Cookin No. 32 - Etruscan Salmon and Meat Cutting Class

It has been a while, I seemed to have gotten wrapped up in work and school. I started my job at Wegmans, and I love it. I am learning a lot too. The first recipe that I made was Etruscan Salmon, which means Salmon made in the style of Tuscany. Basically you are poaching the salmon.

Etruscan Salmon:

½ cup white wine
1 cup marinara sauce
1 ½ cup seafood stock
1 shallot
2 cloves of garlic
A sprig of rosemary chopped
Dash of red pepper flakes
8 olives chopped
Some cappers
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Salmon filet

Start your pot with some olive oil, garlic and shallots. Sauté` until they become translucent, then add the white wine and the red pepper flakes. Let reduce to 1/3. Add the marinara sauce, seafood stock, rosemary, olives and capers. Cover and let come to a boil. Rub some salt and pepper onto you salmon. When the sauce has reached 170o put the salmon in skin side up. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes, then turn the salmon over. Continue to cook until the salmon has reached the internal temperature of 130o.

Plate and enjoy.

This is a great fall dish, it has rich flavors, and I love the red pepper flakes, because they add this little bite to the dish.

This Sunday our menu changed over and we are now making a thanksgiving feast. With Brine roasted turkey, butternut squash salad, Brussels spouts, and cranberry orange sauce.

The brine turkey is new to me, but I have to say, brine is the way to go with this bird. I hate dry turkey, and by soaking the turkey in some salt and water, you will have the most moist and delicious bird ever. But I’ll give you recipes later

On to meat cutting. We started class with the noble beast, the cow. We learned about all the different cuts made to break down the cow, and then were given whole legs to work on. You know, I have a strong stomach, but wow, sometimes while I’m butchering something, I suddenly realize what I’m doing and my stomach starts to turn. We got to try steak tar-tar, which is raw beef… it wasn’t bad, but you know, I don’t think I will ever go out of my way to order it. I’m not big on the idea of raw things. I don’t know, they kind of… skeeve me out. On Friday we moved onto veal, and cut up a veal leg, which was just like the cow leg, so it was just like more practice. Today though, was a great day. We made osso buco from the veal leg, which is a great Italian dish, and the cut comes from the shin. You braise the meat so that it just falls off the bone and melts into your mouth. We also made sauerbraten, and spetchle. Mmmm family meal was great. Then we worked on the pig, frenched the ends of some ribs, made a dry rub for boneless spare ribs, and roasted a boston butt. Which actually doesn’t come from the pigs, butt, its pretty much the shoulder of the beast.

I know that butchery is not my thing, but this is a great knowledge to have, that way in the future I will know what to do with a carcass when someone throws it at me. And its good to know what cuts of meat need to be cooked in what way. Tender cuts can be sautéed or roasted, and tougher pieces of meat should be braised so they can become tender.

Anywho, I have to run off and do some laundry at my parents house. By the by, Griswold has entered the home and turns out that Griswold is a she. But my parents kept her name. She is starting to gain weight and seems very happy in her new home. So I’m going to head over and get some kitty lovin. Well, other than the kitty loven I get here from Riley and Penny.

Pork Loin

Osso Buco




Until next time my friends, Bon Appetite.