Fennel-Pollenated Salmon
- At June 14, 2011
- By megan
- In favorites, fennel, fennel pollen, Maple, Recipes, Salmon, Savory Spice Shop
0
I’ve been on a fennel pollen kick lately- Fennel pollen turkey burgers one week, then fennel pollen grilled tempeh, and now fennel pollen salmon. Maybe it’s just me and my taste buds, but it seems like everything I sprinkle with the spice of the angels tastes better.
Here’s what I created with a gorgeous piece of wild Alaskan salmon…
In the mortar and pestle I ground
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper (pick some up at Savory Spice Shop, or use red pepper flakes)
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
Next, add a pinch of
- Mexican Oregano
- Dried Tarragon
- Fennel Pollen
- Maple Sugar
- Sea Salt
Mix up the spice rub, get your nose really close to it, and breathe in. It smells fantastic. I bought a beautiful 1.8 pound piece of Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon.
After rinsing it in cold water, patting it dry, and tweezing out the bones, I sliced it in half (due to cooking restraints in a small space), rubbed it down, patted it with butter, drizzled it with a little Portuguese white wine (just happened to be the bottle I was drinking while cooking), and sealed it in heavy duty aluminum foil packets.
The fish grilled for approximately 10 minutes. I let it sit sealed in the packet a couple more minutes before squeezing a little fresh orange juice on top. That’s right- orange this time, not lemon.
Yum! I served this with some grilled red potatoes and parmesan peas (one of my favorites!).
Fennel Pollen Turkey Burgers
- At May 26, 2011
- By megan
- In favorites, fennel, fennel pollen, pickled things, Recipes, Savory Spice Shop, turkey
- 1
The turkey burger. It’s become my spur-of-the-moment, don’t have dinner plans and don’t have 2 hours to cook, go-to guy. I’ve added all kinds of cheeses, herbs, spices, jalapeños… lots of stuff, and they usually come out great. But, I might have my new favorite here.
The secret ingredient? Fennel Pollen. All of you sausage lovers out there probably appreciate the flavor of fennel seeds. But have you tried fennel pollen? It is the pollen that comes from the tiny yellow flowers on the fennel plant and, according to the label, is sometimes called the “spice of the angels.” I must agree with that statement. And you’re probably asking yourself, “Where can I find this spice of the angels?” Well, Savory Spice Shop, of course. Where else would I get my secret ingredients?
Here’s how I made my new favorite burgers-
- 1.5 pounds ground turkey thigh
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- a pinch of fennel pollen
- ground black pepper
My least favorite part is mixing it with my hands and making the patties. I’ll admit it. But, I made 8 patties, grilled them for approximately 7 minutes on each side, and topped them with some Tillamook white cheddar cheese.
Left over ciabatta bread served as my bun, and homemade olive oil pickles from last summer’s crop added the perfect crunch to my spring-time, fennel pollen burger. Come to think of it, these will be great for grillin’ over Memorial weekend, and will pair well with my Honey Pepper Rascal Beer Cocktail.
Top of the Hill Grill West
- At April 27, 2011
- By megan
- In BBQ, favorites, food truck, tempeh
- 0
Living in the Gunbarrel neighborhood of Boulder has it’s benefits. You get more house for your money. You have impressive views of the Flatirons and the front range. But, it has a lot of drawbacks- You are a few miles from downtown Boulder, and bus service stops earlier than most would prefer. So, going out on the town for dinner and drinks tends to become a planned event, not just a spur-of-the-moment “hey, let’s go downtown.”
But, as my first sentence said… there are benefits to this area, and food trucks are one of them! My new favorite truck in town is Top of the Hill Grill West. These guys are cool, and their food is fantastic. Their dad’s Vermont restaurant, Top of the Hill Grill, conveniently provided the inspiration for Boulder’s best mobile BBQ joint. They set up shop across the street from me at Asher Brewery, so I just walk across 63rd St and order.
Let’s just take a minute to acknowledge this menu: Veggie Burger, Vermonster (available in veggie option), and Tempeh Wrap sit amongst the Steak and Cheese, Half Chicken, Pork, and Ribs offerings. I like that. I like that a lot!
I didn’t try the pulled pork sandwich, but was told a whole stream of positive, mouth-watering words about it. But, I did eat some of these perfect fries.
The half-chicken falls off the bone. Go get a half-chicken! I can’t wait to get another. It’s that good!
Here’s my Vermonster wrap. I was so impressed with this wrap because as a home cook who makes tempeh at least once each week, I have pretty high standards for tempeh. Top of the Hill Grill West makes the best tempeh Vermonster and you should go try one.
I also scarfed down their chipotle brownies, and though I offer no photo here, they look like delicious brownies. You can use your imagination on the photo, but not the flavor. Chipotle brownies are a really fitting dessert for a BBQ meal.
For updated info on where Top of the Hill Grill West will be parked and serving food, visit their Facebook Page.
Killer Penguin 2010, American Barley Wine Ale
- At February 26, 2011
- By megan
- In Alcoholic Beverages, beer, favorites
- 2
There is simply nothing I look forward to every autumn more than a bottle of Killer Penguin. I’m pretty serious about that. When I first moved to Boulder I read something about the release of Killer Penguin and that it was limited, killer, and not going to be on the shelves long. I found a bottle at Liquor Mart and started an annual tradition in my home.
I am a big fan of barley wine, and Boulder Beer produces a smooth, complex, sippable beer. If only I had a secret to easily removing the wax coating.
I bought two bottles in November 2010 and consumed them. Then, this week (February) while stocking up at Liquor Mart for a Vail ski vacation, I saw 4 bottles left in the fridge. I grabbed two more. Gotta share this with my dad!
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