30—Cleveland Daily Banner—Sunday, January 3, 2016
www.clevelandbanner.com
Tomatillo salsa offers a fresh approach to poaching salmon
Family works
By Rob Coombs
ID. Min. Ph.D.
Speaking on the new year
Looking at a calendar with a
group of 5-year-old children, I
asked, “What days do you think
are the most important days of
the year?”
Nancy thought that Christmas
was the most important day of
the year.
Melissa added that New Year’s
Day was also very important,
“because everything is starting
over again.”
Liz thought Easter should also
be included in the list of the most
important days of the year, especially since this is always an
occasion for a new dress.
Julie agreed that all the days
mentioned were very important,
but not nearly as important as
Sept. 8.
“What’s so important about
Sept. 8?” I asked, more than a
little confused.
She giggled and said, “Sept. 8
is my birthday!”
Then all the children started
screaming their birthdays, making sure that I did not miss the
importance of their own special
day.
Later, thumbing through the
calendar and looking at the colored prints for each month of
year, I asked myself the same
question. What days of the year
are the most important – Easter,
Christmas, New Year’s Day or
perhaps Feb. 10, my birthday?
It occurred to me that
although we place special significance on certain days of the
year, the reality is that every day
of the year is important. With
each day comes the opportunity
to live new life. Every morning is
a new beginning, with new hope,
new potential, new dreams to be
actualized.
What often keeps us from
enjoying the importance of each
new day is either regret over yesterday or fear of tomorrow.
Regret and fear are twin thieves
that rob us of today.
Since most families have more
than a few memories they regret,
By SARA MOULTON
Associated Press
The French love to cook fish by
poaching it in a flavored liquid,
usually a combination of white
wine and water, leeks or onions,
and some herbs. It’s a n otably
lean way to roll because there’s no
fat involved. And the finished
product is reliably tender because
it has been cooked at a low temperature.
So, it’s lean, tender and... quite
boring. I crave more flavor and
texture. So here’s a recipe for
poached salmon that adds the
missing elements.
Typically, poaching calls for a
lot of liquid. The fish is supposed
to be submerged as it cooks, after
which the liquid usually is tossed.
I wanted a way to poach the fish
in a small amount of liquid, which
then could do double duty as a
sauce. Given that fish generally
requires a spritz of acid to brighten it up, the ideal liquid needed to
be acidic and intensely flavored.
Green salsa — that is, tomatillo
salsa with chilies and lime juice —
struck me as a likely candidate.
The salmon wouldn’t have to
swim in a vat of the salsa. I made
a modest batch and cooked the
salmon in a smallish skillet with
the salsa rising halfway up the
sides of the fillets. I covered the
pan tightly to trap the heat and
flipped over the salmon half way
through its cooking time to make
sure it cooked evenly.
How do you know when the
salmon is finished cooking? If you
slide a knife into it and the blade
sails through the fillet with no
resistance, it’s done. And be sure
to pull it off the heat when there’s
still a tiny bit of resistance left,
which will allow for carry-over
cooking time.
For crunch, I sprinkled tortilla
chips on top; they are salsa’s classic partner. But these were my
own healthy baked tortilla chips,
which take only 15 minutes to
prepare. On the whole, this recipe
is pretty quick and easy to make,
but you can streamline it even
learning how to face and deal
with these memories is critical to
every member of the family.
Failure to deal successfully with
one’s regrets means that the
individual is immobilized in the
past.
The degree of immobilization is
directly related to the degree of
the regret. It is certainly not
uncommon for an entire family
to become immobilized due to
the inability of the family members to move beyond regret.
Futile attempts are made to forget the memories, but we truthfully cannot forget, especially
injustices.
The only way to resolve regrets
is to “let go.” Letting go means
reaching the point where we no
longer are willing to allow the
past to affect the present. We may
remember the injustice. We may
have learned from the injustice.
We may have even suffered
intensely because of the injustice.
But when we let go, we truly leave
the past behind. No more regrets.
Regret’s twin, fear, robs us of
the present by not allowing us to
enjoy today. Usually, because of
what has taken place in the past,
fear so overwhelms the present
moment that we cannot enjoy
today.
Our uncertainty causes such
anxiety that making constructive
change does not seem possible.
It is also not uncommon to see
entire families immobilized by
fear. Tragically, many are
involved in self-destructive
habits, but refuse to change due
to the fear that change means
facing the unknown. It appears
easier to live with the known
(even if it is destructive) than the
unknown.
So, next time you are looking
at a calendar, whether you are 5
or 85, remember that there really
are no ordinary days. Refuse to
allow either regret or fear rob you
MARANA, Ariz. (AP) — Like
of today by remembering that something out of “Hansel and
every day is an important and Gretel,” a larger-than-life gingerspecial gift.
bread house made with hundreds
of pounds of sugar and spice has
been luring in guests at one
southern Arizona resort.
Much like the fairy tale, they
are free to enter and sit down by
a roaring fire. But there is no
wicked witch.
2 large English cucumbers
Instead, there’s a server with a
1 jalapeno pepper
three-course
menu.
2 teaspoons minced shallots
A
team
of
pastry chefs at the
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy
Ritz-Carlton,
Dove Mountain in
sauce
Marana
decided
this Christmas
2 tablespoons lime juice (freshly squeezed is best in a recipe to go make a gingerbread building that was more than a display.
such as this)
The 19-foot-tall “house” has been
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro operating for the past month as a
private dining room and become
leaves
1/4 cup salted cocktail valuable real estate in terms of
the attention.
peanuts, lightly crushed
There’s no cost to walk
Peel the cumbers, then slice
them in half lengthwise. Using a through. But for $150, you can
teaspoon, scrape down the center reserve the whole thing. Up to six
of each half to remove any seeds. people can sit down and order
Slice the cumber halves cross- meals and beverages from the
wise into thin slices. A mandoline hotel kitchen. The fireside fee
is best, but a knife is fine. Trim does not include food.
The idea of a life-size gingerthe jalapeno, slice in half lengthbread
house where people could
wise, then remove the seeds
go in and out drew skepticism,
before mincing.
In a large bowl, combine the even from some hotel workers.
jalapeno, shallots, soy sauce, But head pastry chef Daniel
lime juice and sugar, then stir to Mangione was confident it could
combine. Add the cucumbers and be done.
“There’s a lot of gingerbread
toss to combine. Transfer the
houses
out there but usually it’s
mixture to a serving bowl or plat-
Associated Press
Lots of us are crazy about Thai
food, what with all those bright,
vibrant flavors, exciting textures
and the play of sweet and sour
and salty happening in so many
ways. And classic Thai ingredients like lemon grass, chilies and
coconut milk are now popping up
at grocers all over the country.
You’ll find it’s fun and easy to
work them into your home cooking.
This simple salad features
crunchy cucumbers enhanced
with just a bit of citrus, soy sauce
and a few other Thai ingredients.
Cilantro is an herb people usually love or hate; few people feel
“meh” about it. So if it’s not your
thing, or someone at the table
doesn’t like it, serve it on the side
and let people add it to their own
salads as they wish. You also
could substitute Thai basil.
If you want to bump up the flavor even more, substitute fish
sauce fo r half of the soy sauce. It
will add a layer of delicious pungency to the dish.
—THAI CUCUMBER SALAD
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
ter, then top with the cilantro and
the peanuts.
Katie Workman has written
two cookbooks focused on easy,
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — How
family-friendly cooking, “Dinner
far
have vegan alternatives come
Solved!” and “The Mom 100
to
tasting
like the real thing? Not
Cookbook.”
far enough, according to a panel
that tasted some options for The
Associated Press.
“Noxious” and “kind of not natural” were among the reactions to
some of the meatless alternatives
being pushed by a new generation of vegan food makers that
both have PTSD.
want to revolutionize the way
That’s where the Collaborative Americans eat.
Consultative Care Coordinator
“If I were to eat this thinking it
Program — known as 4C, and is a regular hamburger, I might
where Eric Volz-Benoit works as think it’s spoiled,” said Byron
a nurse — comes in.
Champlin, a city councilor in
The program helps parents Concord, New Hampshire, after
and pediatricians manage med- taking a bit of a “beefless” burger
ically complex children. Families patty made by Gardein.
are paired with a team of helpers,
Gardein, Beyond Meat and
including a nurse care coordina- Hampton Creek are among the
tor and a social worker who can companies trying to bring energy
make home visits. A child’s med- to a category that has long been
ical information is loaded into a defined
by
brands
like
central site, or “cloud,” so any Morningstar Foods (founded in
specialists needed to check or 1970), Nasoya (1978) and Quorn
treat any given condition can get (1985). The thinking is that more
what they need quickly and easi- Americans will embrace plantly.
based alternatives to beef, chickThe program is a partnership en and mayonnaise if there are
between Boston Medical Center better-tasting options.
and Baystate Medical Center,
The idea is attracting millions
funded in September 2014 by a of dollars in investments and
three-year, $6 million federal media fanfare, with the newer
grant under the Affordable Care companies saying their products
Act.
also are healthier and gentler on
For family of special-needs
kids, ‘4C’ offers special help
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — It
takes a strict routine and a lot of
help to raise a family of specialneeds children. Few know this
better than Eric and Dennis VolzBenoit, who have five.
Typical days involve feeding
tubes, breathing treatments,
medications and assembly-line
showers, not to mention taking
kids to school, making dinner
and washing clothes.
“It’s just kind of like a welloiled machine,” said Eric VolzBenoit. “The key for us is routine.
Everything is routine.”
But routine only goes so far for
the Springfield couple and their
children, Zachary, 8, who has
epilepsy and cerebral palsy;
Tyler, 7, who has brain damage
and autism; Jayden, 5, who has
post-traumatic stress disorder
and borderline behavior problems; and biological siblings
Ryan and Mandie, 7 and 6, who
further by picking up green salsa
and baked tortilla chips at the
supermarket.
By the way, there were leftovers
the second time we tested this
winner. When we polished them
off the next day, we discovered
that this dish is just as delicious
cold as hot.
—SALMON POACHED IN GREEN
SALSA AND TOPPED WITH
BAKED CHIPS
Start to finish: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
For the tortilla strips:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Four 6-inch corn tortillas
Kosher salt
For the salmon:
8 ounces fresh tomatillos,
husked, rinsed and quartered
1/2 cup coarsely chopped scallions (white and light green parts)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh
cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 jalapeno or serrano chili,
seeds removed if desired
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped red
onion
Kosher salt and ground black
pepper
1 1/2 pounds center-cut
salmon fillet, cut into 4 equal portions
To make the tortilla strips, heat
the oven to 400 F.
In a small bowl, stir together
the oil, chili powder and cumin.
Brush the oil mixture over both
sides of each tortilla. Using a knife
or pizza wheel, cut the tortillas
into thin strips. Arrange the strips
in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the strips on the
oven’s middle shelf for 6 to 8 minutes, or until crispy. Sprinkle with
salt, let cool completely, then
break them up slightly. Set aside.
To prepare the salsa, in a food
processor, combine the tomatillos,
scallions, cilantro, lime juice, chili
and garlic. Pulse until the ingredients are almost smooth with a few
small chunks.
In a medium skillet over medium, heat the oil. Add the onion
and cook, stirring, until softened,
about 5 minutes. Add the
tomatillo mixture and simmer
gently, stirring occasionally, for
10 minutes. If the mixture gets
too dry, add 1/2 cup of water.
Season with salt and pepper. Add
the salmon to the skillet, skin
sides down, then cover the skillet
tightly and simmer gently for 5
minutes.
Turn the salmon over, cover
tightly and simmer gently until the
salmon is almost cooked through,
about another 5 minutes. Remove
the pan from the heat and let the
salmon stand for 3 minutes, covered, before serving.
To serve, transfer a portion of
salmon to each of 4 plates, then
top each with sauce and tortilla
strips.
Arizona hotel’s dine-in gingerbread house hits sweet spot
After months of heavy eating,
lighten up with taste of Thai
By KATIE WORKMAN
AP Photo
THIS NOv. 9, 2015, photo, shows salmon poached in green salsa and topped with baked chips in
Concord, N.H. This dish is just as delicious cold as it is hot.
just a facade and the inside is
forgotten about,” Mangione said.
“But this year we really wanted to
see if we could make it different.”
Up since Thanksgiving, the
house will be coming down after
Sunday. But Mangione assured
that they will resurrect it in some
form next Christmas.
“We want to do something a little different. We’re not really too
sure what that might be,”
Mangione said. “We might do a
sushi counter.”
Pastry chefs first prepped for
construction back in June by
making batches of gingerbread
daily. They baked them with a
reddish hue and cut them into
“bricks.” They also pre-ordered
massive quantities of ingredients
including 200 pounds of ginger
powder, 400 pounds of honey, 50
pounds of cinnamon and 10
pounds of nutmeg.
“It’s a much larger project than
what we’re working on day-to-day
for banquets,” said Marlene
Carollo, another pastry chef at
the resort.
According to Mangione, it took
a “baker’s dozen” about four days
to tile the exterior. More than
4,000 ginger bricks made of real
gingerbread cover the outside
walls and the roof. Gumdrops and
peppermints adorn each tile in a
precise pattern and the windows
are framed with candy-cane trim.
AP Photo
THIS PHOTO shows a giant gingerbread house at the Ritz Carlton,
Dove Mountain in Marana, Ariz. The window frame, left, of the house
is seen missing a piece of candy. The 19-foot-tall “house” at the
resort in Marana has been operating for the past month as a private
dining room. There’s no cost to walk through, but for $150, you can
reserve the whole thing.
Mangione said they have had
to do a quick check of the house
every day to see if anything has
gone missing. So far, the only
hazards have been children
caught licking walls or a few
peppermints at a child’s eyelevel disappearing.
“Parents are very good about
controlling
their
kids,”
Mangione said. “We haven’t had
any major loss of tile.”
The aromatic abode has elicited strong reactions from adults
as well. One man asked if he
could stay overnight. Another
wanted to buy the house for his
grandchildren.
Anne and Vincent Duffy, who
were visiting from Los Angeles,
happened upon the house while
walking around the lobby. The
couple initially thought only the
candy was real.
“I was really impressed that
they made something of this
size,” Anne Duffy said. “I love
it.”
Taste test: Next generation of fake meats, vegan mayo
the environment. But the recipes
they’re cooking up might not be
ready for prime time just yet.
A panel of taste testers at The
Associated Press test kitchen in
Concord, New Hampshire had
mixed reactions to the offerings,
and in some cases preferred the
more established vegetarian
options. The three panelists were
meat eaters, but said they’d go
for vegetarian foods, as long as
they taste good.
Dan St. Jean, executive chef
for The Common Man restaurants in New Hampshire, thought
the Gardein patty had a strange
smell.
“It almost tastes like someone
tried to make a meatball into a
hamburger, but did something
wrong,” agreed Sarah Kinney, a
community news editor for The
Concord Monitor.
The reaction was worse for
Beyond Meat’s Beast Burger,
which was introduced this year.
Unlike Gardein, Beyond Meat
says it wants to replicate the
taste of real meat, rather than
just offer vegetarian alternatives.
But Champlin spit out the Beast
Burger after one bite and called it
“noxious” and “non-recognizable.”
All three taste testers found the
“original griller” made by
Morningstar Foods the least
offensive. It wasn’t exactly a hit
either, though; Champlin said he
would eat it if there was nothing
else around.
The fake chicken didn’t fare
much better.
“It’s just kind of rubbery. It
didn’t really taste like chicken,”
said Kinney of Beyond Meat’s
Southwestern-flavored strips of
chicken, which has been on
shelves since 2013.
Champlin thought there was a
bad aftertaste, but couldn’t place
what it was.
He also thought the Gardein
“chick’n scallopini” was tasteless.
But that’s why St. Jean liked it —
he thought his kids wouldn’t
notice if he covered it in cheese
and marinara sauce.
Champlin and Kinney preferred the chicken breast lookalike made by Quorn, although
they agreed with St. Jean that it
looked like “a grilled baguette.”
The panelists also noted the
lack of aromas in the kitchen,
where a chef was preparing the
products on a stovetop. Meat, by
contrast, would have filled the
space with mouthwatering
smells.
“If your back was to the stove,
you couldn’t tell what she was
cooking,” said St. Jean.
The panel was also given a
meatless breakfast sausage patty
made by Morningstar, and vegetarian bacon by Lightife, another
company that has been around
since the 1970s. The sausage
was the winner of the day, with
everyone praising its texture for
closely resembling the grind-like
consistency of real sausage.
The bacon, by contrast, was
given a thumbs-down, with
Champlin likening it to a “leather
chew.” St. Jean agreed, and said
they reminded him of Beggin’
Strips, the pet treats made by
Purina. The taste fell short, too.
“The saltiness isn’t there, the
crunch isn’t there,” St. Jean said.
Although the fake meats didn’t
go over well, the panel generally
liked Just Mayo, the eggless mayonnaise introduced by Hampton
Creek in late 2012. The spread
now sells at major retailers,
including Target and Wal-Mart.
Everyone was able to identify it as
vegan in a lineup of mayonnaises, but thought it came close to
tasting like Hellmann’s.
“I wouldn’t have a problem
with this,” Champlin said. St.
Jean and Kinney agreed.
On the other hand, Nasoya’s
mayonnaise was described as
having a taste that is “funky” and
“kind of pasty.”