Summer Salad Nicoise with Fresh Grilled Tuna

Mr. Tom is the catch of the day

Mr. Tom was invited to an evening of fishing on Glenn Lake with one of his service techs, Shannon. Sounds great and off the two went in pursuit of the big one that wouldn't get away. Little did Shannon know that his companion, the man with more endearing nicknames than fish stories would himself  become the big catch of the day.

This then becomes Shannon's story. As he tells it, he and Mr. Tom were spending a peaceful evening on the water with a smidgen of activity on their lines when Mr. Tom felt the need to relieve himself. The boys were fishing from Shannon's 17 foot watercraft when Mr. Tom moved toward the edge of the boat.

Just a moment later Shannon heard a willful outburst and turned just in time to watch the 2 foot tall running light at the rear of the boat accompany Mr. Tom into the dark and chilly lake. With an enormous splash from Mr. Tom aka ("Big Dog" "T-Bone" "Jimmy T") whatever your favorite nickname happened to be at the time... the fact was, Mr. Tom was now swimming with the fish.

Now what? There was Mr. Tom swimming with he fish and the boat had no provision for loading a new passenger from the water. No ladder, no ski deck, no way, how would Mr. Tom Get back in the boat? After a few futile attempts on Mr. Tom's part to hoist himself boat side failed... Mr. Tom suggested Shannon tow him to shore with a rope tied to his waist! Can you just see this!

Surely this would work but Lord have mercy Mr. Tom was having a difficult time keeping his head above water and this plan was quickly scrapped. Shannon at this point with the rope attached to Mr. Tom exclaimed that he thought he could pull Mr. Tom into the boat. Mr. Tom was skeptical and put a small wager on the outcome of this new exercise. Sure enough Shannon was able to get just the right lift and pull and with Mr. Tom's help slid him over the edge and into the boat, not unlike a 250 pound tuna.

The whole experience had some sense of seriousness until Shannon saw Mr. Tom sitting safe on the shore pulling  his shoe off and pouring the water out... he then scrapped his phone and pager along with the drying of his wallet. Now this was more than Shannon could take and finally broke into uncontrollable laughter. As the story spread around the office and a good laugh was had by all...well you guessed it, the man with all those endearing nicknames just added another, Aqua Man.

Summer Salad Nicoise with Fresh Grilled Tuna

Serves 6

 

1 lb. fresh tuna pan seared medium rare on your new grill from Proctor Gas

3/4 lb. small new potatoes boiled and sliced

3/4 lb. string beans/ blanched

2 heads romaine hearts/ chopped

1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

3 hard boiled eggs quartered

6 oz. flat anchovy filet

1 small red bell pepper/ sliced thin

3 vine ripe ripe tomatoes /quartered

1/2 cup kalamata black olives pits removed

3 tablespoons mixed minced fresh herbs

Thyme, parsley, basil chervil, tarragon and chives

Salt & Pepper

 

Mix together in layers and toss with your favorite herb infused balsamic vinaigrette garnish with anchovy crossed on the egg

Lake Bomoseen Brown Trout

Memories of Lake Bomoseen.

Mr. Tom almost sleeps with the fish!

There are few places that can evoke the wonderful childhood memories of summer like Lake Bomoseen. Growing up as a kid in my house we heard stories of the times that My Uncle Peter owned the open air Casino. It was here that my Uncle played host to some of the biggest names in Music from those days. Duke Ellington, Louie Armstrong, and Dizzy Gillespie. It was here that he forged the friendships that later would be his contact to those stars. He used those contacts to promote events in the Virgin Islands, raising the funds to start Little League in St Thomas.

I had a number of friends with camps at the Lake, I was never without an invitation to visit. It was great fun and there was never any competition from an x-box or play station to keep me from going. Once I married Mr. Tom, his family owned a Hotel on the Lake and that became our base of operation.

Somehow we avoided an operation and Mr. Tom having to sleep with the fish. As the story goes and I'm afraid there are a few different versions. My "Best Friend" Ron and for those of you who know him as an accomplished storyteller was on the banks of the lake where there were many horrified spectators watching Mr. Tom bare-footing behind our new speed boat. Ron seems to remember the story this way!

As Mr. Tom released both skis (not) maybe one and Mrs.Tom made a final pass around the bay as to let Mr. Tom display his water skiing talents for the crowd, Mrs. Tom the driver of the boat at the time was finding Mr. Tom's antics to be quite entertaining. It was dusk on the lake and visibility had become difficult. Much to the horror of the bank full of spectators and our very own Mr. Ron... there in the fading light of day appeared a floating dock. As the horde of people looked on in terror the group of onlookers tried to alert Mrs. Tom.

The speedboat was at warp speed and the floating dock some 50 yards off the shoreline appeared like a stealth submarine surfacing. Without even a moment to react Mrs. Tom braced herself for impact. To the fear of the entire lake bank they had collided, the speedboat, Mr. Tom and a floating dock. One could only imagine the grizzley aftermath of carnage. But wait there is Mr. Tom and he is ok and waving to the crowd while Mrs. Tom sits at the helm of her water vessel perched right on top of the dock, jerk, lift and sit. Searching her body for places that might have left a mark, it seemed that Mrs. Tom also was unharmed.

A few minor adjustments to the water craft and it was a good as new. I wonder how long it took for Mr. Tom to get back on skis with Mrs. Tom sitting in the captains seat. I believe the next visit to the lake brought with it an opportunity to bring home something for the Grill a little fishing and here Mrs. Tom shares with you what to do with the catch of the day.

              Shannon one of the many "Fish Whisperers" stationed at Proctor Gas

Lake Bomoseen Brown Trout, lemon, basil and toasted pine nuts

4 whole cleaned boneless 10 oz trout or whatever size you caught use this as a guide

about 4 lemons... 3 lemons sliced thin kept round 16 each / 1 lemon cut/reserved to squeeze in the sauce

12 nice fresh basil leaves

cracked black pepper

pinch of sea salt for each

extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

2/3 stick of butter

1/4 cup white wine

3 tablespoons fresh basil chopped fine

2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Equipment

clasping grill basket large enough for the trout or an iron skillet

Prepare a two zone fire one side at medium high and the other low

1 Open the trout up and brush with virgin olive oil on the inside. Place 3 slices of lemon and three basil leaves on the inside of each trout. S&P to taste. Close the trout place two slices of lemon on the top of the trout so the lemon  chars with the fish and becomes part of your presentation, then  put them side by side in your grill basket.

2 In a sauté pan toast the pine nuts about 5 minutes on a medium heat stirring until they are light brown and release their nutty flavor. Put them in a small bowl and add the cheese and 1 tablespoons of chopped basil, pinch of black pepper... mix/ reserve

3 Put the fish on the grill lemon side down on the medium high heat about five minutes on each side but keep watching, remove from the grill lemon side up for presentation. When you turn the fish start make your sauce.

4. For the sauce, use the same little sauté pan as you did the nuts in. Place the butter in the pan and heat add the juice of 1 lemon, and the white wine a touch of black pepper and 1 tablespoon of basil and reduce until you have a nice lemon butter basil sauce. Don't get so hot that it breaks if it does add a little whole butter and bring it back.  Pour about 2 tablespoons of sauce on a white plate in the center, place the trout on top of the sauce and sprinkle the pine nuts on the top of the charred lemon.

Mrs. Tom 's Secret

There are a couple of real secrets here one has to do with cooking the other deception. Through the years when fresh fish was on everybody's mind and Mr. Tom would head out to the lake or river, pole in hand, Mrs. Tom would use the phone to call for backup. Your local fish man should be able to get you the farm raised variety from Idaho or Maine.

Make sure you have your ingredients ready right beside your pan when you are ready to make the sauce, it all happens fast and you cannot leave the sauce, you must tend it and it will only take a couple of minutes less than the time it takes to cook the other side of the trout.

If you need to use the iron skillet then heat the skillet on the medium high heat and pour a little oil in the pan or spray the pan with Pam olive oil,

Southern BBQ Chicken

We bought a Southern Home

Some years back Mr. Tom and I purchased a Southern get away home in Pawleys Island South Carolina. Pawleys Island is reputed to be the oldest resort in America, at least that's what the locals claim. In as much as it is a beautiful place and we loved it there, the main reason for choosing Pawleys Island was my brother and his family had been living there since 1990. We wanted to be able to vacation close to them and make sure the cousins grew up close, as we did with ours.

Over the years my brother opened numerous restaurants of all kinds. He had a consulting company and provided start-up and culinary expertise to clients hoping to open their own restaurants. It was great for us as we got to sample many different cuisines of the South. It seemed that every visit brought with it a different location and a new culinary experience. They ranged from the most expensive you could imagine right on down to a Hooters knock off called ...HIGHBEAMS, get it! As it happened Highbeams was a sports bar and in Raleigh North Carolina. As we were on holiday and heading to our Pawleys Island home we made a detour to see my brother in Raleigh and the new place he had just opened.

The timing was great. It was smack dab in the middle of March Madness and as we found out there is no place like Raleigh NC during March Madness. The location was brand new opened only two weeks. There was a TV every 6 inches and a plethora of scantily clad beautiful young ladies. The place was lined with the colors of the day, Duke, North Carolina and NC State. The threee owners of the bar were NC State grads, the sign on the mens room door read " NC State Fans only, all others use the ladies room". My son Josh was about 14 and thought he had gone to heaven, Mr Tom although a bit more reserve about the surroundings seemed pleased as well. As it would happen there was one other attraction that particular week that fueled our visit to this remote out of the way stop. The University of Vermont had made the NCAA tournament for the first time since Calvin Coolidge was president or something like that. Low and behold they had actually won the first game and were scheduled to play Saracuse the night we arrived.

It wasn't easy to get those North Carolina fans to give a hoot about a Vermont basketball team and give up valuable TV space, but my brother had clout! We dined on the best bar food you could imagine. My brother was buying the wing sauce from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo where it all started. He bought it by the palate and had shipped down. It was a sports bar where everything was made from scratch. It would be a great place for Guy Fiori and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives to visit.

In as much as I will always have my heart in Vermont, here is a salute to the cuisine that surrounds my southern home. There are certain things that come to mind when I think of the Southern Culinary landscape other than Emeril and Paula Dean. Watermelon, Peaches and the treasured Vadaila onions. Each year when the onions are in season local civic groups make them available in 50 pound bags, The Rotary, VFW, school kids and alike hit the streets selling them and my neighbors all have a pantry full.

Southern BBQ Chicken,

Apple Smoked and Served with a Vidalia Peach Chutney

and a Quarter of a Watermelon for Dessert

For the Rub

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon fine chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fine chopped sage
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Mix together and reserve

The Peach Chutney

You may substitute mango or apple and use fresh or fresh frozen

Two large or three small fresh peaches peal the skins off

1/2 cup of a peach nectar
2 tablespoons of a good peach preserve
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
3 table spoons fine chopped Vidalia onion( do not substitute, if not available just omit)
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Place all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 15 minutes. If necessary add a touch more liquid. Let it cool.

1 whole 5lb chicken split into two halves. Remove the backbone and rub the birds with olive oil.

Start the grill one zone on high and the other on medium if two zones. If you have three zones the two outside zones on high and the middle on low, let it heat for 10 minutes.

2 two large handfuls of  apple wood chips or whatever style you desire. Soak the wood in water for 1 hour. Wrap them in foil and poke holes in the top of the foil with a pencil, about 8 holes. Place the package on the indirect heat on the back of the grill. Turn off the indirect heat burner and lower the other two or 1 zone to medium.

3 Coat the chicken halves generously with the rub. Make sure the chicken is at room temperature for 15 minutes. About the time your grill is heating up.

4 place the chicken on the grill breast side up. Place the chicken on the indirect medium heat and close the lid on the grill. Keep the lid closed as much as possible, the chicken should take about 1 hour or a little longer. Check the internal temperature, it should be 180 degrees in the thick part of the thigh. Rotate the chicken a couple of times for even roasting.

5 Remove the bird and let it rest for at least 10 minutes, serve the chutney with it.

Good Eating

Content today by an old friend of the family Chef Louis Zathmary of the Bakery Restaurant. I have taken a few liberties with the story.

Perhaps one of the finest gourmet delicacies ever created is smoked salmon. However it can turn into a disaster if not properly prepared and consumed. The first  issue is the way you cut the salmon.

There was a story about a Parisian Captain who could slice the salmon to perfection. It would be a thickness so thin that it would allow you to read the morning newspaper through it. To prove his point the owner of this small Paris restaurant had special plates made with newspaper print embodied in them. However once the captain was gone , nobody could master the art as he did and the plates went into storage. How do I know this to be true, I saw one of the plates hanging in Chef Louis's office in his famous Bakery Restaurant in Chicago. A few glassed of Brandy later he had told me the story.

So intrigued by the proper service of smoked salmon that he argued the point of knowing how to eat the salmon was just as critical. This is his story.

In the event you purchase salmon already machine cut and packed in oil, place each slice in a sheet of plastic after wiping the oil off the fish with a paper towel. Now gently pound the salmon until it is about three times the original size being careful not to destroy the texture of the salmon. Remove the slices from the plastic with a metal spatula being ever so gentle.

Always serve the salmon at room temperature. Serve the salmon with fresh chopped sweet onions that have been soaked in cold water for 5 minutes with a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon and then gently pressed out in a towel. Serve with rinsed capers, juicy ripe lemons cut and wrapped in cheesecloth to keep the seeds from joining the salmon and an excellent rye bread and sweet butter.

Have plenty of good chilled beer or a dry white on hand. Just say in!

Eating the salmon is a heavenly experience, especially if you follow the rules for eating salmon as closely as those for preparing it. To eat Nova Scotia salmon you must train your palate as you do your ears for chamber music. The first bite you take should be nothing but salmon about the size of two postage stamps. Place in the middle of your tongue...without touching your lips or tongue with the fork. Close your mouth and let your tongue and upper palate engulf the salmon and warm it to your body temperature. The volatile oils that preserve the frail scent of the smoked fish will start to evaporate, filling your mouth with a very pleasant warm, sweet sensation. The milt saltiness will awaken all of your taste buds.

Now start to chew the salmon slowly turning it from molar to molar in the back of your mouth. Without opening your mouth, swallow. Now have a deep breath and have four or five short but powerful sips of beer or two sips of wine. This will rinse the fish taste from your mouth and you will enjoy the fragrance and cooling effect of the beer or wine.

Next, take a small piece of the bread with a touch of butter. Chew and swallow it. Take a second piece of bread, placing on it a slice of salmon. On top of the salmon put two or three small bits of sweet onion, one or two capers and few drops of lemon juice. Don't use a fork! Lift to your mouth and bite into the middle.  Placing both bites into your mouth. Close your mouth and chew slowly, playing sensuously with the food, turning it back and forth with your tongue. Enjoy the crunchy sensation of the onion, the mellow fragrance of the caper, the unique texture of the salmon, the bland coarseness of the bread and the sweetness of the butter.

Close your eyes if you wish as if you were listening to music. Keep repeating the procedure and you will decide I'm sure, the salmon was well worth the price you paid for it.

Good Eating

 

Mrs. Tom

Brought to you by the kind folks at Proctor Gas " the propane people"
 

www.proctorgas.com