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.
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
(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.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Strawberry Rosé Spritzer
(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.”
The salad sounds delightful. Looking forward to more of your salad creations 🙂
your post reminded me that I should use my oft leftover yogurt to make homemade ranch dressing (no packages allowed)! oh, the strawberries have been amazing here in Portland OR-the three of us ate a whole flat this week (I counted the pint containers sitting on the kitchen counter. had a late afternoon dry rose made just blocks from my friend’s house. we were walking the dogs, stopped at the tasting room and enjoyed some late sunshine sipping wine at a little table on the sidewalk! I have to think, only in Portland! it felt very civilized.
Envy. Envy. Envy.
Mary, the salad sounds yummy! And the Strawberry Rose Spritzer is just what I need…. now! 😉 You served the salad on a beautiful plate, for me it looks like a traditional old french pattern, but I’m not sure because the pic is to small to see if it’s the “cornflower of Nyon” . In younger years I painted porcelain, most traditional old european patterns that’s why your plate did catch my eye….
Jutta, Thank you for noticing that beautiful plate. I have several inherited collections of gorgeous plates which I use in my pictures. This was manufactured in England for Spaulding & Company, a jewelery store in Chicago. #2178 I don’t think it’s the Cornflower of Nyon pattern because of the red petals as well as the 4 blue petals instead of three. The gold on the rim and inner circle is nice, huh? NOT dishwasher friendly.
What a beautiful setting for your dinner, Mary. I don’t think you need to be at Walden Pond to enjoy this meal. It looks and sounds wonderful. I haven’t made potato salad yet this year, but I would like to try your recipe. I would also eat this for breakfast. 🙂
How tasty, especially the buttermilk vinaigrette!