Fourth of July salmon and peas

Amelia Simmons, author of the first American cookbook, American Cookery (1796) called salmon “the noblest and richest fish taken in fresh water.” Landlocked salmon were once plentiful in New England. Steamed or poached salmon served with the season’s first peas and potatoes was traditional Fourth of July fare in Early New England. In a nod to the rabble-rousing patriot, I steamed salmon in Samuel Adams Boston Ale. The result was moist fish, delicately perfumed with ale. Traditionally, the salmon would be served with an egg sauce, like a hollandaise. I served mine without, atop a bed of mashed potatoes with steamed homegrown sugar-snap peas, but I thought the flavor might be improved by drizzling the whole with a bit of lemon butter. The result reminded me of a deconstructed English fish pie.

*Ale-steamed salmon

1 to 1-1/2 pounds salmon, preferably wild

1 12-ounce bottle of ale

Salt and pepper to taste

Place salmon filets on a rack, skin side down, in a baking pan in which you have poured the ale. Season filets with salt and pepper. Tent pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake in a 325-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until fish is pale pink and flakes easily.

*Ale was readily available in the colonies. It was the preferred beverage of the Pilgrims. Even children drank it.

Easy peasy scallop stir-fry

When the temperatures reached 90 degrees last week, I was looking for a quick but healthful meal incorporating the sweet snow peas my garden is now producing. A stir-fry medley of locally caught sea scallops, store-bought red pepper and homegrown snow peas filled the bill. Cautionary note: All ingredients should be in place (mise en place) before you fire up the wok because this recipe cooks up faster than Rachael Ray can say “30-minute meals.”  In fact, I begin cooking the rice and then prepare my ingredients for stir frying. Time your meal according to the type of rice you’re using.

Scallop and pea stir fry

½ pound scallops
a clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
½ cup sweet red pepper, julienned
2 cups snow peas or sugar snaps

sesame oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water

In 2 tablespoons of canola oil, pan sear scallops with crushed garlic. Remove when opaque. Add peas and red pepper to the pan. Stir fry and add soy sauce. Lower the heat, place a lid on the pan and steam briefly until vegetables are tender but bright. Add scallops and stir. Lightly drizzle with sesame oil to finish. If a thickened sauce is desired, add the cornstarch dissolved in water. Serve immediately with rice. Makes three to four servings.

Fiddlin' around with fiddleheads

For those of you who are really interested in DIY/frontier living, and not some silly made-for-TV pioneer construct, roll up your sleeves and get back to the land, which is yielding fiddleheads. Fiddleheads are the new shoots of fern before they unfurl into fronds. They are so named because they look like the top of a violin, or fiddle. In New England, they can be found along streams in woodsy areas in late spring. You don't have to harvest them yourself, though; you can now find them in the produce section of the supermarket.

Fiddleheads have an earthy taste like asparagus or broccoli. But they are a bit tough and tasteless when steamed. They are best boiled in salted water for about five minutes. To prepare fiddleheads for cooking, cut off any brown ends and dump them into a bowl of cold water. Slosh them around and rub off any brown leaf-like coverings. Drain and rinse again. Continue to rinse until the water runs clear. Place them in a pan and cover them with water. Add a pinch of salt. Heat them until they begin to boil. Allow them to boil for about five minutes or until tender. Serve them buttered, with a squeeze of lemon, if desired.