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CHEF'S BLOG - PORTLANDby Dana Cress, September 2010PORTLAND WATERFRONT - It's nearly the end of the growing season for our summer's bounty but there is still time to revel in our good fortune in the Willamette Valley and savor this season. I can't think of a better way to soak in those last days of summer than our second annual Panoramic Pinot Noir celebration Thursday, September 9 at 6 p.m. Come see more than 12 wineries and enjoy deliciously paired appetizers for only 29 bucks! Call ahead at (503) 505-9986 because this event will sell out! Are you heading anywhere fun for a vacation this year? If not, Salty's on the Columbia is as great a staycation as I can think of. Osprey, boat life, sunsets, Mt Hood, beavers, geese and seals looking for salmon are all things you can view when dining with us. This summer, I got lost in Mt. Hood National Forest, camped at Timothy Lake and hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and many waterfalls in the Gorge. It's on these outdoor excursions that I become really inspired to work with wild, fresh, native Oregon ingredients. The outdoorsman in me also greatly appreciates the reward of a brew at the campfire afterwards.
Cheers and savor the remainder of summer! August 2010PORTLAND - Last year in September The Alaska Wilderness Coalition invited me to Washington D.C. to address members of Congress about protecting wild salmon, in particular the Taku Watershed in Southeast Alaska. This year in August I will feature Taku River reds on my Portland Market Sheets to support the fishermen I met in D.C. The Taku River, a transcontinental river between Alaska and Canada, is the largest watershed for salmon in Southeast Alaska. The salmon industry provides about thirty percent of the annual income to that region, and the salmon population is very strong, so these habitats need to be managed sustainably to keep it that way. As a salmon lover, I have to tell you the size of the Taku River reds rival the size of the Columbia River kings and the taste is melt in your mouth buttery wonderful. You'll definitely want to come in and see me in August to get a taste of this salmon, dusted with paprika and served with a Marionberry Lemon Gastrique and Cauliflower Purée. On top of that, it's prime tomato season so I'll also serve chilled Hickory Smoked Tomato Gazpacho with a Cilantro Chervil Crème Fraiche. You'll want to sign up for my Savor Summer Cooking Class held on Monday, August 26, at 6:00 p.m. I will teach you three dishes inspired by summer and Sommelier Matt Carter will share three thirst-quenching sips with you, all for only $45 per person; the price includes the demonstration as well as dinner. Here are the three dishes: Dungeness Crab Cake with Chipotle Aïoli Smoked Salmon with Peach Glaze Summer Key Lime Pie Seating is limited. Please call (503) 505-9986 for reservations today. Did you see me on Koin TV – Channel 6's "Keep it Local" weekday chef demo? I prepared my chilled Chai Smoked Tomato Gazpacho using heirloom tomatoes. Visit koinstudio6.com for the recipe and the video. While everyone who comes to Salty's is a VIP, it's always fun to walk through the restaurant and see our media pals enjoying a summer evening on the deck or in the dining room, like Sheila Hamilton of KINK FM (kink.fm/Sheila-Hamilton/130355), and Daria from The Buzz FM (1051thebuzz.com), Mark & Dave with KEX (markanddaveshow.com), and our long-time friend, man about town, blogger and guy in the know, Byron Beck (byronbeckwindow.ning.com). July 2010PORTLAND - Freshly caught wild salmon, direct from the pristine waters of Bristol Bay, Alaska, will arrive in restaurants and seafood cases in Portland and Seattle early next month as part of Trout Unlimited Alaska's Savor Bristol Bay campaign. Nearly 40 restaurants and markets in Washington and Oregon will feature Bristol Bay sockeye salmon from July 4 to 10 and encourage consumers to "Vote with Their Forks" for this sustainable, carefully managed Alaska fishery that faces threats from proposed large-scale mining.
"We work with a wide range of Alaskans who typically support natural resource development. But in this case, even people who are pro-mining recognize that a mega-sized mine like Pebble should never be built in such a sensitive and productive watershed like Bristol Bay," said Tim Bristol, director of Trout Unlimited Alaska. During the week of July 4 to 10, seafood lovers are encouraged to support Bristol Bay salmon by "Voting with Their Forks" at participating businesses. They can also purchase salmon from any of the Portland-based New Seasons Markets and Newman's Fish Market. Screenings of the award-winning Bristol Bay documentary, Red Gold, will be held throughout the week. In Portland, members of the public are invited to a screening Friday July 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ecotrust Building, as well as a Bristol Bay salmon dinner and slideshow by Chef Lisa Schroeder at Mother's Bistro on July 15. Visit www.savebristolbay.org for more. Peruse my Market Sheets for July then make reservations at Portland's best waterfront seafood restaurant. June 2010PORTLAND - It's salmon season, which means it is time to support local wild salmon and say "no" to farm-raised salmon. For those of you who may not know, last September The Alaska Wilderness Coalition invited me to Washington D.C. to address members of Congress about protecting wild salmon, in particular the Taku Watershed & the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska. It was an honor to represent Salty's Portland waterfront restaurant in our nation's capital. Now all Salty's chefs are committed to help celebrate and support "Savor Bristol Bay Week" being held in Portland and Seattle the week of July 4-10. That week, we'll feature Bristol Bay salmon on our menus to help promote Bristol Bay's incredible fishery. Visit www.savebristolbay.org, www.whywild.org and www.tu.org to learn more. Effective last month, I am only using wild salmon on my menu at Salty's on the Columbia - no more farmed salmon will pass through my kitchen door! Our core menu will feature sockeye salmon, which has been on our menu for three years. Our market sheets will feature king, also known as chinook salmon. Even our famous brunch will be all wild salmon as well. On my market sheet this month, you will see wild salmon dishes like Cedar Plank Roasted Chinook Salmon with Prosciutto-Wrapped Nectarine, Black Pepper Peach Gastrique, Primavera Potato Salad and Red Wine Vinaigrette. The salmon will be lightly seasoned with a citrus salt made from the zest of oranges, lemons, limes and ruby red grapefruit before being cooked on a cedar plank. Wedges of nectarine will be wrapped with prosciutto and placed atop the salmon. While it slowly roasts, the sugars in the nectarines will be caramelized, complementing the salty pork. It will be served over a delicious potato and spring vegetable salad and completed with a drizzle of peach and vinegar reduction sauce for a last burst of sweet, sour and spicy flavor. See saltys.com/Portland for my menus. So, this month at Salty's on the Columbia, the premiere Portland waterfront seafood restaurant, stop in to help me support wild salmon! May 2010In March I was featured in The Oregonian with a plea to protect one of my favorite places: the Tongass National Forest. This month I wanted to share an excerpt from the story with you to celebrate salmon season and spread the awareness of this endangered natural salmon habitat. "As consumers, we all have the right and the responsibility to know where our food comes from. As salmon season draws near, we're looking forward to serving delicious wild salmon from the Tongass National Forest in southeastern Alaska. A coastal temperate rainforest with more than 4,500 salmon-bearing streams interwoven throughout its landscape, the Tongass is truly a 'salmon forest.' The forest provides an extraordinary spawning habitat for five species of Pacific salmon (chinook, coho, sockeye, pink and chum) and in turn the spawning salmon return nutrients to the forest. Ensuring sustainability and the conservation of a salmon forest like the Tongass depends upon all of us taking proactive steps. For me the importance of action was brought to the forefront recently when I learned that Congress may soon act on legislation that would transfer high-value salmon habitat from public ownership in the Tongass National Forest to a private corporation intent on intensive clear-cut logging. The connection seems distant, but without old-growth forest, Alaska wild salmon is at risk. You can be sure I'll let my voice be heard on this issue. We all have a say and can make a difference. First by 'voting with your fork' - buying wild-caught Alaskan salmon at the grocery store and asking your favorite local restaurants to serve only wild-caught salmon. And one more thing: If you consider yourself a 'foodie' and enjoy eating your meal as much as I enjoy creating a spectacular meal, let our congressional delegation know that conservation is essential to the future of the Tongass and our food supply. Fresh, healthy, high-quality, sustainable, wild-caught Alaskan salmon shouldn't be a secret. It should be available now and in the future for all of us to enjoy." You can read the entire story, called "A Local Chef's (Not So) Secret Ingredient," at www.oregonlive.com. Visit alaskawild.org for more information about the Tongass National Forest. April 2010Catch Our Wild Salmon BBQ And Erath Wine Event on Thursday, May 6th, 5-8pm Only $24.95
Your local catch dinner will include two preparations, apple wood-smoked grilled salmon and barbecued salmon basted in lemon butter. Choose half and half if you like! Salmon toppers include fruit chutney, hollandaise, apple fennel slaw or just lemon. Served with Twisted Caesar salad and roasted potatoes, it also includes your choice of a glass of Erath Pinot Noir or Pinot Gris, a pint of beer or an alcohol-free beverage. Play Carnival Games To Raise Funds for Local Food Banks from 5:30-7 p.m.All proceeds go to the Oregon Food Bank, West Seattle Helpline or Des Moines Food Bank.
Prizes: Unless otherwise noted, winners receive a trophy T-shirt or other Salty's gift shop goodies. (Gift cards expire one year from date of issue; do not include tax, gratuity or alcohol). Cost per game play is only $1-5 or bring canned food to pay your way. (Other restrictions may apply. Games subject to change. This promotion may not be combined with any other offers or discounts.) Reservations are required and must be made by phone. There is limited space. Please call today: Portland (503) 288-4444 March 2010We're all talking about it - spring is in the air! In Portland, the weather has been so great, that it seems like winter is over and spring has arrived. Soon I'll be getting local produce like spring herbs, leeks and asparagus. My March Market Sheet reflects the changing of the seasons. This month's Amuse Bouche is Salmon Ceviche. This is a technique in which the fish is actually cooked by acids in citrus juice and vinegar with other bright, fresh and bold flavors. The ceviche will be made with lemon juice, sherry vinegar, cilantro, fennel, piquillo peppers, garlic, olives and cucumber. We'll serve this on a Taro Root Chip. Taro root is a tropical tuber with a nutty flavor perfect for frying. Lobster Apple Wood Bacon Risotto Croquettes with Arugula Sun-Dried Tomato Aïoli is my featured appetizer. It is similar to the starter course for the Bridgeport Brewer's Dinner we hosted recently. Everyone enjoyed it so much, that I decided to do a version of it this month. This month there are several featured entrées on my Market Sheet, but one of my favorites is our new Oregon Truffle Filet served with Creamy Gruyère Israeli Couscous, Steamed Asparagus and Lobster Coral Sauce. We will grill a petite five-ounce filet and top it with a rich, yet not heavy, lobster coral sauce. The sauce will be made by reducing lobster stock until it is very concentrated, then it will be finished with a touch of cream and fried lobster coral, which are the tiny, delicious eggs. We're so excited to have asparagus back in season! For dessert, I highly recommend trying our Banana Butterscotch Pudding with Caramel Sauce and Fried Banana Chips. This consists of thin layers of banana cake layered with a rich filling of brown sugar, butter, eggs, cream and vanilla. The pudding cake will be finished with caramel sauce and banana chips. There are too many new featured dishes on my March Market Sheet to tell you about here, so please take a peek at my menus - or better yet stop in and see for yourself. The spring views are incredible! February 2010PORTLAND - This month marks the start of our "Be Shellfish, Eat Me" Festival, which celebrates lobster, shrimp and prawns. For all of our festivals in 2010 we are taking it to the extreme, so my new Dinner Market Sheet is loaded with these sweet, succulent crustaceans. I'll break it down for you, course by course, but you can pick and choose since it's all served à la carte. SOUP: Lobster Potato Leek Bisque ENTRÉES: Peppercorn Crusted 16-oz. T-bone Steak & Steamed
Snow Crab Legs DESSERT: Mocha Porter Cheesecake with Malted Candied Hazelnuts See my complete menus online and don't forget to make reservations for Valentine's Weekend! January 2010PORTLAND - For all of our seafood festivals in 2010, we are going over the top. So as you will see in January, crab is almost everywhere as we celebrate the final month of “You Crack Me Up” Crab Festival. You may have noticed that I love taking a classic dish and giving it a new Salty's spin. This is true for my Potato Leek Crab Bisque - a hybrid of two delicious winter soups. This hearty soup is the perfect way to warm up in January on the Columbia River. Our Dungeness Crab BLT and Chowder Cup is a great combination for lunch guests who want something that is very quick. Once again we've embellished a classic dish, a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich in this case - with a mound of fresh lump crabmeat. Plus a cup of our Signature Seafood Chowder is a must when you have lunch at Salty's, so with this option you can have your cake and eat it, too. For a crabby entrée, try my Dungeness Crab and Spinach-Crusted Cedar Salmon served with wild mushroom confit, roasted red potatoes and finished with sauce Choron - a buttery tarragon sauce (known as Béarnaise) with tomato purée added. The luxurious crab mixture that tops the salmon consists of sun-dried tomatoes, wilted spinach, garlic, Dijon mustard, soft goat cheese, lemon and herbs. Roasting the salmon on a cedar plank adds a mildly sweet, spicy flavor to the salmon with a smoky edge. Our Portland beermakers dinner with Pyramid and MacTarnahan's breweries was so popular that we've invited the folks from Bridgeport brewery to team up with us on Thursday, January 28 at 6:30 p.m. for another five-course pairing of beer and gourmet dishes. See menu below. Great news: The website Golflink.com named Salty's on the Columbia one of the “Top 10 Restaurants in Portland!” Apparently golfers love Salty's as much as the rest of us. Visit www.golflink.com/list_14057_top-restaurants-portland-oregon.html for the story. Happy New Year from all of us here at Salty's on the Columbia! |
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Speaking of beer, ah, beer, something near and dear to my heart (and my gut), I truly get excited to taste new brews and cook with beer! Did you know that the Portland metro area has more microbreweries than anywhere else in the States? Each year (for the past 24) in July we have an Oregon Beermaker's Festival at Tom McCall Waterfront Park where you can sample more than 80 beers at a waterfront outdoor venue (visit 
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND - The Wild Ones are coming fresh off the boats to Salty's waterfront outdoor decks and we're ready to prepare a mouth-watering barbequed salmon dinner just for you! Mark your calendar: Thursday, May 6 only, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. 
Erath Winery Bottle Toss: Can you throw a ring around a bottle of Erath wine? Winners receive the bottle of wine or brew they ring. Start practicing today!
