If You Love Salmon – Come to Class

If you come from Canada or north-western US, salmon is abundant everywhere. But, if you live in Panama like me, it’s a bit tricky to find fresh salmon in most markets.

Yes, we can find salmon in Rey or Romero’s, two of the largest supermarkets in Chiriqui, if we’re lucky. Lately, both fresh and smoked salmon have been available at Deli Baru Market in Boquete.

Salmon is the common name for several species in the family “Salamonidae”, which also includes trout, a very plentiful fish in Boquete. Salmon is a healthy, “oily” fish because it’s high in protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. More than 80% of Pacific salmon are wild-caught, where 99% of Atlantic salmon are farmed. I wonder which variety tastes best.

Boquete Gourmet will host popular chef, Renny Kranich on October 1, in my El Santuario kitchen to share her knowledge about salmon and some of her favorite ways to prepare this delectable fish. Renny’s class will include several salmon dishes that are just right to be served as appetizers, recipes to use when serving salmon for lunch, and she’ll demonstrate how to create a spectacular main salmon dish in a 5-course gourmet dinner.

While waiting for Renny’s class to begin, you might want to try one of my favorite recipes for an Easy Hollandaise Sauce to serve over poached eggs, accompanied with thinly-sliced smoked salmon.
1 stick butter, melted in microwave
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon cold water
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, poached
2 English muffins, toasted
4 slices smoked salmon or gravlax, thinly sliced

Partially fill the bottom of a double boiler with water and bring to a simmer. In the top of the double boiler, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, and cold water. Add the melted butter to egg yolk mixture 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time while whisking yolks constantly. If the sauce begins to get too thick, add a teaspoon or two of hot water. Continue whisking until all butter is incorporated, then whisk in the salt, and remove from heat. Place a lid on pan to keep sauce warm while toasting the English muffins and poaching the eggs.

To present, place opened English muffin halves on a large dinner-size plate. Top with smoked salmon, allowing the ends of the salmon to touch the plate, then top with poached eggs and drizzle with Hollandaise sauce. Garnish with a few rings of thinly-sliced red onions and capers, and serve immediately. No side dish is required, unless serving for dinner. This recipe serves two very lucky diners.

Renny has several new, exciting and tasty ways to prepare and to serve salmon you won’t want to miss. If you love salmon like I do, you won’t want to join this fun and informative class. Email boquetegourmet@gmail.com to reserve you seat now. The $25.00 fee includes hands-on class, recipe book, full-course dinner, Renny’s favorite cocktail and a glass of wine.

See you October 1!
Cora

Mounds Drops for Coconut Lovers

Many people love Mounds Bars, and they are difficult to find in Boquete. David is such a person and he’s always looking for these candy bars when we visit a new store that carries candy. He’ll buy a Mounds Bar and eat it all within a few minutes.

What we do have in Panama and in Boquete is coconut and excellent chocolate, both available at most supermarkets. El Rey Supermarket in David has a large display of shredded coconut, that caught my eye. I couldn’t resist buying a bag and trying to develop a recipe that David would love. Any cake I bake, he loves with white icing coated with shredded coconut. After I frost the cake, I take fingers full of coconut and press it against the surface of the icing so it sticks out, big and fluffy.

Lately, I’ve been working on the “Boquete Gourmet Community Cookbook”, and in it is a recipe for Chocolate Truffles. Last week, I made the truffles with guava centers, which were delicious. Why couldn’t I make truffles with coconut centers? So, this is the way I made an easy treat our of 3 simple ingredients.

Mounds Drops

1 cup sweetened fancy flake coconut
2 tablespoons honey
1 3.5-ounce bar dark chocolate, I used Villars 72% cacao

In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut and honey, stirring to coat all the coconut with honey. With your thumb and 2 fingers of each hand, press clumps of coconut into a small ball. Place on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes. With dry fingers, press the balls again to make the surfaces smooth and freeze again. While your balls firm up, break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a small, heat-proof bowl. Set the bowl into boiling water and heat until melted. Using a small fork, quickly drop the frozen coconut balls into the chocolate and place them on waxed paper to cool. It’s not necessary to completely cover the coconut with chocolate, your choice. Makes about 25 drops.

How easy it is to make this sweet treat. The ingredients are readily available and can be kept in your pantry for months. Some rainy afternoon, if you want to make an impression on your family or friends, make some Mounds Drops, everyone will love them. Now my question is whether to serve my drops with a delicious, steaming cup of Boquete’s finest coffee, or with a tall glass of Famiglia Bianchi, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 from Argentina.
So yummy!
Cora