Bounty

As I write this post I am remiss that I don’t have a single picture of my parent’s ‘farm.’ I say farm loosely – most people hear farm and think acres of crops with cows and chickens. Our ‘farm’ has the potential to be as described some day, but today it’s a small plot of cultivated land with a farmer’s market-bounty of vegetables and a small shed equipped with a coffee pot and a flushing toilet. My dad’s foresight was genius.

You can’t have a food blog without having photos of food. Anyone ever tried to photograph food? It’s finicky. It never stays where you put it. It never looks as good on the plate as it did in your head. And the worst part, it never stays warm. I always eat cold food. That’s why I LOVE to take photos of stationary objects like vegetables. You can rearrange them as many times as you want and you won’t destroy their integrity. Plus, they are just so damn pretty. These all came from the farm.

This blog was delayed for a long time because I didn’t have a camera. Thanks to a lovely little couple from Park City who bought my geriatric Hyundai, I was able to finally buy my camera. Photography and I have developed a love-hate relationship. I need to deliver interesting, appetizing photos otherwise you would be left with just words. Who buys a cookbook without photos, right? But it is reeeaaallllly hard. I don’t have all the fancy lighting equipment and computer software, nor do I food stylist. I. Am. A. Green. Photographer. And. I. Have. Photo. Envy.

I suppose the point of my diatribe is to bear with me. I just want to share what I’m up to and then eventually EAT it. If I capture a cool shot here and there, fantastic! Friends, I really hope you join me on this adventure. I’m confident we’ll all learn something along the way.

Moving on! Here’s a recipe that has been locked in the family vault. It’s my Aunt Ana’s recipe who doubts her culinary prowess, but this dish certainly proves otherwise. Not only is it delicious, but also it is incredibly easy to prepare and to cleanup. I hope you try it.

Salmon with vegetables

1 salmon fillet, skin on or off

1 cup green beans

1 large carrot, sliced

2 leeks (white and light green parts only), sliced

3 green onions, sliced

4-6 red potatoes, cubed

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tsp dill or 1 tbs fresh

½ tbs basil or ½ tsp dry

½ tsp s/p

Preheat oven 450 degrees. Mix soy sauce, olive oil, herbs and salt and pepper in a bowl. On a cookie sheet, unwrap a large sheet of foil. Boil the potatoes, carrots and green beans in a pot of water just until tender. Place salmon in middle of foil and evenly distribute vegetables around and on top of salmon. Bend up the edges of the foil and pour the soy sauce mixture. Fold the edges of the foil tightly around the salmon, as it will steam in the oven. Cook for 20 – 30 minutes or until the salmon is done. Great served with wild rice or couscous.