CHEF'S BLOG - PORTLAND

by Dana Cress,
Executive Chef for Salty's on the Columbia River [ Email ]

April/May 2008

Spring has nearly sprung in Portland and I am excited for the abundance of produce and the arrival of fresh wild caught salmon that spring delivers!

We just launched our spring/summer menu. Think grilled polenta cake, grilled corn salsa, pineapple-chili glaze, cilantro-lime rice, red pepper-sweet onion chutney, black and tan onion rings, pineapple-mango salsa, summer greens with a strawberry vinaigrette. These are warm weather-inspired accompaniments to our prime steaks, sandwiches and, of course, fresh seafood.

In other news, our May Market Sheet launches soon. I highly recommend the Drunken Oysters. They are Madiera-marinated and broiled with a fresh herb and shallot relish topped with crispy prosciutto.

We had a wonderful Winemaker’s Dinner here in Portland featuring Seven Hills Winery. We served five courses - well, you could call it eight since our Pastry Chef Darla couldn’t decide on a dessert so she made three for our guests to enjoy. Cream cheese flan with Asian pear was the favorite of the group. We featured five wines in an intimate setting of 25 people with the winemaker himself, Casey McClellan. I enjoy these events because I aspire to pairing food flavors that best compliment the wine. I hope you will consider the Chateau Ste Michelle Winery Winemaker’s Dinner coming up this summer on August 8. Weather permitting, we’ll sip and savor on the decks with five white wine selections.

February 2008

Dana's Dish

PORTLAND – Ever hear of “sliders”? Perhaps you’ve been to White Castle and had one of their famous small square burgers? This month our chef team is having fun with our own seafood version of sliders by serving Crab Cake Sliders with a cup of our award-winning seafood chowder for lunch! Each mini-burger is a layering of Pacific crab, arugula, red onion, shaved celery and lemon-thyme aïoli.

We are also playing with sturgeon in our kitchen. I often see fishermen outside our restaurant windows fishing for these big fellas on the Columbia River. Sturgeon can range from 60 to 3000 pounds. I sometimes refer to them as dinosaurs given their size and their ability to hang around since the earliest days of existence. Prized for their caviar, the flesh is really versatile to work with. You can grill, sauté, pickle, smoke, bake or braise sturgeon; our presentation is a fillet of meaty sturgeon dusted with smoked salt and grilled. Accompanied by cauliflower purée and creamed spinach, this dish is my personal recommendation when you dine with us in February. There’s also the Crab Lover’s Feast paired with Wine Flights of Fancy. It makes every day Valentine’s Day. Be sure to check out on my Market Sheets at http:www.saltys.com/portland/menus.asp - our restaurant menu page.

In other Dish news, I am a new Dad as of January 9. My wife is also a chef and we are happy that our new “Sous Chef” Jayda, is finally here!
Happy Dining in Portland!

January 2008

Chef's Product Knowledge for the February Market Sheet (rollout - January 31st)

Appetizers

Crab-stuffed Mushrooms
(Lunch & Dinner Service)
Mushrooms: We will be using 3-4 Crimini Mushrooms. Crimini Mushrooms are also known as Baby Portabellas.
Stuffing: The stuffing will consist of Gouda Cheese, King Crab, Garlic, Parsley, Salty, & Pepper.
Sauce: Grain Mustard Hollandaise. Hollandaise is one of the five Mother Sauces. The Grain Mustard Hollandaise consists of egg yolks, clarified butter, grain mustard, blood orange juice, sriracha, & salt.
Preparation: We will be de-stemming the mushrooms & removing the gills, & drizzling with truffle oil. The mushrooms will be stuffed, sautéed, & topped with bread crumbs.
Presentation: The Mushrooms will be placed upon Frisee, & topped with the Grain Mustard Hollandaise.
(Frisee= Feathery vegetable with a mildly bitter flavor,
member of the Chicory family.)

Entrees

Crab Cake Sliders & Cup of Chowder
(Lunch service only)
Crab Cakes: (2 sliders per order). We will be using one 2-ounce crab cake per slider.
Arugula Slaw: Consists of arugula, red onion, shaved celery, tossed with lemon thyme aioli.
Presentation: Each plate will receive 2 sliders (two 2 ounce crab cakes) & cup of chowder. Each slider will have 1 ounce of Arugula Slaw & be served within a Sourdough bun.
(Slider= a mini burger/sandwich).

Salmon Picatta
(Lunch & Dinner Service)
Salmon: Copper River Salmon. Lunch- 5oz, dinner- 6oz.
Sauce: We will be using a Picatta Sauce; consisting of white wine, garlic, shallots, capers, lemon juice, & thickened with flour.
Starch: Roasted Sun Chokes, (aka Jerusalem artichokes). This vegetable is not truly an artichoke, but a variety of some flower; with lumpy, brown skin tuber that often resembles a ginger root. The white flesh of this vegetable is nutty, sweet & crunchy, & is a good source of iron.
Preparation: We will be pan-searing Copper River Salmon & adding Picatta sauce, & will be finished in the oven.
Presentation: Salmon will be place over Roasted Sun Chokes, House veg, & topped with Picatta sauce.

Blue Plate Special
Prawn Pasta Fra Diavolo
(Lunch & Dinner Service)
Pasta: Linguini (long, narrow, flat noodle)
The pasta consists of red, yellow, & green peppers, chili flakes, 21/25 prawns (Lunch- 2, Dinner- 4), garlic, shallots, white wine, tomato bisque, oregano & basil.
(Fra Diavolo= Italian word for Devil. The term describes sauces (usually tomato-based) that are moderately spiced with chilis).

Grilled Smoked Salt-Dusted Sturgeon
(Lunch & Dinner service)
Sturgeon: (Lunch- 5oz, Dinner- 6oz). The Sturgeon will be seasoned with a smoke salt & then grilled.
Starch: Cauliflower Mash; consisting of roasted garlic, shallots, butter, S & P. The Cauliflower will be steamed till soft, then mashed w/ garlic, shallots, & butter.
Veg: Cream spinach; consists of garlic, shallots, spinach, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt, & pepper. We will be sautéing the garlic & shallots, then adding spinach till all liquid is cooked out. Heavy cream will be added, along with nutmeg, S & P. Once mixture thickens, it will be pureed with immersion blender till smooth.
Sauce: Roasted Red Pepper Coulee; consists of roasted red peppers, blend oil, salt & pepper. We will be combining all ingredients & blending will smooth, then straining.
Presentation: Plate will be coated with Crème Spinach. Cauliflower mash will be placed in the middle of the plate & topped with the Sturgeon. Random dots of Coulee will placed around the plate.
Garnish: Fried garlic chips.

Dessert

Fresh Fruit & Vanilla Mousse
in Puffed Pastry
Served with Berry Coulee
We use all butter puff pastry to form a container by hollowing out the center & filling with a vanilla mousse made with 4 kinds of vanilla, bean, paste, liquid, & powder. It also contains milk, cream, pasteurized egg yolks, sugar, & gelatin. This mixture is then topped with seasonal fresh fruit & lightly glazed with a neutral glaze to give it a shine. Pistachios & a bright berry sauce for color.

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