SCALLIONS GROWN IN WATER

SCALLIONS GROWN IN WATER

My dear Chase- best friend of my eldest daughter and honorary member of our family, emailed me this idea.  She mentioned something about all DUMP COOKS need to know this…well I did NOT know this.  I was so excited as scallions are very expensive most of the year.  This is the trick to your never ending scallion reserve and the good thing IT GROWS ALL YEAR AROUND.

Scallions are super used fresh in topping salads and almost all dishes. They present a light mild onion flavor. 

I took Chase at her word and went and bought 3 bunches of scallions.

Trim the tops so they are nice and neat and all old tips clipped off.  Rinse all so you will be ready to cut the tops as needed.

Set the scallions into a jar and fill the jar with water until the white bulb and base of the scallions are submerged.   Leave some space around the scallions, and do not stuff the jar with them.

               If you have a sunny window sill to place them on, I am sure they will fare well.  But I don’t and I have them on a Counter top that opens to a basically sunny den and they are growing fabulously.

                Pour out the water in the jar every other day and replace it with fresh water. Cut away freshly regrown scallions as needed.  Trim even if not needed every two days.

Always leave a few inches of the green stalk above the bulb.!

I have been seeing if this works for about three weeks and it is such a cool tip.

THANKS CHASE

SALMON BAKED IN A MAPLE AND BOURBON SAUCE TOPPED WITH PISTACHIOS

SALMON BAKED IN A MAPLE AND BOURBON SAUCE TOPPED WITH PISTACHIOS

Served with roasted red potatoes and bok choy with radish

4 salmon fillets

1/4 c bourbon whiskey

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 c maple syrup

1/2 c pistachio nuts, chopped, dry roasted

Directions

Mix the maple syrup, butter and bourbon in a small pan and simmer until the sauce reduces by almost half.  It will thicken as it cooks.  Marinate salmon in 2/3 rds. of the sauce in a zip lock bag and keep 1/3^rd on the side to baste the fish as it cooks.  

Marinate in the refrigerator for about 2 hrs is possible.

Place salmon (skin side down) on a cookie sheet or baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray then lightly baste with the some of the remaining whiskey sauce.

Meanwhile take the chopped pistachios and put them in warm fry pan and toast to bring out the nutty flavors.  Be careful not to burn the nuts as it takes only about 3 minutes.

 

Bake for 20 minutes, basting twice during the baking.  Time may vary by the size of your fish.  I like the salmon a bit pink in the middle.

Baste one last time with fresh reserve whiskey sauce. Sprinkle the fillets with the roasted pistachios.

TIPS:

Some recipes will add brown sugar to the sauce. I think the syrup makes it sweet enough.

The sauce would be good on chicken as well.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

KALE, CARROT, HAM AND BLACK BEAN SLOW COOKED

KALE, CARROT, HAM AND BLACK BEAN SLOW COOKED

I served with a biscuit

Salty ham and Black beans stand up to the hearty taste of Kale in this all in one- side dish or entree dish.  Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and rich in calcium. It has potent anti-cancer properties. It comes in a few varieties, such as curly or plain leafed and sometimes found with purple leaves which is more uncommon than the green leaf variety.

    2 tablespoons olive oil

    6-8 OZ piece of cooked ham, cut into small cubes

    1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped

    1 small onion, chopped

    3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

    1 cup water

    1 teaspoon minced garlic

    1 small carrot shredded

    ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to heat desired)

    Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the Kale and by running your knife down the side of the stem, cut off the leaves and discard the stems. Chop the leaves well.

Add the olive oil to the pan and heat to medium and add the onion and garlic.  

   Add the remaining ingredients and place on a low heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the flavors have melded and the leaves are tender.

Serve as a side dish or as a main course with a nice piece of bread or corn bread.

TIPS:

• ·        Make a very large pot and use the leftovers as a base for a soup.

• ·        Leftovers will freeze well.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!