Summertime is the exuberant season for Northwest cooks. The region's gorgeous greens, herbs and vegetables and fresh cherries, berries and peaches are ripe for the picking. Sumptuous salmon makes its glorious summer run.
Our summer repast begins with Dilled Grilled Prawns, an appetizer from Simply Classic (The Junior League of Seattle, 2002). Begin by soaking 24 bamboo skewers in hot water for 30 minutes. Skewer 24 Alaskan spot prawns or large shrimp (peeled and deveined) and place them in a shallow baking dish. Combine one-quarter cup each white vermouth and olive oil, two tablespoons each chopped fresh parsley, green onion and dill (or two teaspoons dried dill); one tablespoon Dijon mustard; one medium garlic clove (minced); one bay leaf; and freshly ground pepper to taste. Pour the marinade over the prawns, cover and refrigerate at least one hour or up to overnight. Remove the prawns from the marinade and grill until barely opaque throughout (one to two minutes per side).
Serve the sizzling shellfish skewers with Quails' Gate Estate Winery 2006 Limited Release Chenin Blanc ($19 Canadian) from the Okanagan Valley. The wine displays aromas and flavors of lemons and limes and a touch of honey, along with herbal/earthy notes, thanks to blending with Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp, with firm acidity, this wine pairs nicely with simply prepared shellfish dishes.
Blue Cheese-Cherry Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette comes from Kay Simon, winemaker at Chinook Wines in Prosser, Wash. To re-create the winemaker's recipe, add four ounces of fresh sweet cherries (pitted and cut in half) or unsweetened dried cherries to six tablespoons of Merlot or Cabernet Franc. Make the vinaigrette by whisking together two tablespoons each raspberry vinegar and freshly squeezed lemon juice, two teaspoons each Dijon mustard and honey or sugar, half a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt to taste. Slowly whisk in one-third cup of extra virgin olive oil.
Tear two heads of butter lettuce into a large salad bowl along with half a head of radicchio. Add half a small red onion (thinly sliced). Drain the cherries, add them to the bowl, toss the salad with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with half a cup of crumbled blue cheese before serving.
Pair the salad with Chinook Wines 2005 Cabernet Franc ($20) from the Yakima Valley. Chinook has developed a quite following for this variety - particularly in Seattle-area restaurants. In her tasting notes, Simon describes the wine as, "a fruity, bright red wine that is easy on the palate. Flavors you might find in Chinook Cab Franc include licorice, mint and lavender."
Continuing our exuberant summer feast, we cook up Alaskan Salmon with Warm Blackberry and Shallot Compote, a recipe from my Pike Place Public Market Seafood Cookbook (Sasquatch Books, 2005). Toss three to four small, peeled shallots with one tablespoon of olive oil and one-quarter cup of sugar. Spread in a baking pan and cook at 400 degrees until the shallots are lightly browned and soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and spoon the shallots and syrup into a nonreactive mixing bowl. Add two cups of fresh blackberries and one-quarter cup of raspberry vinegar. Toss gently, cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, on a piece of waxed paper, mix together one-quarter cup of all-purpose flour, one tablespoon each minced fresh chervil and parsley, and a pinch each of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add one tablespoon olive oil. Remove the skin and bones from four six-ounce salmon fillets and pat both sides of each fillet in the flour, shaking off any excess. Cook three to five minutes per side, transfer to dinner plates and spoon the compote over the salmon.
Pair the salmon with Bridgeview Vineyard & Winery 2003 Blue Moon Merlot ($10) from Oregon. Youthful - even refreshing for a red wine - this bright, ruby-colored quaffer pairs nicely with the berry compote, thanks to its lush flavors of blueberry and black cherry and a medium mouth feel.
Our summer menu ends on a sweet note with one of my original recipes - Lemon Whip Peach Parfaits. Begin by gently tossing four ripe peaches (skin and pits removed and cut into bite-sized pieces) with two tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice. In a chilled mixing bowl with a chilled whisk, whip one cup of heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in one cup of plain yogurt and half a cup of lemon curd. Cut one package of soft ladyfingers (24 ladyfingers) into bite-sized pieces and layer half of the pieces in four wine goblets or dessert bowls. Layer with half the peaches and half the lemon cream, repeat the process (ending with the lemon cream) and refrigerate two to 24 hours.
Serve the peach parfaits with a well-chilled bottle of Covey Run Winery 2005 Morio-Muskat ($8) from Washington's Columbia Valley. This delicately aromatic wine is made from the intriguing German hybrid cross of Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner grapes. Its intoxicating floral aromas and flavors of peaches and honeysuckle, touched by a hint of sweetness, make you want to stand up and cheer as you celebrate summer, the exuberant season!
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