Pacific Northwest Feast: Keepers from the Recipe Box

Trying new recipes can be risky at a family gathering, but this year it paid off as we broke tradition and had a Pacific Northwest Native American Feast (that way if I found a recipe that wasn't quite traditional to the native people... it had ingredients from the Pacific Northwest!)
This salad was very popular at Thanksgiving dinner. It tasted delicious and had a colorful presentation. I didn't have the rose petals and pickled my own onions by marinating red onions in red wine vinegar for a day ahead.

Scarlett Autumn Salad
Serves 8

Salad:

Red mesclun salad mix including any combination of baby red leaf, red oak leaf, radicchio, red baby romaine (eight servings)

12 ounces Chevre rolled in herbs de Provence

1 cup pickled shoestring beets, drained

1 cup pickled red onion, drained

Pomegranate Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

3 garlic cloves, minced fine

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon medium grind black pepper

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup to 1 1/2 cups canola oil

Blend first six ingredients; then slowly whisk in canola oil.

Toss greens with half of vinaigrette. Place salad mixture in center of individual or large serving plate, place a slice of herbed goat cheese on the side, then mound onions and beets around salad. Garnish edge of plate with black cherry rose petals. Pass remaining vinaigrette.

The salad can be adapted to summer by substituting huckleberries or blackberries for pomegranates in the dressing. - Chef Alexandra Hannah, Morrison's Lodge on the Rogue River

Grilled Salmon with Lemons, Limes, and Herbs

Ingredients:

* 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Fresh herbs ( I used rosemary, dill, and thyme)
* 8 lemon slices (about 2 lemons)
* 8 lime slices ( about 2 limes)
* 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
* 1/2 cup Marsala wine (or white wine)
* 4 pieces of aluminum foil

Directions:
Brush top and bottom of salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and herbs. Place each piece of seasoned salmon on a piece of foil large enough to fold over and seal. Top the each piece of salmon with lemon and lime slices, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of wine. Wrap up salmon tightly in the foil packets.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Place the foil packets on the hot grill and cook for 10 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece of salmon.

I found frozen wild Alaskan salmon that was presliced which worked well on the grill.
This last recipe I borrowed from JBelle's blog. I know any time I use one of her recipes it will be spectacular. This is such a delicious combination of flavors and worked well as a side condiment for the salmon. It can be made ahead and has time for the spices to blend with the cranberries. You can find her blog here.

Pacific Northwest Cranberry Chutney

24 ounces apricot preserves
3/4 cup raspberry vinegar
or
3/4 cup white distilled vinegar plus 1 1/2 tsp raspberry preserves
a pinch of salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
2 bags fresh cranberries, nasties discarded
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/4 cups dried tart cherries

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, raspberry vinegar or vinegar and preserves, salt, cloves, and Grand Marnier. Stir to mix, and place over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and continue to cook. It will bubble aggressively, and you should stir regularly to keep it from scorching--about 10-15 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Reduce the heat to medium, add the cranberries, and cook until they are soft but not popped. (They are ready when you can hear one or two of them pop; that's a good indicator that most of them must be getting pretty soft.) Add the ginger and cherries, stir well and remove from heat. Cool completely before serving. The chutney will thicken considerably as it cools.
JBelle
Bellemaison
The 'Kan EWA

The dinner also included Honey Hazlenut Squash, Indian Fry Bread with Huckleberry Honey, Dried Deer Meat, Roasted Vegetables and a variety of desserts.