Fun Playing with Food Over Labor Day Weekend

For only the second time in 24 years, Bob and I spent Labor Day Weekend at home and not at the Western PA Mensa Regional Gathering in Pittsburgh. In 1991, we first met at this event, and we married five years later. Bob is experiencing some health issues that make travel and hotel stays difficult. so home it was. Sad as we were to miss the festivities, we did eat well.

Our Saturday breakfast was another take on Hash Brown Waffles topped with poached eggs, similar to the photo below.

Saturday's dinner was about using up some lovely peppers we'd gotten at Basketeria at the West Side Market two weeks prior, together with Farmers' Market sweet corn, and some of the last fresh Alaskan Wild King Salmon of the season, from Mister Brisket, which was fabulous. 

Stuffed Peppers with Lentils, Tomato Sauce, Onions, Cheese

Ementaler and Gruyere Cheeses complimented the salmon perfectly.

Grilled Alaskan Salmon topped with garden Garlic Chives, Grilled Corn, Stuffed Pepper

The leftover salmon became salmon salad Sunday morning, served on beautifully rustic dark rye from Lucy's Sweet Surrender at the Chagrin Falls North Union Farmers' Market and market tomatoes.

Dinner on Sunday and Monday was the same: grilled Mr. Brisket Burgers, On the Rise buns, Farmers' Market lettuce, onion and tomato, leftover stuffed peppers and corn salad made with the leftover grilled corn from Saturday's dinner:

For Sunday breakfast, the Waffle Iron Chef-ed again! I'd been wanting to make Falafel Waffles, and this was my big chance!

The recipe suggested using about a tablespoon of batter in each grid - good if you wanted falafel-ball sized waffles to stuff in pita, but not so good if the waffles would be the star, so I tripled the amount per grid after the first four. We served the waffles on the plate, with more tomato and onion, and topped it with Amir's Tahini Hummus (which was more hummus than tahini, I'm afraid, but Heinen's didn't have Amir's straight tahini), and my riff on Michael Symon's Tzadiki sauce - substituting local Anaheim Pepper for Cucumber. Since the hummus wasn't sesame-ee enough for me, we drizzled some additional Sesame Oil over all. 

As we count down the last days of summer, and the last days before Bob's surgery (to hopefully at least make a dent in his spinal problems), it was nice to pause and enjoy good food and one another. I hope your long weekend was equally delicious and that you had fun playing with your food! 

Fun Playing With Salmon & the First Fruits of the 2015 Gardening Season

Due to Bob's ongoing medical issues, it doesn't look like we will have a garden this year. So, we are making up for it my availing ourselves of the abundance at area farmers' markets, and so far, 2015 looks to be a great year to support your local farmer!

We've also been eating a lot of Alaskan salmon since the season started at the end of May. Copper River Season is almost over! We've been able to score the real deal, sold so fresh it doesn't need anything but a little salt and pepper and a light rub of EVOO before cooking, at Kate's Fish (West Side Market), Mister Brisket, and BayLobsters Fish Market and Cafe (Twinsburg). But we've also enjoyed other Alaskan salmon (from these same three purveyors) that has also made us very happy this spring.

Alaskan King Salmon from Mister Brisket

Alaskan Salmon from Mister Brisket,  Asparagus Risotto

Same fish, same day, but wanted to show you the Asparagus Risotto I made.

Salmon Salad, On the Rise Bakery roll

The above salmon became salmon salad a few days later, here is it served on a roll from On the Rise Bakery.

First Copper River Salmon

Seasoned with a tear for my late friend Dominic Cerino, who introduced Cleveland to Copper River Salmon, and who passed away two years to the day we cooked this. 

Served up with Ohio City Pasta Beet Pappardelle and Grilled FM Asparagus.

The leftovers from this salmon specimen and other OCP leftover pasta became a tasty salmon-pasta salad dinner.

Pretty sure this Copper River Sockeye also came from Mister Brisket. Served here with Ohio City Pasta, FM Asparagus, and homemade Guacamole.

Our most recent Copper River Sockeye came from BayLobsters in Twinsburg. Last night, we served it grilled, with grilled Farmers' Market potatoes, the last of this season's Farmers' Market asparagus (grilled) and grilled garlic scapes from our backyard. On the side, local lettuce topped with grilled Black Velvet Apricots brushed with butter, and a splash of exquisite aged Balsamic. 

I hope this little post encourages you to go out and play with Alaskan Salmon and local produce while the playing is good. We've been to three Farmers' Markets so far this spring, and we've had no problem getting anything we wanted at North Union Farmers' Markets at Shaker Square and Chagrin Falls, and the Geauga Fresh Market.