Seared Salmon Glazed with Balsamic Vinegar and Honey with Smoked Paprika Roasted Red Potatoes and Caprese Salad

Fresh salmon is naturally sweet and creamy, and it doesn't need to be drowned out with super sauces and zippy spices. Since Joshua is on a gluten-free diet, I choose side dishes that are naturally gluten free, like red potatoes. Since the dish itself is rich, I wanted the vegetables to be simple and delicious on their own. You can choose a different side dish for your special dinner. This dish serves 2.

1 pound salmon filet, cleaned of bones, rinsed, and patted dry
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons clover honey
1 tablespoon, divided Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon Black Pepper, freshly ground
6 small red potatoes, scrubbed
1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium beefsteak tomato
4 fresh basil leaves
2 ounces mozzarella, sliced thinly

1. Clean the salmon filet thoroughly. Rub your fingers along the fish and check for fine bones. Even though the fish has been prepared, check to make sure the side bones are removed. Use clean tweezers and remove the bones you find. Rinse the filet and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper (approx 1/2 teaspoon each)



2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small nonstick saucepan, pour the balsamic vinegar. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, but be careful not to let it boil or splatter all over. The balsamic vinegar with start to evaporate and thicken just slightly.

3. Meanwhile, slice the potatoes into large chunks. Place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the Kosher salt, smoked paprika, and ground pepper. Pour potatoes into a stoneware baking sheet or sheet pan. Place the pan in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. At the halfway point, stir the potatoes, and turn them, so the other sides can also get browned.

4. While the potatoes are roasting, preheat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. When the pan is extremely hot, pour in 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil. Carefully slide the seasoned salmon into the pan - skin side up, being careful not to splash hot oil on yourself. Cover immediately with a splatter guard. Let fry for 3-5 minutes without touching it. You are creating a crispy crust for the salmon.

5. While the salmon is searing, add the honey to the balsamic vinegar and stir. Return to the heat and let simmer for about 3 more minutes.


6. Once the salmon has seared on the top side, carefully flip the salmon over and place the splatter guard back on top. Sear this side for another 5 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through to 135-145 degrees.

7. Slice the beefsteak tomato. Then lay out on a serving plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. Top with the slices of cheese. Stack the basil leaves on each other and then roll up. Slice the basil leaves into the thin threads. Sprinkle overtop the tomato and cheese slices. Refrigerate until ready to use.

8. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Remove the salmon from the pan and place on a separate plate to cool briefly.


9. Divide onto plates and enjoy.

Last Days of Summer

Seattle has been mindboggling for me, and I have tried to thoroughly take advantage of the great summer that we've had here. The Pike Place Market has long held a dear place in my heart, and the different merchants and artisans have not failed to disappoint. Selected images of my daily wonder are offered here to tantalize your imaginations. If you haven't yet visited the Market, you really must plan a trip next summer. The variety of food, the talented musicians, and the wonderful people you meet are sure to dazzle. I thought that working in/around Seattle would diminish its fabled glory for me, but it has only increased my fascination and amusement. More to come...

Elaine and Jesse invited us to go to Herron Island with them, and I had my first taste of digging for clams and mussels (pictured above) and swinging on a tire swing! The swing extended out over the receded tide and threatened to throw you to the sea, but I survived! I know, I'm so brave. The mussels were extremely delicious, and we enjoyed a pasta dish suited for kings! Or average Washington transplants who spent the early morning diging up the clams...

Matthew and Brittany were wed on Aug 29th, and Carol and I ventured to the Des Moines Farmer's Market to check out flowers to decorate the chapel. The flowers in Seattle are just stunning. Here's a snapshot of a typical bouquet sold at any market for just $10-15 depending on the vendor. Colorado, sorry to say, cannot rival the bouquets here. The wedding, in case you were curious, was absolutely beautiful. Brittany's bridesmaids were adorned in darkish pink gowns, and Brittany's mermaid-inspired dress was one of the most classy designs I've seen. Matthew dressed his groomsmen in fancy tuxedos, and the wedding was a lovely ceremony at the Seattle University St. Ignatius Chapel. The reception at the Mayflower Hotel, in downtown Seattle, was enjoyable, and the dancing went almost to midnight. I would know, because I nursed blistered feet for days afterwards! But it was so worth it! Congratulations M&B!

We've been enjoying the summer with good friends and spiffy festivals. This giant Salmon graced the Ballard Seafood Fest. Steve and Michele graced us with our presence and patiently accompanied me to the adjacent farmer's market. What fun! I can't wait to see what other festivals have yet to happen and to return to the ones I missed!

Pictured below, I've been assisting with the culinary development of the World Cafe in Puyallup (http://www.worldcafes.net/). This is the cafe side of Day by Day Gourmet, a company based on the idea that convenient food can be mostly prepared at home and meet the nutritional restrictions to have a healthy impact on your life. The affordable dinners are packaged in sets of 12 and can be portioned from 1-6 servings. Go to www.daybydaygourmet.com to get more information about those. The World Cafe provides tasty and non-indulgent breakfasts and lunches, and I've had my fingers in most of the second draft of these recipes.

We're going to be at the Puyallup Fair three times doing cooking demonstrations, featuring the Day by Day Gourmet dinners and providing copies of our World Cafe menu. If you're in the area, please stop by. We'll be there 9/19 @ 6:00, 9/23 @ 3:30, and 9/26 @ 10:30. We can be found at the Pavilian/Home Arts building on the second floor. We'll have food to sample as well!

In my work to continue the development of Day by Day Gourmet dinners, I frequently test the recipes and the cooking instructions on different people. Bill, my father-in-law, is an excellent tester for the work, because he is detailed and doesn't attempt to assume what the instructions meant to say. Here he prepares the Gold Medal Apple BBQ Chicken. Brittany is advising him.

Jack's Fish Spot

Sorry, readers, that it has been so long since I've published! Things have moved along quickly, and it's been great! I'm working with World Cafe (http://www.worldcafes.net/) in Puyallup and Lynnwood to help with the menu development (products and designs) and with Day by Day Gourmet, World Cafe's parent company, (http://www.daybydaygourmet.com/) with their Home Valet meals! It's been so much fun! I've also started writing articles for the Pike Place Market News, a merchant association-run newspaper at the Pike Place Market (http://www.pikeplacemarketnews.com/).

I'm planning on taking Biochemistry at North Seattle Community College this fall, and then I'll be applying to different graduate degree options for next fall! Exciting stuff!

Joshua is looking for jobs, too, and he's been looking into potential openings at REI. Wouldn't that be cool?! I hope he gets good discounts!

Now...onto the writing...

Bounty of the Sea Breathes Life into the Market

Tourists and travelers flock to Seattle every year by the thousands to see one major event: fish flying over head into the waiting arms of a plastic-coated apron-wearing fishmonger. Impressed nods and flashes of cameras follow the spectacle, and locals know that quick passage through the winding path of the Market is nearly impossible. Fishmongers, an archaic name for those who sell fish, are an integral part of the modern development and popularity of the Market. Tourism thrives in the Pike Market, and the fish marketing extravaganza is definitely worth stopping by. This popular fish market is one of several others, including local-favorite Jack's Fish Spot, to which many regulars flock to collect their fish and seafood. Across Pike Place Street sits this final fish market to join the Public Market, and Jack's Fish Spot has occupied the location for over twenty years. Flanked by produce stands and merchants, this fish market is impossible to miss, and getting to know these fishmongers will give you a view on what a community the Pike Market is.

Jack Mathers, the founder of his namesake's Fish Spot, opened this shop out of necessity. A rock musician at heart, and an entrepreneur in practice, Jack has expanded his spot to include a fresh Seafood Bar, live shellfish tanks, and a variety that puts any grocery store's fish stand to shame. You can also pick up his latest CD. Jack brings his experiences of working on fish boats and fish processing plants to his market, and you are as likely to see him expertly preparing your order as you are to see any of the other employees. Locals followed him here from his original location in Madison Park, and one family I spoke with has eaten at the Seafood Bar for nearly as long as Jack has been in business. The tasty cioppino rivals any fine Italian restaurant, and the rich clam chowder challenges any of the better-known restaurants' offerings. Crispy fried “hali-booty,” salmon, and shellfish are served on a bed of freshly sliced potato fries, steaming hot from the fryer. No, it's not a diet food, but a few laps around the Market should set you right.

The Northwest provides a breathtaking variety of fish and seafood, and Jack's Fish Spot offers a generous selection, including Dungeness Crabs, clams, Sockeye and King salmon, Quilcene oysters, and so much more. One amateur chef commented that he buys all of his fish at Jack's because, in addition to being the freshest, the prices are the most reasonable here. Joe Phillips, the manager in Jack's absence, explained that much of the fish comes from local and west coast vendors, and they receive orders several times per week. The fish you find buried in their ice displays and floating in the tanks are as fresh as you can get them, without fishing them yourself.

A good sense of humor, firm determination, and a willingness to get messy are essential qualities of the team mates at Jack's. No task is exclusive to a position, and each team mate is equal to the other. Joe has worked for Jack seasonally in the past while in college and now full-time, and he can be seen interacting with customers, preparing and serving food, setting up displays, and measuring/weighing orders. The Fish Spot and the Seafood Bar share a bar counter-top, and the employees know both sides of the business well. Whenever needed, they can be found zipping back and forth between fresh seafood and seafood meal preparation.

As I observed the Fish Spot team, I was reminded of how closely related to the Market these fishmongers are. Jerry Antush and Jeff Schmidt have worked for Jack off and on for years, and their dedication is reflected in the regularity of the customers who can be seen warming the metal stools that surround the Seafood Bar. To that end, several of Jerry's extended family members and close friends own or have worked in other shops around the Market. Regulars walked by and shouted greetings to the employees from whom they purchase goods, and a clear community has developed.

The Pike Place Market is a must-see for all visitors to Seattle, and the historical and popular role that each fish market has played in the continued strength of the Market is evident. Special summer events and tours help to keep the bustling activity, and local customer loyalty enables the market vendors and purveyors in business during the rainy winter days. Stop by Jack's Fish Spot, sample the zippy cioppino, and go home with handselected, alder smoked salmon. You'll definitely be back for more.