Well..once in a while I succumb. Publix offers us a free item each month..once it was a Greenwise Frozen Pizza. I added fresh ingredients to the Spinach and Feta variety and it was not bad. Another time they offered Fried Chicken Tenders from the Deli. They were transformed into a salad ingredient and a pannino..pretty tasty!!
This last is shameful and embarrassing, but it illustrates what stress and exhaustion can do to an otherwise sane person: I ate Tater Tots and Lemon Meringue Pie for dinner one night. Now, in my defense, I slathered the Tots in Piri Piri and the pie was a luscious, homemade version reminiscent of my Mom's, more of a lemon custard pie than one of those gummy things you buy at the grocery. To complete this absurd scenario, I drank a nice New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with "dinner" and had lost 2 pounds when weighed in at the doctor's office the following day!! I don't think there is a moral in that story.
.
Back to the more familiar "Gina" cuisine.
One day, while watching the Food Network, Anne Burrell was waving her arms about, raving that this wonderful item was the secret to the great success of the pork chops she serves at her restaurant.
I, too, became excited..the description was tantalizing, and who would not want the secret ingredient to culinary bliss?
The next day I searched the internet for Wild Italian Fennel Pollen. I knew it would be expensive, it is after all, harvested from fennel flowers, the actual pollen! A quest similar to saffron, how exquisite it must be!!
Well, I found the smallest amount I could purchase and spent more on shipping than the actual product, but it was guaranteed pure, imported from Italy where I know fennel is wild. The expectation of a heavenly taste experience was worth the price and the wait...the anticipation was exhilarating.
It finally arrived...
and I immediately purchased a nice, thick, rib pork chop. Salt, pepper and some additional seasoning and then...the prized fennel pollen, the aroma was incredible..like a rich, musty licorice. I followed the instructions from the cooking show, dipping the fatty edges in the pollen. The aroma promised heaven, as it sautéed. I am not known for patience, so I tasted an edge before the chop was completely done...nothing! It smelled great, but no real flavor was detected. I sprinkled more on the chop. The result was the same. It was ok, but nothing special. Maybe I did something wrong.
My quest continued each night as I tried something new, hoping to capture that flavor ecstasy. The aroma was always great and the taste always lacking. I felt defeated. I'm a foodie by reputation, I love new taste sensations, what was wrong with me??!! Maybe my taste buds are fading with encroaching old age...
I tried Salmon, Alfredo Primavera Pasta sauce, more Pork Chops and Shrimp always with the same disappointing results: ok, but nothing special. In fact, once, I tried the "more is better theory" and my flounder was inedible!
Resigned to using the fennel pollen as an additional spice to whatever I happened to be making, I made a rub and sauce for salmon one night and EUREKA!! Fennel Pollen Paradise!
I've made it again and again, and it is now my favorite salmon. It tastes like Caramel Salmon, and I've even found a substitute* just in case you don't care to invest in the herb (and in case I run out!) Enjoy!
SPICY SWEET SALMON WITH FENNEL POLLEN (for one)
Preheat oven 400
1/3 -1/2 pound fresh salmon fillet
Mix together:
1/2 teaspoon each, paprika, garlic powder, chipotle pepper or creole seasoning and fennel pollen
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
Divide spice mixture in half
Brush salmon fillet with olive oil and half spice rub
Mix remaining half with 1 teaspoon agave syrup**, 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar ***and 1 tablespoon mayonnaise. Whisk until smooth for sauce.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in an oven proof skillet. Saute salmon, skin side up for 1-2 minutes. Turn over and spread some of the sauce mixture on top. Reserve the rest for serving the salmon.
Bake salmon for 8-10 minutes until done as desired..(I like mine a little undercooked!!)
Serve with remaining sauce.
Substitutions:
*Chinese 5 Spice Powder
**honey
***white balsamic vinegar
Next I will try the pork chops again and Gulf Shrimp! Success is Sweet!!
Sola Gina
No comments:
Post a Comment