Isn’t it delightful, at times, to experience a civilized moment?

Living in the moment is good. If it’s civilized? So much the better.

Thanks to a love affair with trout, yesterday I was “ a lady who lunches”  meets Walden Pond. Like that old rascal, Thoreau, I savored the solitude and silence of my own backyard. Admittedly, mine is man-made. But that was then, 1854, and this is now, 2012.

When I closed my eyes this was Walden Pond. Eyes opened? My own backyard.

For lunch, in my continuing effort to expand my salad repertoire, I made Smoked Trout & Potato Salad with Buttermilk Vinaigrette, included a baguette from local BonjourBakery    and washed it down with a Strawberry Rosé Spritzer. Okay, two spritzers. After all, I was really into being civilized.

Smoked Trout & Potato Salad with Buttermilk Vinaigrette, a satisfyingly delicious lunch or light dinner.

Smoked Trout & Potato Salad with Buttermilk Vinaigrette

(adapted from Nealey Dozier, theKitchn)

Two Generous Portions

The Dressing:

1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons Olea Farm Lemon Blush Olive Oil
1 tablespoon freshly chopped dill
Diamond Crystal Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

The salad:

1 tablespoon Olea Farm Olive Oil
6 baby red potatoes, sliced into thin coins
1 cup chicken stock (enough to cover)
6 ounces smoked trout, skin removed
Diamond Crystal Kosher salt

Directions:

For the dressing, mix together the buttermilk, vinegar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in the olive oil (or drip, drip, drip in the food processor) before adding the chopped dill. Season liberally with salt. Pepper, to taste.

For the salad, heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the potatoes and another generous pinch of salt. Sauté for a minute or two before adding chicken stock. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook the potatoes until tender, not mushy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain and pour into a glass bowl.

After removing the skin, flake the trout into small pieces over the potatoes. Pour about half the dressing over the trout/potato mixture and kindly fold until combined. Add additional dressing to taste. Garnish the salad with dill sprigs and serve at room temperature.

Note: Let the trout be the star of the show. This nutritious and tasty plate asks for only two primary ingredients. Two is the magic number here. While I believe this salad is best served at room temperature, I also enjoyed a “refrigerated version” for breakfast this morning. Yes, for breakfast. Still yummy.

In The Spirit of Full Discloser: Realizing that Thumper, Peter and other pesky wabbits had enjoyed my dill, I substituted dried dill for fresh in the dressing and found the last sprig standing for the salad. Long Live Elmer Fudd.

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Strawberry Rosé Spritzer

Although I chose a French Rosé, I discovered some very good rosés being made on the Central California Coast this winter.

(adapted from Merrill (co-founder), food52)

For One Serving

Strawberry Puree (Enough Puree for many Drinks):

1 1/2 pound strawberries, rinsed, hulled

3-4 tablespoons sugar, according to the sweetness of berries

Stir together the strawberries and sugar in a bowl. After an hour or two, they will be sugar-soaked. Put 1/2 of the berries in a plastic bag and throw in the freezer to make ice cubes. Puree the remaining berries in a blender, and then pass the puree through a fine mesh sieve. Set aside.

Spritzer:

3 tablespoons strained strawberry puree

3 ounces Rosé  (choose your favorite)

Soda Water

Directions:

For One drink, throw 3 or 4 frozen strawberries, depending on their size,  into a red wine glass. Add the strawberry puree and rosé and stir together. Top off the pour with soda water. Stir once, gently. Delicious.

Note: Most of the time I total and this summertime drink lends itself well to teetotalers like me. To make the non-alcoholic version, just increase the puree and add soda water or ginger ale. It’s good and lets you feel like “one of the crowd.”

Bon Appétit