2003-05-16
2003-05-16 - 2:14 p.m.
All the weather reports say Saturday will be beautiful here. If I were going on a picnic, here�s what I�d serve. All of the primary ingredients are seasonal (in my area), relatively inexpensive, and dead sexy when eaten with the right person. Bodega Bay wild salmon These are deep orangey-red, fatty fish that taste nothing like the farm-raised Atlantic buggers. My local man is selling them for $6.99/pound for roasts or $8.99/pound for filets. If you�re feeling thrifty, here�s an idea: buy skeletons (leftover from the filets) that are often for sale (or are being given away). Take them home, rinse them, and poach for just a minute until the flesh is opaque. (For instructions on a poaching liquid, email me.) Flake the meat and make some dynamite salmon patties with the addition of salsa fresca (well-drained; a tablespoon or two to each cup of salmon), s&p and an egg. Mix well, form into patties, grill. Serve on salad greens, preferably something with good crunch. A dressing possibility is full-fat yogurt mixed with lots of minced cilantro, a little lime juice and s&p; adjust the consistency until you�re happy with it. There you have it: cheap, healthy, sustainable protein. Asparagus Most of what I�m seeing now is grown in the San Joaquin Valley. We�re past the time for delicate, pencil-thin stalks; it�s already too hot here for those to have full flavor. Instead, buy the thick, less expensive bunches. Take them home, trim off any dead ends, and take a second to peel the stalks with a veggie peeler about two inches up the end. Toss them with olive oil and s&p; throw on a medium grill until they droop when held between tongs. Heap onto a platter, zest a cleaned lemon on top, and squeeze the lemon juice across the still-warm veggies. Best eaten with fingers on a picnic with someone who will lick your fingers. Grilled ciabatta Nothing easier. (Though here�s one place your choice of olive oil does make a difference.) Slice an inch or so thick, brush with olive oil and grill. When they�re crispety crackely to your liking, take off and rub lightly with a peeled garlic clove. Swoon. Strawberries Unfortunately, it�s getting harder and harder to find berries that aren�t sized for Shaq, like those grown around Watsonville. Buy them if you have to, but I�ve found that the smaller, funkier berries, while more perishable, have better flavor and are less expensive because fewer people know about them. These are also great picnic fare: wash, hull and halve them, then toss with a little warmed honey, a tiny dash of cinnamon, and a tablespoon or so of your favorite liquor. (I�ve been using Cuervo A�ejo). They�ll taste incredible after a half-hour�s marination, but reach maximum satisfaction when fed to somebody you love. If you're a drinker, a dry rose or dry Riesling would be an easy choice for this meal - up until the strawberries, that is. Otherwise, go for the Pellegrino. Eat up, y'all.
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