We started off the 2025 season with our annual Hook It and Cook It event. We experienced wonderful meals prepared by Lucas Szmania of Szmania Catering serving North Central Washington. Lucas graciously shared the recipes with us to share with all of you!
Seared Rockfish with Roasted Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette and 4-Grain Crispy Chickpeas Salad
1 lb rockfish
Dusting of Curry Powder
Dusting of Flour
Avocado or Canola Oil for frying
Salt to taste
1 can garbanzo beans, dash of olive oil
1 tbsp. blend of freshly ground coriander, cumin, pepper
1/2 cup wild rice
1 cup brown quinoa
1 cup beluga lentils
1/2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 pints cherry tomatos
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 oz pancetta
salt to taste
Method
Time sensitive: Rinse one can of garbanzo beans and dry on a paper towel. In a bowl, toss with ground coriander, cumin, black pepper and salt. Slow roast in the over at 300-325 degrees Fahrenheit for at least two hours depending on oven fluctuations.
Grains: Start by boiling the wild rice in plenty of water and a few pinches of salt, after 10 minutes of boiling, add the lentils, followed by the quinoa. Total cooking time of the grains takes approx. 35 minutes. Once tender, rinse under cold water and strain to stop cooking. Season with a little vinegar, honey, thyme and salt.
Sauce: Turn on the oven to broil. Start by cutting the tomatoes in half and salting them, place under broiler for 5 minutes. Try not to burn them. If oven rack is too high, move it own a level or two. In a saucepan, sauté the brunoise of shallot with 1/2 tbsp of oil, salt, garlic, sambar, a handful of other cherry tomatoes (not the oven roasted tomatoes) and pancetta. After a few minutes of cooking add red wine vinegar. Use an emulsion blender to mix the base vinaigrette a few pulses to create a sauce consistency. Season with a little olive oil, salt, a dash of vinegar and a blend of freshly chopped cilantro, oregano, chives, or other herbs from the garden. Finally place the roasted cherry tomatoes into the vinaigrette and enjoy.
Fish: Pre-salt rockfish at least 15 minutes before cooking. When ready to cook, pat dry with a paper town, season with white pepper, coriander seed, and a light dusting of flour to protect the fish and help retain as much natural juices as possible. Preheat a cast iron skillet, on medium-high with neutral high temp oil. Sear each side for a minute or two depending on portion size of fish.
Plate: Ladle the vinaigrette in the center of the plate with the grains on top. Summit the rockfish and sprinkle with fresh herbs.
Pickled Salt Cod with Tangy Zucchini Confit on Crusty Bread and Garlic Aioli
1 lb black cod or lingcod filet
4 tbsp. white vinegar
4 tbsp. water
1/2 tbsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. honey
1 beet shredded
1 zucchini sliced in 1/2 inch strips
1 shallot
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove
1 lemon juice plus zest
crusty bread
3 dashes of tabasco
salt to taste
Method
Time Sensitive: Place a loin of cod in a bowl or 1/3 hotel pan. Gently warm the vinegar, water, salt, honey, beet juice and pink peppercorn in a saucepan to just above room temperature and pour over fish. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Zucchini: Preheat the oven to 425 F, add quartered zucchini cut lengthwise, and onion slivers to a baking dish (anything will work, such as a 8″ x 5″ casserole dish). Season with salt, Aleppo pepper, 3 rough chopped garlic cloves, a generous amount of olive oil and 1/3 cup of white wine vinegar. Cover with a lid for 30 minutes. After that time, remove the lid and continue cooking for another 15 minutes to let some moisture escape. Turn the oven on broil for the final minutes to get a nice char on top.
Aioli: For the lite aioli, start with 1 cup mayo base and microplane 2 garlic cloves into the mayo with fresh ground pepper and lemon zest. Use more garlic and less mayo for stronger aioli.
Bread: Source high quality bread from a local bakery and give it a light toast on the grill for some mid summer flavor.
Plate: To plate, spoon out some tender zucchini and onion confit onto the grilled bread. Top with a dollop of aioli. On a cutting board, thinly slice the pickled salt cod and garnish with a few torn mint leaves.
Seared King Salmon with Salsa Verde on Crustacean Polenta
1 lb salmon
1 shallot
5 tomatillos
1 ripe avocado
1 serrano pepper
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
cilantro and mint
salt to taste
1 cup polenta
3 cloves garlic
1/4 meat of Dungeness crab/lobster/crayfish tails
1 cup white wine
2 oz brandy/cognac
pepper and Chile flakes to taste
Cotija cheese to garnish
Salt to taste
Method
Time Sensitive: Start by deboning, skinning and portioning the salmon. In a skillet with a little oil and salt, fry and skin and always save for a garnish or pre dinner app. Temper and salt the fish approx. 15 minutes before cooking.
Salsa Verde: In a blender add diced tomatillos lanterns removed, Serrano pepper, olive oil, a splash of water, chopped cilantro and mint. Blend on high for a moment and them add the avocado and a little lemon juice. Continue blending for only a short time then transfer to a bowl to add chopped shallot and season with salt if needed.
Crustacean Polenta: Sauté chopped garlic and onion, pour water and bring to boil. Add in the polenta and cook for 10 minutes, whisking often. Source Dungeness crab, lobster, bi-valves, or crayfish from your local fish market. If none is available, use a few dashes of fish garum. Preferable use fresh seafood with shell and take the meat out. Reserve meat before or after cooking depending on species o use as a garnish later. Start by roasting shells in a pan with premix and oil. Deglaze with white wine, brandy or cognac. Burn off alcohol for a few seconds, add a splash of heavy cream and fish stock. Slowly reduce for 20 minutes. Strain off sauce into a small saucepan. Add this sauce to your polenta. Garnish with reserved seafood.
Plate: Quickly sear the salted salmon on both sides in a skillet with a little oil. Meanwhile, plate the polenta in the center of the plate. Place salmon on top, and finish with the salsa and crispy salmon skin.
Blackened Halibut with Arbor Chile Toasted Sunflower Seeds in Corn Chowder
1/2 lb halibut
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
4 chili arbol
Juice of 3 limes
Salt to taste
2 corn on the cob
4 cups water or vegetable stock
3 celery stocks
2 red peppers
1 yellow onion
1 oz pancetta
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. cumin and paprika
Method
Chowder: Cut the kernels off the cob. Put the cobs into a pot with water, pinch of salt, onions and other vegetables if handy, to create a corn stock to be used later as a base for the corn chowder. Dice celery, peppers, onions, pancetta, coriander seed and garlic. Add all ingredients to a medium size pot with a small spoon of butter and sautee for a few minutes. Add cheese rinds and top off with corn stock. Cook for 20 minutes until tender. Blend with an emulsion blender for a few seconds to incorporate the flavors. Season with white pepper, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt and lime juice.
Sunflowers: Toast sunflower seeds with ground arbol chilis in a pan with oil, and salt. After a few minutes drizzle in a little lime juice and set aside to cool.
Fish: For the halibut, slice 1/2 inch thick leaves and season with salt, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano and a little cane sugar. In a high heat pan, blacken the fish for one minute and quickly flip to the other side for 20 more seconds. Cooking time depends on the thickness of fish and temperature of pan. When in doubt, undercook the halibut, over-cooking is irreversible.
Plate: Ladle corn chowder in a bowl and place halibut on top. Garnsh with chili sunflower crunch, cilantro and lime.
Beef Frikadellen with Mushroom Madeira Sauce on Sautéed Hop Leaves, Garlic Chives and Pappardelle Pasta
1 lb organic beef
2 oz dry bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup beef stock homemade or store bought
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 onion
1 celery stock
2 tbsp. parsley and marjoram
1 garlic
Salt to taste
2 oz better (half for Demi grace, half for pasta0
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 onion, 2 carrot, 2 celery stock, 1 ripe tomato
6 cups beef stock (homemade or store bought)
4 oz Madeira wine
2 oz red wine
1 oz tamari sauce
2 tsp. blended ground allspice, star anise and juniper berry
6 rosemary and thyme sprigs
2 handful morel mushroom or other
1 lb fresh pappardelle or spaghetti pasta
3 handfuls of spinach greens or hop leaves
Method
Beef Frikadellen: In mixing bowls, soak dried bread in eggs, white wine, water, or beef stock and a little tomato sauce. Finely chop onion celery, parsley, marjoram and garlic and mix with the soaking bread and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper, and form into large spheres approx. 2-3 oz each. Refrigerate until broiling time.
Sauce: In a saucepan, add your cut onions, garlic, celery, tomato, salt and butter. Sautéed until everything starts to caramelize, then add a little tomato paste and continue to bronze. Deglaze with a few splashes of water each time, lifting the caramelized layer to the bottom of the pan until it redissolves in the sauce. Repeat the process at least 7 times until the sauce is very dark and roasted. Add beef jus and reduce slowly for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better when making Demi glaze. To season, add Madeira wince , tamari soy sauce, ground allspice, star anise, juniper, rosemary, thyme and sliced morel mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes to incorporate all the flavor, and keep warm on the stove until service.
Pasta: Cook pasta in salt water following instructions. Wash and chop, hop leaves, garlic chives, and spinach and sautéed for a few minutes with butter. Place pasta in the bed of sautéed greens.
Plate: Broil the frikadellen in oven on high until preferred doneness or well done. Place pasta in center of plate, pour some sauce on top, and finish with frikadellen. Shave hard sheep’s cheese and garnish with a few fresh garlic chives and a wilted hop leaf.
Fried Rockfish Goujonette with Sesame Sambal Oelek, Watercress, Daikon and Chive Salad
1 lb rockfish
In separate bowls 1 cup flour, 3 eggs beaten, 1 cup panic bread crumb, salt, chili powder and curry powder
2 tbsp. sambal oelek
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 clove garlic
3 anchovies
2 tbsp. parsley and cilantro
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 oz daikon radish
2 oz napa cabbage
2 oz watercress
chives, basil, cilantro, mint
Method
Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk sambal oleic, rice vinegar, chopped garlic, chopped anchovies, parsley, cilantro, sesame oil and olive oil together to create and emulsion.
Salad: Use a mandolin to finely shred the daikon and kappa cabbage. Since under cold water for a few seconds to avoid radish odors. Blend with washed watercress, freshly cut chive batons, mint, basil, and cilantro. Season with a little lemon juice and salt. Keep Cold.
Fish: Slice rick fish into one inch strips and season with salt, chili powder and curry powder. Paneer the rock fish using flour, egg, then a mix of panic and fine bread crumbs. Shallow fry in a large skillet until golden crispy on all sides.
Plate: For service, plate salad, then crispy rock fish and the sauce.
Community Seafood Paella, Green Bean Salad, Garlic Buttermilk Gremolata Vinaigrette
1 lb white fish
2 cups paella rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 oz chorizo
salt to taste
2 tsp. smoked paprika and ground fennel seed
6 1/2 cups seafood stock or water herbs (tarragon, parsley)
1 garlic bulb
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp. lemon juice and a pinch of zest
Salt to taste
4 picholine olives pitted and chopped
1 handful per person seasonal greens
1/2 lb fresh green beans
Method:
Rice: Start by tossing a thin layer of rice in a large flat skillet or paella pan with olive oil. The thinner the rice layer, the better the socarrat. Add your onions, garlic, tomato pasts, chorizo, salt, smoked paprika and fennel seed. Let flavors infuse before topping with hot seafood stock or water.
Fish: Let summer on medium for 10-15 minutes before adding tour sliced fish (halibut, rockfish, cod, shellfish), herbs (tarragon, parsley) and a dusting of salt.
Socarrat: When moisture is almost gone (approx. 20 minutes from start time) turn up the flame carefully for a short time. This will give the paella its signature toasted rice floor.
Vinaigrette Part One: For the two part buttermilk vinaigrette, start by roasting an unpeeled garlic bulb in the oven for 25 minutes. Use three cloves and reserve the rest in the refrigerator for another dish. With a fork, smash the garlic with a few tablespoons of buttermilk, lemon juice, white balsamic, and salt.
Vinaigrette Part Two: In another bowl add chopped parsley, cilantro, olives, lemon zest, olive oil and chili flakes. Keep separate until service.
Salad: Green bean salad. Simply use this as a seasonally ingredient that can be interchangeable. I like to use any vegetable that is crispy and versatile, such as peans, green beans, jicama, peppers, even arugula or apples would do. Blanch green beans in salty water for one minute. Cool quickly and season with vinaigrette.
Smoked Salmon and Endive Salad with Roasted Cherries, Panchetta, and Manchego
1 lb salmon
2/3 cup salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp celery seed, caraway, black pepper
4 fresh sprigs dill
2 endives
1 juice of orange
salt to taste
2 scallions
1/2 panchetta
1 cup cherries halved and pitted
Red wine vinegar
Manchego
Method
Endive and Vinaigrette: Portion the endives by cutting in half, then slicing the core out at an angle to reserve as much leaf as possible. Marinate the endive 15 minutes prior to service with orange juice and salt. For the vinaigrette, start by sautéing scallions and pancetta in a pan. After a few minutes add the halved cherries and pour on the red wine vinegar. For plating, place endive on plate, spoon on some warm cherry tomatoes, a few slices of smoked salmon, drizzle with olive oil, and microplane a few zips of Manchego on top.
Fish: Alaskan cold smoked salmon, this process takes at least 4 to 6 days. Start by deboning a whole filet of salmon. In a bowl mix a ratio of 2/3 cup salt and 1/3 cup sugar together. Add dill, celery seed, caraway, and black pepper. Pack onto the meat side and leave covered in the fridge for 1-2 days depending on thickness of fish. After, remove salmon from salt pack and wash under cold water to remove brine. Blot dry and place in front of medium powered fan to ar dry for at least 2-3 days, never turn off fan. On the third day, start a small fire in a pot with cherry wood or another type of fruit wood. The idea is to create smoke but little to zero hear. Place the smoldering wood chips in a metal container inside a hotel an with a lid. In the commercial kitchen we have a large vent system so we do this inside but for a residential setting I’d recommend going this outside on the porch. To get smoke flavor depth you much restart the smoke every so often and keep the lid closed. Remember, no heat, just smoke.
Storage: Store in vacuum sealed bag or plastic wrap. Freeze in small portions and use within two weeks when thawed. The longer you leave the fish in the brine, the less moisture in the fish but more salt, therefore the longer the shelf life out of the freezer. Slicing instructions: always slice with a long thin sharp knife, slicing from the head towards the trail, with long pulls.
