Last week, sitting beside the Ohio river and listening to the Cincinnati Reds beat the Yankees (yay) I consumed as much sea food as I could possibly fit in my stomach (then had carrot cake just to even it out in there.)

The meal was really lovely, but more than the bright and bracing flavor of the oysters, or the balance between sweet crab and garden fresh tomato, I was struck by how the meal made me think. Sipping my glass of cheap white wine, I realized that the taste was so good because I don’t drink wine much any more. And I’m not cooking the way I love to, spending hours in the kitchen just because it makes me happy. I miss inventing and making strange concoctions that sometimes work and sometimes don’t (beet terrine with herb gelatin? awful).  I am scared that in this new job, which affords me so many opportunities (restaurant exploration and work-wise)  that I might be losing a little bit of myself.

Now, this was pretty heady stuff for a glass of mediocre pinot gris (my studying oenophile self is angry that I liked it so much), but one never knows when your subconscious will decide to strike. So it’s time to get back to the kitchen, back to the bottle and back to what I love.

So here is my goal, two posts a week and cooking not just to eat, but to play, to learn and to dine.

All this said, the salmon with king crab salad and pear vinaigrette were really fantastic and deserve their time in the spot light. Enough pontificating Ellie.

Crab is a beautiful thing. Last week, I ate more crab than over the past 2 years. And I liked it. Next week i’m going to make Hearts of Palm Salad with Red Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab. Miss Erica Everage, you are responsible for my love of palm, looking forward to Dining in LA with you soon!

THE DANE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET IS BACK! Finally the vibrant fuchsia center of beauty heart radish graces my plate, tender arugula leaves are passed out as samples by the man who harvested them in the Saturday dawn and bunches of aromatic ramps catch my eye for a spring pesto.

This is undoubtedly my favorite time of the year to be eating. (ok, the lush tomatoes and sweet corn of late summer provide stiff competition). I have an east-facing apartment so on that glorious first-market day 6:15 am rolled around and I was up and at ‘em. With the promise of a pasty and a market dinner later that night, and I cajoled my handsome man to meet me on the capital square.

This week my loot included fresh arugula, Spanish Black Round radishes, fresh salsa and two massive bunches of ramps and young goat feta (In all, we sampled a dozen different cheeses, salsas, and infused oils; we sipped strong black coffee, indulged in chocolate filled croissants, a raspberry oatmeal muffin and I seriously considered bison beef jerky, goodness I love snacks!)

The ramps were far and away the most exiting purchase. For the virgin ramp consumer, a ramp is a wild leek, its’ flavor bridges the gap between an onion and young garlic. Their tender leaves don’t need any cooking before they are incorporated into most dishes, including this pesto recipe. The vibrant green of this sauce coats the pasta in a restaurant worthy elegance.

Seared Salmon with Linguini and Wild Ramp Pesto

1 bunch wild ramps, bulbs and stems thinly sliced (about ½ cup), green leaves reserved and chopped

¼ basil, chopped

1/3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, + 1 tbsp for sautéing

Half a lemon

Salt, pepper

½ pound linguini (you can get it fresh at the Dane Co Market!)

2 pieces of salmon, about 6-8 oz per piece (this recipe provides abundant pesto for two people, I used it the next day on a pizza

Set a large pot of water to boil, cover and go about your business.

In a large pan, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and sauté the ramp bulbs and stems until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer cooked ramps, green tops, pine nuts, cheese and basil to a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until finely chopped and nearing a pasty composure, now slowly with the blade a-spinning, add 1/4 cup olive oil. The oil will emulsify as it integrates into the sauce. The result should be smooth, but toothy.

(Hopefully your pasta water is ready, add linguini)

Heat extra olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on the salmon and cook, skin side up first about 4-5 minutes per side.

Drain pasta and save a little of the water. Return to the pot and add all but 1/4 cup of the pesto. If sauce is too think add pasta water one tablespoon at a time. Divide pasta between two shallow bowls, top with salmon and smear remaining pesto across fish.

Eat!

This maybe the best easy-salmon I’ve ever made. I’m back at school, so no kitchen of my own per sem but I simply tote my traveling kitchen around and make myself useful. Last weekend, was a collegiate triumph. Its lovely to cook for my friends, they are appreciative and generally easier to please than my picky, over-analyzing self. I’m picky and I always think about what I could have done better.

This salmon though, doesn’t need second guessing. A Dijon mustard glaze keeps the fish moist and potato chips get an upgrade from collegiate snack to gourmet ingredient.

But first, a little background on my favorite condiment: Dijon Mustard.

A true Dijon mustard must adhere to very specific qualifications. It’s a French national treasure, and this 150 year old recipe is worth guarding. It’s a concoction of brown mustard seeds, white wine, salt and some spices to heat things up. And its great for you. Mustard can be used medicinally to stimulate digestion, increase circulation, and clear the sinuses. Also, its a rubefacient, drawing blood to the surface of the sink. Warming, soothing, and muscle relaxing. Think that oatmeal is the only thing you’d every put in a bat tub you cure an ill? Well, try a mustard foot bath….I wish I had a tub in college.

But back to the salmon, here’s how it goes.

Ingredients:

Salmon fillet
2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons dried dill or 4 tablespoons fresh
1 - 1.5 cups crush potato chips

All the measurements are subject to the size of the salmon. First, place the salmon on a rimmed baking sheet line with foil and season olive oil, salt and pepper (not too much salt, remember the chips!). Pop it under the broiler for about 9-11 minutes depending on the thickness. Meanwhile, mix the crunched potato chips with the dill and set aside. When salmon is almost cooked, take it out of the oven and paint it with the mustard. Then press the chip mixture into the mustard and broil for another minute or two until cooked through. Then, eat and enjoy. Maybe a side of orzo red onions? I think yes!

If you’re interested, Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point and Blink, wrote an article on the rise of Grey Poupon to dominate the market. Check it out.

Sources: http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0796/musthlth.html
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