CHEF'S BLOG - SEATTLE

by Jeremy McLachlan,
Executive Chef for Salty's on Alki Beach [ Email ]

April 3, 2008

On this week’s Market Sheet at Salty’s on Alki in Seattle we will be replacing the Harissa Salmon dish with a new salmon dish we’re doing for Tazo Tea. I was asked to create a dish that uses Tazo tea in the recipe or is inspired by their tea. Part of the promotion is that we will be handing out samples of Tazo tea to our guests at Alki. It comes in a cool package that contains three different Tazo tea bags. This is the dish I came up with:

Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea-Brined Wild Salmon with Purple Potato Salad, Lemon Tomato Relish, Asparagus Cream infused with Tazo Lemon Maté Tea

We decided to infuse two teas into this dish. The wild sweet orange tea and the lemon maté which has a great subtle lemon flavor. We will be making the brine by steeping the wild sweet orange tea in hot water with ginger, sugar, oranges and salt. The brine is then cooled and poured over the salmon in the morning. This process opens the pores of the salmon so the flavors are in every bite. For service the salmon will be removed from the brine and grilled. The purple potato salad will be fingerling potatoes cut into coins, steamed and cooled. Then we mix the potato coins with grain mustard, sliced shallot, mayo, sour cream, celery seed, apple cider vinegar, fresh thyme, chives and Italian parsley. The salad is served at room temperature.

Next is the asparagus cream, we make the cream by reducing white wine with bay leaf, peppercorns, and thyme. We add heavy cream and reduce it by half, then add chopped asparagus and the tea bags. Once the mixture is cooked we pull the teabags out and purée it with parsley. It gets cooled right away so it keeps that fresh asparagus flavor. This will also be served at room temperature. This dish is garnished with lemon-tomato relish. This is simply made by dicing preserved Meyer lemons and tomatoes and tossing them with garlic, shallot, thyme, capers, salt and olive oil. Voila! Come and try this dish for lunch or dinner.

I'll be at a Tazo Tea event in the University Village on Friday, April 25, from 1-4 p.m. Please join me and you'll get a copy of my recipe. See http://www.zagat.com/Partners/Redirect.aspx?sponsid=203&sponsorid=Tazo&hid=tazoclick for more on the promotion. Tazo Tea’s web site is http://www.tazo.com where you should be sure to spin the “wheel-o-tazo” tea selector.

We have been pretty busy around here. In addition to working on this Tazo promotion, I had the pleasure of participating in the Fare Start Guest Chef night last week. It’s for a great cause, and the night went really well. If you’re unfamiliar with the FareStart program you should check out their web site www.farestart.org and, oh, Salty’s is taking part in the Seasoned Seattle dining event for the month of April. It’s two courses for $25. See who else is participating - see www.nwsource.com/seasonedseattle for the list. Lastly, we are prepping for the Taste Washington event that takes place this weekend. It is another cool event worth checking out if you aren’t familiar with it see www.tastewashington.org/sea_index.php and maybe I’ll see you there…..

March 25, 2008

I made some slight changes to the menu to get more spring in our step. Get it? Ha! Ha! Sorry, I can’t resist a good corny joke every now and again. Anyway, my first motivation for making these changes was so we’d have fresh Alaskan halibut on the menu right away. I’m also adding Spring specific items to be more seasonal.

Here’s a glimpse at a few of the changes:

*I’m adding Belgian endive to the crab dip. It’s such a great vessel for eating the dip and I’m a big fan of its velvety texture.

*The pound of shrimp on ice appetizer will be served with a romesco sauce as well as cocktail sauce and lemon. I will also be serving our crispy fried calamari with romesco sauce. The sauce is made with aioli, red peppers, vinegar, ground toasted almonds, capers, thyme, parsley, anchovies, garlic, smoked paprika, lemon juice, and salt.

*Dungeness Crab and Halibut Chowder with Sweet Corn, Pablano Pepper Relish
The Dish: I am changing the bisque to Dungeness Crab and Halibut Chowder. We will always have our famous seafood chowder on the menu but the second soup will change with the season. This Summer it will probably be the gazpacho I love so much but for spring it’s crab and halibut chowder. For this soup we start with a stock of crab sections, halibut bones, tomato paste, mirepoix, peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme, white wine and water. Then we strain the stock and chill it. The soup is started with potatoes, onion and bacon, and then we add the stock, a touch of crab base, a little cream and then thicken it with a roux. To finish we add corn, halibut and picked crab. The soup will be topped with tortilla strips and the pablano relish. The pablano relish will be made with roasted pablano peppers, Roma tomatoes, garlic, shallot, cilantro, oil, toasted coriander, toasted cumin, and limejuice.

*Mixed Spring Greens with Cumin Vinaigrette, Grape Tomato Tapenade, Feta Cheese and Toasted Sunflower Seeds
The Dish: This salad has a fresh light feel to it. The vinaigrette is made with garlic, shallot, rice wine vinegar, toasted cumin and canola oil. The tomato tapenade will be grape yellow and red tomatoes, garlic, shallot, thyme, basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Then topped with Feta and toasted sunflower seeds, it’s a big hit with our managers!

*Cedar Smoked Salmon with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Bacon Tossed Spring Pea Vines and Radicchio, Granny Smith Apple Salad and Lavender Honey
The Dish: This is further evolution of one of our best sellers. This version will look a little cleaner on the plate. We will be taking some of our house-cured bacon and cutting it into chunks. Then we will render it and finish it with fresh herbs, garlic, onion, and cider vinegar. The Granny Smith apple salad was one of Sous Chef Paolo’s favorites so we are bringing sexy back (Paolo’s sexy for clarification). The salad is made with julienne granny smith apples, lime vinaigrette, pickled horseradish, and chopped Italian parsley. For the pea vines we’ll toss them with shredded radicchio and bacon relish. It will go on top of the mash before being served. The lavender honey is simply honey that is infused with lavender flowers.

   

*Alaskan Halibut Oscar with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus, Dungeness Crab, Sauce Béarnaise
Now that fresh Halibut is back I had to put this dish on the menu full time. I have a description of it on my last blog entry (see below). I fellow blogger recently gave us a nod for this and add a link to our dish on their “foodista blog”. Check it out http://blog.foodista.com/2008/03/21/halibut-cheeks/ and a big thanks to Foodista!

*Wood Oven-Roasted, Crab-Stuffed Salmon or Halibut with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Spring Vegetables, Beurre Blanc, Crispy Leeks
The Dish: We currently have this dish on the menu but I wanted to offer it with the choice of salmon or halibut. The stuffing will be made up of crab, shallot, garlic, chevre cheese, pecorino cheese, thyme, tarragon, parsley, a touch of cream and salt. The spring vegetables will change daily, as different veg comes in season and whatever is freshest at the time. We will have an assortment of asparagus, baby squash, baby peppers, green beans, different colored baby carrots, baby corn, etc.

*“A Taste of Hawaii” Ahi Tuna Sesame Crusted, Green Tea Scented Rice, Fresh Hearts of Palm and Radish Salad, Passion Vinaigrette, Tobikos
The Dish: I wanted this dish to be Hawaii specific. I have added the fresh hearts of palm, which are flown in from Hawaii regularly. Also we will serve the tuna with wasabi and pickled ginger on the side. I really like the Passion fruit vinaigrette; it’s made with rice wine vinegar, ginger, garlic, Passion fruit puree, aji mirin, honey, and canola oil. With its light, fruity tartness, it’s one of those things I could eat every day. The salad is made up of grated fresh hearts of palm and red radish tossed in a little bit of lemon vinaigrette.

*Ala Carte Grilled Alaskan Halibut with Beurre Blanc
The Dish: An 8-ounce cut of halibut simply served with a classic beurre blanc, preserved lemon relish and herbs. This is my only addition to the a la carte menu. We will of course still have prawn skewers, scallops, stuffed salmon, blackened catfish, etc….

My sides will have some seasonal changes too. These can be served as an accompaniment to an a la carte protein or and appetizer for the whole table to share, whatever suits you.

*Spring Vegetables with Preserved Lemon Relish
*Green Tea Scented Rice with Fresh Hearts of Palm Radish Salad
*Sweet Corn and Asparagus Risotto
*Sautéed Spring Peas Vines with Corn and House Bacon
*Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
*Sautéed Portobello Mushrooms with Herbs

The Steak, Chicken, and Shellfish program will stay the same – delicious!

Check out the “fish tacos” on the lunch menu! I switched the fish to fresh halibut and we serve the tacos with lime-marinated cabbage, queso fresco and chipotle aioli. Sour cream, house-made roasted tomato salsa and house tortilla chips served on the side. It’s a guest favorite.

One last thing before I get back in the kitchen, our Pastry Chef Jane made something special for Easter – Chocolate Easter Eggs. The eggs were decoratively made in house with a fun individual flare. Jane filled the chocolate eggs with her famous rochers and some of the eggs had a special surprise, a $100 gift card inside. We affectionately referred to those as “golden ticket eggs”. They were such a hit this year, Chef Jane promises to make them again next year!

February 28, 2008

Hello all! I’m coming to you as a one-handed blogger today. I went snowboarding last week and came home with a broken arm - at least it’s the left. And it’s a good thing I was wearing my helmet. Anyway, I’m kicking off a new Market Sheet on Thursday 2/28. We will be taking some things off and adding some fun stuff too. March is the start of our Just for the Halibut festival. Beginning with Halibut cheeks and then moving to fresh halibut the moment the first one is caught! Here’s some info on the two new halibut cheek dishes I will be adding:

*Pan-Seared Halibut Cheeks Oscar with Celeriac Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus, Dungeness Crab, Sauce Béarnaise
A lot of Chef’s play with an “Oscar”. I have seen it topped with romesco sauce, orange hollandaise, aioli, and even light vinaigrette. For this dish we are going to stick to the traditional style and bring something I know you’ll enjoy.
The Cheeks: Cheeks come from the back part of the halibut’s head. The texture is similar to a scallop but a little sweeter flavor. We will be using halibut cheeks for the first two weeks of the month. Then we will switch to halibut when it is fresh. I have put this dish on last year’s summer menu and it was Numero Uno. That means number one in Spanish.
The Mash: Celeriac is celery root. It has an earthy acidic quality to it that will go great with the fatty sauce. We will be making the mash with 10% turnips, 20% Celeriac, and 70 % Yukon potatoes. We will also add roasted garlic, cream, butter and salt.
The Asparagus: We will use sliced asparagus that will be marinated in lemon juice with oil. This is my unique twist on the classic dish and it will help the guest cut into the dish easier.
The Sauce: The béarnaise I make is also slightly unique. A traditional béarnaise is a hollandaise with a shallot, dried tarragon, and red wine vinegar reduction added to it. We will be taking red wine vinegar and infusing it with bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and tarragon. Then we will make the béarnaise with egg yolks and salt that is slowly brought up to a ribbon state. Ribboning is basically when you pull the whisk up and the sauce clings to it. Then we add drawn butter slowly while whisking fast. Slowly drizzle with right hand, whisk fast with left hand. Then pat belly and rub head. We will then thin down the béarnaise, because it gets thick, with the tarragon-infused red wine vinegar. The béarnaise will be finished with fresh tarragon.

*Coriander-Crusted Halibut Cheeks with Sweet Pea Risotto, Artichoke Lemon Salad and Saffron Tomato Broth
Another halibut cheek dish here. I really like the flavor combination on this one. The sweetness of the cheeks goes great with this sweet pea risotto and the spiciness of the crust.
The Crust: We will make a salt with roughly ground toasted coriander and sea salt. This salt crust is applied to the cheeks before searing them.
The Risotto: We will be using our high quality carnaroli risotto that I’ve talked about before with a similar preparation. Then we add a pea purée and sweet early harvest peas.
The Salad: We are preserving our own artichokes in olive oil and lemon juice. We will quarter the chokes and then toss it with lemon thyme, celery root, Italian parsley, celery leaves, salt, white pepper and sliced shallot. We will use the inner celery leaves because they are not as bitter.
The Broth: The broth will be made with a stock of celery, fennel, halibut cheeks, black cod, halibut, button mushrooms, thyme, fennel seed, bay leaf, peppercorns and cold water. The reason why you start with cold water is you want the stock to be clear. We will then strain the stock and add vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped fennel, white onion and celery seed. The sauce will be cooked until the vegetables are cooked and then puréed and strained thin. The broth will be served on the side in a tea pot. We will also add a tea bag to this broth that is stuffed with a pinch of saffron. Upon presenting the dish to the guest, our servers will pour the broth around the dish, being careful not to pour it directly on top of the fish. The aroma of the broth will be a treat for the whole table!

January 30, 2008

Hi everyone, wow what a week! We’re getting ready for our catering open house on Thursday the 31st. We’re rolling out our new catering menu for 2008 and it’s time to kick it off. But a few days ago was the SSCC Gifts from the Earth event I’ve mentioned before. It was a great success! Here’s the menu I served along with some photographs from the event.

A Menu Celebrating American Culinary Trends Through the Decades
Concept by Sommelier Tim O’Brien
Menu by Chef Jeremy McLachlan

1920s
“Bathtub” Cocktail with Fruit Jellies
This dish is inspired by prohibition, which started January 16th 1920.
For this dish I took Aviation gin and infused it with kumquats. The gin was served in a martini shaker on the side and the housemade fruit jellies were served in a stemless martini glass that sits on ice in sort of a “fish bowl”. I also added blue LED lights in the bowl of ice for a cool presentation.

1930s
“Bankruptcy” Oxtail Stew with Rustic Bread
Stock Market Crash Late 1929 evolved into the great depression of the ’30s and soup kitchens soon followed.
We spent about three days cooking the ox tails for this dish. The stew was served in a blue enamel mug; you know the ones with the white speckles that you take camping, except a smaller size. We put the mug on top of a crumpled piece of the West Seattle Herald newspaper. A slice of West Seattle’s Bakery Nouveau baguette and a spoon full of lemon yogurt accompanied this dish.

1940s
Mini Burgers, Fries and Malt Shake
The first Dairy Queen stand opens in Joilet, Illinois.
I stuffed these mini burger patties with foie gras before cooking them, yum! We added Beecher’s cheese, caramelized shallots and “burger sauce” and served them on mini buns that our pastry chef Jane Gibson made. I actually just added a version of these mini burgers to our catering menu; book an event and try them! See our catering menu at http://www.saltys.com/seattle/catering/Seattle_Catering_Menu.pdf

1950s
Backyard Barbecued Prawns
After WWII many returning GI’s settled in the suburbs making backyard barbecuing popular.
Check this out; I served two shell on whole fresh water prawns on top of this “grill”. We took a square cast iron skillet, added charcoal-colored rocks and a mesh screen to give the illusion of a grill. Next to the prawns we served grilled baby corn on the cob with the husk on, a fun way to present corn. The pepper is a red jalapeño stuffed with crab, herbs and chèvre. On the side are baby red potato salad, herb pistou and a smoky BBQ sauce.

1960s
Breadcrumb-Crusted Berkshire Pork Loin
Shake and Bake was introduced.
We took the breadcrumb-crusted pork, sliced it thin and presented it to look like it was spilling out of its “shake and bake” bag. The salad on the side is shaved fennel and granny smith apples. Balsamic glaze and peach coulis were served on the side next to some crumbles I made to resemble shake and bake.

1970s
Build-Your-Own Salad
R.J. Grunts in Chicago, Illinois, introduces an all-you-can-eat salad bar.
What can I say; this is a pretty straightforward dish. In the middle is a baby head of iceberg lettuce accompanied by julienne radishes, croutons, house-cured bacon bits, diced tomato and egg and sliced baby chiogga beets. We served three dressings in spoons on the side of the plate, bleu cheese, 1000 island (of course) and aged balsamic vinaigrette.

1980s
Creole Blackened Redfish
Paul Prudhomme opened K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen and started a Cajun blackened food fad.
Here we have a piece of seared blackened redfish served on a sizzling cast iron dish. The redfish was joined by two red bean and rice cakes and a mini cornbread muffin, made by pastry chef Jane.

1990s
The Chocolate Pianist
Structure desserts were all the craze.
For Jane’s dessert she starts with hazelnut cake and layers it with chocolate ganache. The ganache is made from single plantation, single bean species chocolate from Peru! It is then cut it into a piano shape, finished with a chocolate glaze and piano keys and lid.

Chef Jane also made “take away” chocolate Pianos filled with her hand-made truffles and rocher, which are available to purchase here at the restaurant in Seattle.

2000s
A Tasting of Starbucks
In recognition of the fastest growing chain in America, which started in Seattle.
The first drink is shaken Starbucks coffee liqueur, Bailey’s and a little cream. The second is a traditional shot of espresso with a twist of lemon and a demitasse sugar stick. Number three is our version of frapuccino, yummy.

We really had a great time doing this event! It’s a great creative outlet for my team and me. Many thanks go to Jane Gibson, Mary Davis, Paolo Carey-DiGregorio (pictured here on the left smiling big), James Gibson (also pictured here on the right), Levi Palli, Scott McDowell, Tahnee Deeds, Kurt Argys, and everybody else who contributed and supported in anyway.

 

January 24, 2008

I’m changing up our market sheet today, taking a few things off and adding a few new things. Check out my two new dishes:

*Red Snapper Crispy Fried with Rosemary Potatoes, Root Vegetable Hay and a Chili Orange Glaze
This dish will be coming out of the wood oven. We will be using the new cast iron serving dishes we just got in. The cast iron will be heated and then we will finish the dish on the cast iron so it sizzles when it goes to the table. I tried to get whole black bass in but had a hard time finding it so went with the whole red snapper instead. The whole fish (head and tail on) will be dredged in flour and then into tempura batter and deep-fried. The tempura batter will be thinner then the one we have right now. Then we will be taking red potatoes, cutting them into chunks and tossing them with cream, garlic, shallot, and rosemary before cooking. The idea of these potatoes is that they will finish cooking on the cast iron griddle while the plate is going to the table. The glaze will be spritzed over the top of the fish just before it goes out. It is made with tomato paste, brown sugar, chili sauce, garlic, orange rind, and vinegar. Lastly I will garnish the dish with root vegetable “hay”. The “hay” is a mixture of finely shredded root vegetables, carrot, beet, onion, turnip, and fennel, which will be tossed in lemon vinaigrette right before service.

* Chili-Rubbed Freshwater Prawns with Charred Root Vegetable Hay, Tea Pot of Tomato Broth, Olive Tapenade
I’m excited about the cool presentation of this dish. Again I didn’t find exactly what I wanted. I was looking to do this dish with Langoustines but they weren’t going to be here on time so I got my hands on these awesome freshwater prawns. They will be served whole with their head on. We will be rubbing them with chili, lemon, garlic, shallot, and cilantro and grilling them per order. They will be served on top of the root vegetable hay and topped with the olive tapenade. The tapenade is a mixture of black oil cured olives, green olives, capers, anchovies, and tomatoes. The fun part comes next. We will be taking tomatoes and puréeing them and straining them multiple times to yield a semi-clear broth. The broth will have nothing added to it except a little salt. It will be served on the side in a Tea Pot. We will have a tea bag in the pot, filled with bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns. When this dish is served to the guest we will pour the hot broth from the teapot into the bowl with the prawns. There will be a wonderful aroma that rises up as the server is pouring the broth. A great table-side presentation.

Stay tuned for a sampling of my Giftsfrom the Earth menu. The Gift from the Earth event is coming up at South Seattle community college this weekend. Here’s a link to their web site if you want a little more info: http://www.southseattle.edu/foundation/giftsfromtheearth/index.html

January 17, 2008

Well our “under the Alki Moon” dinner event here at Alki was on Tuesday, January 15th and what an event it was! It was fantastic to have so many chefs running around the kitchen, creative energy was abundant. See a slide show and photos at http://www.teamphotogenic.com/ph/doShow.asp?eid=7212%5E454164727

We did plenty of prep ahead of time, I actually started my blood orange flavored duck on Saturday night. On Monday Sous Chef Josh Gibler came up from Salty’s on the Columbia since Executive Chef Dana Cress just became a daddy, Congrats! Josh and I really had fun together, we’ve been friends since grade school. Also Gabe Cabrera, Salty’s at Redondo’s Executive Chef was here; we always work so well together we just don’t get the opportunity often enough.

Chef Roberto Russo was the honored guest chef from Italy. He’s such a character, full of life and passion for food, it’s awesome! My Fiancée Maggie and I were able to stay with him at his villa in Italy about a year ago. He puts passion into everything he does. I remember one day he walked over to his neighbor’s house with some olive oil and I think some chickens in exchange for some porcini mushrooms that grow on his neighbor’s property. He proceeded to cook the porcinis for dinner that night, needless to say, they were amazing! It was a cool experience. You should check out his website, I recommend staying with him if you’re headed to Italy anytime soon! http://www.parcofiorito.com

Chef Roberto is just releasing his new cookbook Good Ciao that he wrote with Salty’s co-owner, Kathryn Hilger Kingen. I also have a few recipes in the cookbook so it’s pretty exciting. You can check it out online at https://www.saltys.com/good_ciao which lists sample pages.

Anyway, back to the dinner, actually here’s a quick glance at the dishes we prepared:

Passed Appetizers Upon Arrival:
Pancetta Wrapped Dates and Bananas Prepared by Roberto Russo
Salmon Carpaccio with Arugula By Dana Cress (and Sous Chef Josh Gibler)
Seafood Crudo Prepared by Gabriel Cabrerra

1st Course - Tagliatelle with Chickpeas and Shrimp Prepared by Roberto Russo

2nd Course - Tuscan Soup Prepared by Roberto Russo

3rd Course - Orange Flavored Duck Prepared by Jeremy McLachlan

4th Course - Sea Bass 3 ways - In the 3 styles of the Salty’s Chef’s Prepared by Gabe, Jeremy, and Dana

5th Course - Chocolate and Port Paring Dessert by Jane Gibson and Port Selections by Tim O’Brien

It really was a lot of fun.

My next event is January 26th, the Gifts of the Earth event held every year at South Seattle Community College. I’ve been working on my menu for this event for many weeks. It’s going to be a good one. I’ll give you a sneak peak once we get a little to the date, I don’t want to reveal too many secrets……

January 9, 2008

I’m changing up the market sheet a little bit. It’s just a few things because of the new core menu. I’m adding 2 dishes that are featured in the new Cookbook Good Ciao. These are recipes to give our guests a taste of the great items in this cookbook.

*Shrimp and Chickpea Tagliatelle Pasta Tossed with Olive Oil, Lemon, and Fresh Herbs
This is Roberto Russo’s Creation. The 15th will be our 3rd annual Under the Alki Moon dinner where we will be celebrating the publishing of their cookbook. This dish is very simple. Tagliatelle pasta will be tossed with olive oil, garlic, chickpeas, and shrimp and then finished with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.

*Clam and Mussel Risotto with Arugula, Tomato and Fresh Herbs
This is our co-owner Kathy Kingen’s recipe. We will be using our high quality organic carnaroli risotto (you can find this outstanding brand of risotto at Metropolitan Market or online http://www.ritrovo.com/i-10001ten-carnaroli-risotto-rice-1-1lbs.php and topping it with sautéed clams and mussels. We will then add fresh Arugula and top it with Parmesan cheese and tomatoes.

Come in and have a sample of the cookbook before you buy it!

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Chef’s Words for the New Menu Starting January 11th

I have worked for this company for 11 years and “served” a tour at all three Salty’s locations. I started with Columbia, and then went to Redondo, then Alki, then back to Columbia and obviously I am back at Alki now. The reason why I mention this is because this is the most unique menu format I have put together yet. I spend much time with Gerry making sure we were looking at the same vision of the menu. You will find with these changes that we are trying to give the guest options. We don’t want to be an overpriced restaurant; we want to provide a little something for everyone. The reality of a tight economy is something we need to address and that is what we are trying to do by providing some clever options. I don’t just want to think about the now; I also want to think about the future. A happy guest is our success and by providing inexpensive options as well as some over the top options, I think we can increase guest frequency. So I unveil this new menu with full confidence that you enjoy the different dynamic of it. As usual I am open to any feedback. The following is a taste of some of the changes and some of the classics on our new dinner menu: (you can also view the full menu at http://www.saltys.com/seattle/menus.asp )

Appetizers:

*Fresh shucked Puget Sound Oysters on the Half Shell* with an Oyster Caddy of all sauces imaginable
This dish will be served the same way we always serve our oysters, plucked straight out of the Puget Sound and shucked moments before slurping them down. The sauce caddy has cocktail, mango pepper jam, raspberry mignonette, shallot mignonette, green Tabasco, red Tabasco, chipotle Tabasco, fleur de sel, and pepper vodka.
Price: ½ Doz 13.95 Doz. 24.95

*East VS. West Crab Cakes with dueling Sauces light and heavy or have just the Dungeness crab Cake (west) or just the Blue Crab Cake (east)
This dish will be changing, not in presentation but in offerings. The option of ordering a single crab cake is now available.
The East crab cake is with blue crab meat. The mix will have mayo, Dijon mustard, Tabasco, Worcestershire, shallot, egg yolk, panko, thyme, and parsley. This dish will be served with lemon Greek yogurt and pickled cucumbers and chili oil. We use Greek yogurt that is thicker then the regular yogurt that you buy in the store. We mix it with lemon juice, lemon zest, white pepper and salt. The cucumbers will be sliced and pickled with white wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. The Chili oil will be made with an array of chili pods from New Mexican to Ancho and grape seed oil.
The West crab cake is of course made with Dungeness crab meat we start the crab cake mix by sautéing celery, onion and red pepper. The mixture is then cooled. Once the mixture is cooled we add sour cream, heavy cream, eggs, Worcestershire, Tabasco, Dijon mustard, parsley, chives and Dungeness crab. We will then form the cakes and bread them in flour, egg whites, and Panko breadcrumbs. The west cake is served with aioli and is made with egg yolks, garlic, oil, lemon juice, and thyme. It will also come with a fennel salad. The fennel will be thinly sliced and seared in oil and then deglazed with red wine vinegar, salt and then tossed with fennel fronds afterwards.
Price: 16.95 single cake 7.95

*1 Pound of Shrimp on Ice with Cocktail Sauce and Remoulade and Lemon. ½ Pound also available
For this dish we will be using shelled and deveined 31-40 prawns. We will poach them in a liquid of water, pickling spice, chili flake, lemon juice and salt. We poach the prawns and then lay them out on sheet pans to let them cool in the walk-in. Most people put them in an ice bath out of the hot water but I prefer not to because it washes some of the flavor away. This will be served with lemon, cocktail sauce, remoulade and parsley.

*Big Spender Crab Cocktail with Mixed Greens, House Cocktail Sauce and Lemon
The Dish: This is a BIG version of our crab cocktail. I blame my Sous chef Paolo for this one. Gerry came in and asked for a big crab cocktail and Paolo made a joke and put it into a cracker keg. Now we are putting it on the menu. It will be 1 pound or 16 oz of Dungeness crab with cocktail sauce, mixed greens and lemon.
Price: 59.95 or regular size 3 oz for 14.95

*Grand Seafood Platter* (Serves 4-6)
Salmon Lox, Chilled Prawns, Raw Oysters on the Half Shell, Dungeness Crab, Alaskan King Crab Legs, Green Lip Mussels, Marinated Manila Clams, Baby Octopus Salad, and
Hawaiian Ahi Tuna. This dish is a great seller. We are changing up a few things but it will certainly be GRAND!
Price: $69.95

*Crab and Shrimp Bisque with Camembert Croutons, Herbed Crème Fraiche
I have decided to put a second soup on the core menu. This soup will be made in a classic bisque style. We will start with crab sections, shrimp shells and caramelize them. Then we will add tomato paste and caramelize more. Next we will add celery, carrot, onion, parsley stems, fennel, bay leaf, peppercorns, and thyme. We will then deglaze with brandy and cook out all the alcohol. Next we will add white wine and again cook out all the alcohol. Water is then added and reduced by half. We will put a little crab and shrimp base in the soup. Next cream gets added and reduces by 1/3rd. The soup will then be thickened with rice and strained. We will then finish the soup with crabmeat and chopped shrimp meat. The Camembert croutons are of course made with Camembert which is a creamy cow’s milk cheese. We will be making croutons with melted Camembert, butter, garlic, shallots, and fresh herbs. Lastly, it gets topped with crème fraiche. The cream is cultured with buttermilk in house. This yields a thick cream that is like sour cream but has a nutty flavor to it. The crème fraiche will be finished with fresh herbs, salt and white pepper.
Price: Cup 6.95 Bowl 9.95

Seafood Entrees:

I have a page of entrees that are fully constructed with protein, starch, vegetables and properly paired accoutrements.

*Cedar-Smoked Salmon with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Wilted Arugula and Radicchio, House Bacon Apple Relish, Fig Balsamic Glaze
Price: 29.95 ½ portion 19.95 $10 upgrade for wild salmon
Lunch 19.95 with a $6 upgrade for wild salmon

*Pan-Seared Eastern Sea Scallops with Yukon Potato Gratin, Eggplant “Parmesan” Salad, House Bacon, Smoked Tomato Jam
Price $31.95

*Sweet Soy Glazed Black Cod with Green Tea Scented Rice, Cucumber “Noodle” Salad, Lemon Tossed Tri-Radish slaw, Scallion Coulis
Price: Dinner 29.95 Lunch 23.95

*Wood Oven Roasted Crab Stuffed Salmon with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, House Vegetables, Beurre Blanc and Crispy Leeks
Price: 31.95 and $10 up-charge for wild salmon

*Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna with Green Tea Scented Rice, Wasabi Dressing, Yuzu Vinaigrette, Radish Salad
Price: 29.95

*Fried Seafood Served in a Metal Martini Glass with Salmon, Halibut, Scallops, Prawns, Clam Strips, House-Made Cocktail and Tartar Sauce
Price: D- 27.95 L-17.95

*Northwest Seafood Risotto in a Tomato Broth with Shucked Clams and Mussels, Salmon, Tuna, Scallops, Prawns Dungeness crab, Pecorino Cheese
This is a fun dish for me. I had something similar to it in Italy last year and every time I make it I find my self dreaming of Venice or Vernazza. We will be shucking the clams and mussels and we will surround the outside of the risotto with a tomato jus. The jus is made with pureed San Marzano tomatoes that are strained and mixed with fresh thyme, salt, and chicken stock, it’s simple and delicious. The reason our risotto is so good is because we use organic carnaroli rice from Italy. Yes it is expensive but it doesn’t gum up like Arborio rice. The art of making risotto is starting with oil and onions, we sweat the onions until translucent then we add the rice and toast it. After the rice has toasted, garlic is added and toasted. Next, the wine is added and the alcohol cooked out of it. Then you add hot chicken stock a cup at a time and stir until cooked. For the seafood, we will start by sautéing the salmon, scallops, tuna, and prawns in olive oil. Then we toast garlic and shallot. Next we will add the shucked clams and mussels and chicken stock. Then we will add the rice and finish with pecorino cheese and tiny bit of butter.
Price: Dinner-29.95 Lunch-19.95

*Dungeness Crab Macaroni And Cheese Cooked With Four Cheeses And Topped Tomato And Arugula Salad
Price: 28.95 ½ portion 19.95 Lunch 19.95

The Simply Fresh Section:

Chef’s Word’s: This is where the menu gets a little funky. We are implementing an a la carte section. We will have different sorts of seafood simply prepared and then a list of sides that the guest can choose to add or not.

*Grilled Salmon Steak with Herb Beurre Blanc
This will be a steak cut of salmon served by itself, simply with Beurre blanc and herbs.
Price: 14.95 for 8 oz

*Salty’s Blackened Catfish with Kumquat Butter
We will be blackening the catfish with our blackening spice and then throwing it on a cast iron pan so it is sizzling when it gets to the table. The catfish will be topped with kumquat butter and green onions. The kumquat butter is made with sliced kumquats, butter, garlic, shallot, and fresh herbs.
Price: 10.95 for 8 oz

*3 Eastern Sea Scallops with House Bacon
This will be three scallops seared and served on bacon planks with Beurre blanc.
Price: 17.95 or 6.00 Each

*Soy Glazed Black Cod with Radish Salad
This will be a scaled down version of our entrée with no rice or sauce.
Price: 15.95 for 6 oz

*Prawn Skewers with Preserved Lemon Relish
We will have 6 prawns with lemon relish on top. 3 prawns per skewer and 2 skewers per order.
Price: 14.95

*Wild Alaskan Salmon with Beurre Blanc
This will be a dinner cut of wild salmon with Beurre blanc and fresh herbs.
Price: 19.95

*Dungeness Crab Stuffed Salmon with Preserved Lemon Relish
A dinner cut of the wood oven roasted crab stuffed salmon.
Price: 25.95

Sides:

Here’s a list of the sides that we serve with an ala carte plate or with an appetizer, whatever the guest wants. Yukon Potato Gratin, Bacon Braised Winter Greens, Asparagus with Preserved Lemon, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Mushrooms with Herbs, Green Tea Scented Rice with Wasabi Dressing, Creamy Risotto with Tomato Jus

As usual we’ll have a nice offering of shellfish, like I always say, “go ahead, be shellfish”.

Steamed Alaskan King Crab Legs
8-Ounce Oven-Roasted Australian Lobster tail
Live Maine Lobster
2 # Live Dungeness Crab

Steaks and Chicken:

Chef’s Words: This will be another overhaul to the menu. We will be broadening our menu with offering Prime and Angus Selections. Each Steak will come with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, bacon braised greens, pickled horseradish and chef McLachlan’s Steak Sauce. The pickled horseradish is made with fresh shredded horseradish and pickled in rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt. It will be served on top of the steak. As for the steak sauce, I have made my own version of sauce that will be served on the side. Not everyone is a purest when it comes to steaks so I thought it would be a fun accompaniment. The sauce has onions, garlic, currants, tomato paste, sherry vinegar, Worcestershire, chili powder, garlic powder, celery seed, onion powder, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, chipotle Tabasco, black pepper, dry mustard, and salt. It’s great, taste it for yourself.

*The Perfect 8 oz Prime Filet
Wrapped in House Cured Bacon
Price: 49.95

*10-Ounce USDA Prime Top Sirloin*
Price: 29.95

*Big Guy 16oz Angus New York
Price: 39.95

*6 oz Angus Filet
Price: 24.95

Here’s where some fun comes in, we will be adding a have-it-your-way section to this part of the menu.

*Blackened
*Peppered
*Smoked Salt Crusted
*Stuffed with Dungeness crab 3.00
*Stuffed with Gorgonzola 2.00
*Add Sautéed Mushrooms 3.50
*Add ½ Northwest Dungeness Crab 17.95
*Add Half-Pound King Crab Legs 19.95

*Bacon and Sausage Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, House Vegetables, Giblet Veloute, Cranberry Chutney
This will be a nice fall chicken dish that offers an option to the non seafood eater. We will use an Airline breast for this dish which is exactly like the one we have only it has the drum attached. The chickens will be stuffed and marinated in some herbs and olive oil. This will be made of focaccia, apples, bacon, sausage, celery, thyme, sage, Parmesan cheese, egg, and chicken stock. The veloute is a reduction of chicken stock with bay leaf, peppercorns, and thyme and finished with cooked giblets. Last but not least it the chutney, this is a reduction of orange juice with ginger, orange peel, sugar, cranberries, cinnamon, clove, allspice, and thickened with pectin.
Price: 19.95

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