Chef Michael Salmon - Join me in my Kitchen
It seems that we end up eating a variation of this dish almost every week. I love the Greek flavors on the salmon, and when it is smoked in the Traeger grill with cherry-wood pellets, it is hard to beat. Salmon has always been a favorite of mine, not just because of my last name, and Mary Jo loves it as well. Make the Tzatziki sauce at least a few hours in advance so the flavors can meld together. The feta salad can also be made in advance.
Mango-Hot Sauce is easy and quick to make. Great on oysters, chicken, pork…almost everything. The fruit base to the sauce really balances out the heat from the peppers. Other tropical fruits that work well are Papaya, Pineapple and Guava. Try adding a little fresh passion fruit juice to take it up a notch.
Salsa Verde is an amazing Mexican condiment that goes well on everything from tacos and quesadillas to roasted pork and fish.
Every month we have a birthday party at the farm (for the horses) and give pony rides on our Icelandic horses. My challenge is to create a new themed cupcake each month for the riders.
I have made many different pound cakes over the years, but the flavor, color and texture that the pistachios lend to this cake are incredible. Pound cake is terrific served with afternoon tea also. If you don’t eat nuts, the pistachios may be omitted from the recipe. Experiment with other nuts or other flavors like citrus, blueberries or chopped dried fruits.
At the Inn, we used to serve this rice pudding as a first course at breakfast. I find it to be a lot more interesting than porridge or oatmeal. The short-grain Arborio rice gives this dish a more unique texture than a standard rice pudding and I like it a little al dente. Play around with different dried fruits (figs, dates, papaya, etc..) and you can also diced fresh fruit. The combination of spices in the Apple Pie Spice Mix gives the pudding a nicely balanced spicy background.
What could be more refreshing than a Mojito? Answer: A watermelon Mojito. This has always been one of my favorite cocktails on a hot summer evening, not that we have many of them here in Maine. Enjoy!
Will the real Chef Michael Salmon please stand up? I’m Chef Michael Salmon, no, I’m Chef Michael Salmon. Well, it turns out that we both are the real thing. Unfortunately for me, he is the more famous one.
Candied citrus peel makes a great addition to any citrus dessert. It is so simple to make, utilizes the skin of the fruit that often gets discarded and stores for a long time in your pantry. I use candied orange peel to garnish the top of my Grand Marnier Soufflé.
Over my 23 years at the Hartstone Inn, this was among the most popular items on my menus. Vanilla may seem like an unusual companion for lobster at first, but once you taste sweet and succulent Maine lobster with this sauce, you will fully appreciate how dramatic this matching can be.
Join me in my kitchen as I prepare recipes from my two cookbooks, European foodie trips and explore new inspirations.
