter.

For Round 2, I rustled up a crab stuffing which I mounded on the thin fillets and created a tidy bundle. The packages baked in the oven while I raced off to another task. This second success sent me back to the seafood counter at Shoreline’s T & C Market where I chatted with the young fishmonger who totally agreed it was a winner of a local wild fish and pointed me to the Rockfish poster nearby. Although he couldn’t tell me which species of rockfish they were featuring (there are many!), he happily wrapped up a few more pounds so I could stash them in the freezer.

Shortly thereafter, I eyed some fresh Pacific Winter King Salmon fillets, although price at $39 a pound, they looked stunning in the seafood case at the market, and were from  Southeast Alaska, which is renowned for being some of the best. Back at home, a pound of that beautiful king was wrapped into French inspired medallions which I seared on my Le Creuset ridged grill pan and finished in the oven.

Oui! Oui! Bon Appetit! I was on a roll….

Winter King from Southeast Alaska
Fresh Local Dungeness Crab
Fresh Rockfish
Whole fresh cooked crab from Pacific Seafood at Winco
Fresh Rockfish Big Board Buy at Shoreline T&C Markets
Winter Luxury inspires French Entree.
Rockfish Species Poster at T&C Markets
Watch those weekly specials!
Fresh Dungeness Crab
Fresh Local Dungeness Crab

Next up? Local Dungeness Crab. I love this cranky crustacean but during the Pandemic the prices skyrocketed and after visiting Merino’s Seafood Market in Westport last summer, I shifted toward their spectacular canned Dungeness which I have been happily using all winter.

That said, when my local QFC, Winco, and Costco were featuring these fresh cooked beauties for less than $6 a pound, I dove in, bought a bunch, and got cracking at home! My first round was simply steamed in my Le Creuset wok, picked by my husband and me over newspaper at the kitchen table and served with a stunning Garlic Ginger Soy dipping sauce that I created. The ginger was the perfect counterpoint to the briny richness of the crab.

My husband gathered the crab shells and made a superb crab stock. I went back for more and stashed the whole crabs in the freezer.

Finally, this week, Fresh Wild Pacific Cod from Alaska is showing up. I love Pacific Cod as it’s a buttery blank slate that lends itself to being served in the most basic way over mashed potatoes with garlic green beans or chard on the side. But it’s also great turned into endless other creations. Shoreline T & C Markets is currently featuring big buttery fresh fillets of this cold-water fish and I’ve purchased two large fillets just since the sale started. A quick check to remove any pin bones and a generous salting with La Baleine sea salt, sets this fish on the path to success. Placed in an au gratin pan with some lemon slices underneath, drizzled with a reduction of fish broth, wine, and butter, and baked in a 375 oven until warmed through, It’s a very cozy preparation.

When I recently reflected on all this stunning local and wild seafood being featured at markets this winter, I began to wonder WHY. It feels different this year. I’ve lived here for over 28 years now and have trolled these counters for nearly a generation now.

When I questioned my friendly fishmonger (yet again!) if something was shifting…he looked up from the case while preparing my order and said, “You know, I think it is…I think we are seeing more this winter.”

Indeed, I do believe there is a shift and I’d like to think that more of our domestic wild and wonderful seafood is being kept here in the local American markets. With a global pandemic, disrupted supply chains, and international wars, the pivot to local and American seems stronger than ever.

It’s a big bright spot for me as we schlep through the dark days of winter, waiting for those breezy days at the beach!

Build a Bowl: Alaska Cod with Sesame Cauliflower Rice and Kimchee Slaw

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Sunday morning inspiration: Build a Bowl!

I had some gorgeous wild Alaska cod on deck and needed to clear out some vegetables in the fridge. Last week I had been developing Quickie Kimchee recipes, so this morning I spontaneously decided to craft a Kimchee Slaw. Why wouldn’t a kimchee slaw work, I thought? I envisioned the telltale tangy spicy flavors wrapped around a fresher crunchier concoction…

Then, the cauliflower rice? Well, THAT was inspired by my preholiday trip to New York when I saw my daughter, bought her a Cuisinart Food Processor at Macy’s in Herald Square, schlepped it home and up the stairs, and then demonstrated how to use the whole thing while we chatted in her wonderful NYC apartment.

First thing on her list? Cauliflower Rice! No problem! The food processor’s metal disk and pulse button did an amazing job transforming that bulging white head into fluffy white nubbins that store great, cook in a flash, and have no carbs!

So, after all that, my convoluted concoction of fresh cod, cauliflower rice and kimchee slaw came together in a flash and was simply perfect served in big cozy bowls!

Alaska Cod with Sesame Cauliflower Rice and Kimchee Slaw
Serves 2 to 3

12 ounces Alaska cod

For the Sesame Cauliflower Rice:
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 Tablespoon sesame oil

For the Slaw:
½ small head broccoli, stem discarded, and floret cut into pieces
¼ small head red cabbage (about 1 cup shredded)
¼ small head green cabbage (1 cup finely shredded)
4 medium carrots

For the Kimchee Dressing:
½ teaspoon garlic ginger paste ( I use Shan, it’s convenient)
½ teaspoon sriracha
½ teaspoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon sweet rice vinegar

For the Garnish:
1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds for garnish
1 to 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh coriander for garnish

Prepare the Cod
Rinse the cod and pat it dry. Cut into two or three pieces, depending on servings desired, season lightly with salt on both sides and set aside.

Prepare the Cauliflower Rice:
In a food processor fitted with the metal disk, put half the cauliflower florets and pulse four or five times to make “rice.” Transfer to a medium bowl and repeat the pulsing process with the other half of the cauliflower.

Prepare the Slaw:
Put the broccoli florets in the work bowl and pulse two or three times to finely chop. Add to a large bowl.

Remove the metal disk from the food processor bowl and insert the thinnest slicing disk. Working through the feed tube, slice the red and white cabbage, cut to fit into the feed tube, using gentle pressure. Transfer shredded cabbage to the bowl with the broccoli.

Remove slicing disk and insert shredding blade, shred carrots through the feed tube, and add to the cabbage and broccoli.

Sprinkle cabbage, carrot and broccoli mixture lightly with sea salt and toss well with tongs. Set aside to wilt slightly.

Make the Kimchee Dressing:
In a small jar combine the Kimchee dressing ingredients: garlic ginger paste, sriracha, brown sugar and sweet rice vinegar. Shake to combine well and dissolve the sugar. Pour over the shredded vegetables, tossing to combine well.

Cook the Cauliflower Rice:
Spray a medium frying pan with oil, add the cauliflower rice and cook over medium heat, stirring, for two to three minutes. Add a few splashes of water, cover and cook for another minute. Stir in the sesame oil, remove from heat and keep warm, covered.

Cook the Cod:
Spray a cast iron ridged grill pan with oil and heat over moderately high heat. Spray cod lightly with oil, and when the grill pan is preheated, place the cod gently on the pan and let cook for about three minutes on both sides, or until just cooked through.

To Serve
Divide the sesame cauliflower rice between two to three bowls, set the kimchee slaw by the rice and top the rice and slaw with a piece of cod. Garnish with black sesame seeds and fresh cilantro. Serves 2 to 3.

Preparation Tips:
Preparing the cauliflower and vegetables might seem laborious but it’s worth noting that shredding and ricing vegetables in the food processor all at once is a great way to meal prep for the week ahead. The processed vegetables are far fresher than any “prepped veg” you will get at the grocery store and once they are prepped and stashed in the fridge for the week they are a cheap, convenient and healthy source of inspiration for work week dinners!!

No Food Processor? No Problem
Buy the cauliflower rice prepared or frozen. It won’t be as fresh, and it will be pricier but that’s okay.

For the Slaw? Get a sharp knife and slice the cabbages as thinly as possible. For the carrots, get a grater and watch your fingers! Or, as a last resort, buy a bag of coleslaw or shredded broccoli and try that.

A Quick Gingery Salmon Pho

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The Emerald City is living up to its reputation this week. Cold. Rainy. Dark. Ugh.

Yesterday, I was craving a light and lean salmon lunch but I couldn’t bear to make a salad so I decided to shift gears and focus on using some king salmon in soup. Chowder was too heavy so I started to explore pho as a reasonable option.

The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea and began to wonder if I could devise a simple technique that would cook the salmon but simultaneously safeguard the fish’s buttery texture and telltale flavor.

Working quickly, I loaded my InstantPot with some chicken and vegetables, set it to high pressure for 25 minutes and headed to the Asian market in my neighborhood for some cilantro, Thai basil, fresh rice noodles, and Napa cabbage.

At home shortly thereafter, my soup came together in mere minutes. The hot simmering InstantPot broth was a ladled into a Le Creuset saucepan with finely shredded cabbage, a few slices of ginger, and about an ounce of rice noodles. That simmered for about two minutes and was poured into a pho bowl. I then added about two ounces of finely sliced skinless salmon into the steamy broth and let the salmon cook gently in the residual heat of the broth. I then added a final garnish of herbs and sliced jalapenos and my light and lean Gingery Salmon Pho was ready for slurping!

IMG_2763So, here is the basic and easily adaptable method for making a quick pho at home:

Step One:

Put about two cups of chicken broth into a small saucepan. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat.

Step Two:

Add about a half cup of finely sliced Napa cabbage , a few slices of fresh ginger, and about one ounce of rice noodles. Simmer for about two minutes, stirring once or twice.

Step Three:

Pour the steaming broth carefully into a  deep bowl, top with about two ounces of thinly sliced and skinned fresh salmon. Using chopsticks, gently poke the salmon into the hot broth to submerge it and to help it cook in the hot broth.

Step Four:

Garnish with finely chopped fresh cilantro, Thai basil if available, and thinly sliced jalapenos. Serve!

The RV Eater: Local in Alaska.

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Kelp pickles. Kachemak Bay Sea Salt. Haskap Jam. Halibut. Sliced sourdough.

These are just a few of the local foods I scavenged and savored on a recent RV trip to Alaska. While traveling from Anchorage to Seward and then down to Homer, I poked around shops, farmers markets, bakeries, restaurants and harbors to hunt down these off the grid goodies made by small local and dedicated artisans.

My husband and I have been camping for decades now and one of my side shows while doing so has been to hunt down local specialty items while we are out on the highways and byways. For many years I had a mobile kitchen in our family travel trailer which took our family of five far and wide through the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. This week we had a fully equipped kitchen in a Minnie Winnie which we rented from Great Alaskan Holidays in Anchorage.

While cruising through the Land of the Midnight Sun this week, I stocked my pantry with a spontaneous array of local goods. It was a delightful way to bring the flavors of Alaska to the Dixie plates on the campground dinner table.

The kelp pickles, made in Sitka from local seaweed and seasoned with the iconic bread and butter pickling spices, were ridiculously good. Pickle rings were added to smoked cheese bratwurst carted up from Seattle. They were also tucked on smoked salmon canapés, resulting in a very Scandinavian inspired hors d’oeuvre.

The sliced sourdough was from The Bakery in Girdwood and sadly didn’t last long in my mobile kitchen. Light and flavorful, the bread made great sandwiches and was enhanced even further with sunflower sprouts from the Saturday Homer Farmers Market. It was the bread of choice for breakfast and lunch.

The Alder smoked Kachemak Bay Sea Salt also from the Homer farmers market added a lively touch sprinkled over the evening salad.

Haskap Jam from Alaska Berries was scored at the visitor center in scenic town of Kenai. No one at the center could tell me much about the blue jam but back at the Heritage RV Park it was great on my morning granola with yogurt and berries. Eaten seaside while being warmed by the sun was simplicity at its best.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market-A Living Entity

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Peonies. Prince William Sound Salmon. Cruise Ships. Tourists. Sunshine. Sea Breezes.

Peonies in buckets w pricing
Local peonies are stealing the show at the Pike Place Market right now!

The Pike Place Market I visited today is much different than the one I visited last January. Of course, TECHNICALLY and structurally it’s the same as it was back in January but this morning. the market wasn’t tenuously navigating Seattle’s unpredictable January weather.

Today, the market was strutting her seasonal stuff and loving it! Once again, I had to be downtown very early so after I “checked the box” on an errand well before 7:30 AM, I decided to stroll down the hill and head to the market. It was bright and sunny, and I figured it would be a great time to beat the crowds and see what’s coming in locally.

Alas, when I arrived I again found quiet streets and walkways. My first destination? The flower vendors who were clipping and arranging thousands of local peonies. One of my favorite flowers, the incredible array made me swoon. As much as I love to garden and have success with many things, my attempts to grow peonies have failed repeatedly.  These bodacious pink orbs, frankly, made me green with envy! I didn’t buy any simply because I didn’t want to cart them all over. That being said, they were a bargain and the prices ranged from $10 a bunch to $20. Local. Seasonal. Gorgeous beyond compare.

PWS King
On Ice: The King of all Salmon. This one from Alaska’s Prince William Sound

Next stop? The fish stalls. All the guys were sporting their waterproof orange pants, spraying the walkways, scooping crushed ice onto displays and answering questions from early birds like me. At Pike Place Fish Market they didn’t have any Copper River King or Sockeye because it’s been a rough season up there this far. They did have a massive 25 pound Prince William Sound king in a huge bin filled with ice. The adjacent tabletop display of Prince William Sound sockeye nearby also impressed.

Pike Place June 2018
Anticipating the Cruise Ship Crowds and Taking a Breather!

After that, I was ready for a breather so I traipsed over to the nearby park to do a little people watching and eyeball the massive cruise ship docked nearby. As I examined that Norwegian behemoth from afar, I knew the crowds from within would be emerging and heading towards the market so I beelined to breakfast at nearby Seatown, one of Tom Douglas’s restaurants. The Fried Egg sandwich with avocado, Bavarian Meats bacon and a side of crispy hash browns was just what I needed before trekking back UP the hill to catch my bus.

Bacon Egg at Sea Town .JPG
Seatown English Muffin Egg Sandwich with a Side of Bavarian Meats Bacon

While schlepping up to Third, I realized that the Market is indeed a living entity that shifts with each Seattle season.

 

 

Instant Pot Anxiety? Make Yogurt

Published on by Melissa Trainer2 Comments

On February 1, The Wall Street Journal ran an article entitled, “Instant Pot Anxiety? ‘I said a Prayer and Stayed the Hell Away.'”

In the piece, the author,  Ellen Byron,  interviewed various pot owners who had mishaps and struggled with operating the all in one appliance. I chuckled at some of the stories but admittedly the author was on to something. Every day when I peruse the Instant Pot Facebook feed, I see photos of Instant Pots in sealed boxes and cries for help and advice on how to take that first step to use the appliance. The posts weave into an interactive digital therapy session where fellow Instant Potters exclaim, “You can do it.”  “Just start.”  “My favorite easiest recipe is….” “Wear goggles and keep the kids outta the kitchen.”

As for me, I love my two Instant pots (6-quart duo and 3-quart mini) and use them daily without fail. Personally, I have never had pressure cooker anxiety because I started using the Kuhn Rikon stove top pressure cookers over twenty years ago. That being said, I can understand why some people hesitate. There are lots of buttons, The manual isn’t great. And, once you lock and load, commit to pressure and things start to rumble. there’s no turning back and you can’t open the lid and check the contents. It is indeed a leap of faith.

My solution for those folks who fret? Take the Instant pot out of the box, run the simple water test per the manufacturer’s instructions and make YOGURT!

Both of my machines have yogurt buttons and this cycle does NOT require putting anything under pressure. It simply creates a low heat that incubates your milk and starter and turns it into the rich luscious yogurt over the course of 8 hours. A miracle cycle in my mind!

I’ve tried various yogurt recipes but my favorites have come from This Old Gal and the only recipe I use now is her Instant Pot No Boil Yogurt Recipe which uses the whole Fairlife Milk found in many mainstream grocery stores such as Target, Safeway, QFC, and Winco. This particular milk does not require any preheating before making the yogurt so all I have to do is pour my half a gallon of whole milk into my 3 quart Instant Pot and whisk in two packets of YoGourmet starter. I then put on the lid, press the Yogurt Cycle and leave it alone for 8 hours.  There is no pressure. No noise. No steam. No wiggles or jiggles. Just a quiet incubation on the counter.

At the end of the cycle, the mixture has transformed into thick luscious creaminess. I then put my all natural yogurt, still in the Instant Pot’s inner container, into my fridge, covered and let it sit, undisturbed, overnight.

I use my yogurt on everything from granola and citrus segments to baked potatoes and kale salads. And, I’ve discovered that it makes a great tartar sauce to dollop on Alaska halibut or salmon.

So, if you want to buy an Instant Pot but are feeling, well, pressured…skip “manual” button and go for Yogurt.

Even if you never make anything else, the savings from making your own yogurt will pay for the pot in no time.

 

Seattle’s Pike Place Market-A Gift in January

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Sometimes, life tosses you a gift on a whim. Yesterday, I got one of those gifts at Seattle’s most iconic destination—the Pike Place Market.

You see, I had to be down at the market yesterday morning for a client meeting. Unfortunately, the weathermen predicted rain, which, of course, isn’t unusual for the Emerald City.

So, I grumbled, dressed accordingly, and gave myself lots of extra time to get downtown.

While weaving my way towards the waterfront, I noticed that the sky was breaking up and rain was absent. By the time I parked the car the weather was looking downright acceptable.  Puffy clouds.  Light wind.  Patches of blue. When I stepped off the parking garage elevator and onto the spectacular new MarketFront,  I looked out at Elliott Bay and gasped. The view rivaled that of any spectacular August day. Expansive blue skies, calm seas, bright sunshine, panoramic mountain views, and incredible visibility. Plus, it was only about 9 AM so there was absolutely no one at the market.

No cars. No traffic. No tourists. No school kids. It hit me. I had the market to myself. I only had to share it with the dedicated shopkeepers and vendors who were setting up. Score!

I had about an hour to kill so this hour became a gift to me. Of course, I’ve been to the market hundreds of times since I moved here in 1995 but yesterday I had a chance to see it all over again as a resident, a tourist, a cook and a writer.

I strolled the market, snapped photos and realized that as much as the city of Seattle has grown and changed over these last 23 years, pretty much everything about the historic market has remained the same. The cobblestone streets stand firm. The tiles on the pathways in the market pave the way for curious tourists.  Le Panier continues to attract customers not with a fancy window display but with an amazing aroma. My favorite restaurant, Café Campagne, which has been tucked in the same corner for decades, still has their fabulous country pate on the menu. The talented flower vendors fill the stalls (year-round) with bright local bouquets sold for a song. And, the world-famous fishmongers continue to keep everyone hooked with their displays of amazing Northwest seafood.

My hour went quickly but it was an exercise in slowing down and taking a breather. It was a reminder that gifts can come in the smallest ways…and when you least expect them!

Here’s a snapshot of what our amazing market looked like yesterday!

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Tartar Sauce: Slash the Fat with Yogurt

Published on by Melissa Trainer2 Comments

IMG_5754Tartar Sauce. It’s a classic accompaniment to fish. It’s great on a fish sandwich or with a piece of fried halibut or cod or baked salmon.

That being said, it isn’t a great accompaniment to the waistline. My favorite brand, Marina Tartar sauce, packs a walloping 180 calories and 20 grams of fat in two tablespoons. Two tablespoons? Let’s face it. Who really sticks to serving sizes? So, I bet it’s safe to say the calorie count on a tartar sauce accompaniment to a fish sandwich can run far higher than 180.

IMG_5758.JPGTackling this juggernaut has been on my recipe bucket list for some time but it was only recently that I nailed a real solution. I bought an Instant Pot back in August and have been making some really gorgeous yogurt in it every week. (I use the recipe from This Old Gal.) I generally have two quarts of homemade yogurt on hand each week and as a result, I have been finding all sorts of amazing ways to add this creamy protein-packed ingredient into my everyday meals.

That’s where my low-fat tartar sauce comes in. On Saturday, I had a piece of defrosted Alaska halibut in the fridge and some white hamburger buns on the counter. Both needed to be used up and I was in recipe development mode. So, I decided to make a halibut sandwich and that’s when the idea for yogurt tartar sauce was born

Admittedly, I was a bit doubtful. I tossed the idea out to my husband. He was really doubtful. Nonetheless, I went at it, substituting my yogurt for the mayonnaise and adding Western Family dill relish, some diced Walla Walla onion, the juice of half a lemon and some salt. A quick stir resulted in a luscious tartar with all the flavor of the classic and far less fat. Dolloped on a piece of cooked panko coated halibut it was a revelation.

IMG_5734The recipe that follows is ridiculously simple. If you don’t have homemade yogurt, storebought is fine. If you use Greek yogurt, you might need to thin it with a bit of milk to get that dollopy texture. Thin it a bit in the beginning, then add your relish, onion, and lemon juice, and if the texture needs adjusting, add a bit more milk or lemon if desired

Yogurt-Tartar Sauce

1/2 cup homemade plain yogurt, or store-bought plain Greek yogurt

2 to 3 teaspoons prepared dill relish, I used Western Family

1 to 2 Tablespoons chopped sweet onion

juice of half a lemon

salt to taste

In a small bowl, whisk or stir the yogurt to loosen and smooth out. Add the relish, the chopped onion, the lemon and salt to taste. Stir to combine and if using Greek yogurt, add a little milk or more lemon juice to adjust the texture.  Make 1/2 cup.