Smoking Salmon
I often joke that with a last name of “Salmon” I had two choices as a young man for a career path: 1) to become a fisherman or 2) to become a chef. There’s not a lot of commercial fishing in my hometown of Rochester, Minnesota, so here I am. At the Inn we smoke a lot […]
Carrot Soup Recipe
On December 11, 2008 I blogged about my final vegetable harvest of the season. I had just pulled my last carrots out of my raised beds the day before and went on to promise a recipe for my carrot soup. So here it is: 2 Tablespoons canola oil 2 medium-sized yellow onions, peeled and […]
Atlantic Salmon Cake with a Mint and Sweet Pea Cream
2 Tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon canola oil 1 shallot, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup, plus 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and soft 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup shelled fresh peas (or frozen) 1 teaspoon minced fresh mint leaves Kosher salt and ground white and […]
Portabella Mushroom Soup with a Dry Sherry Cream
This recipe is from my second cookbook “In the Kitchen with Michael Salmon” and serves 6. 1 Tablespoon canola oil 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion 1 pound portabella mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup dry sherry 1/2 cup dry white wine 3 1/2 cups chicken stock 1 small bay leaf Kosher salt […]
Thai Cooking Class at the Inn
This weekend I presented the final scheduled cooking classes of the season: Thai Cuisine. Following is an excerpt on the history of Thai cooking and a recipe for a simple “Coconut Mussel Soup with Curry” that we occasionally serve in the restaurant. The recipe is also available in my first cookbook on page 228 and […]
Maine Food & Lifestyle Blog
When the first issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine arrived at French & Brawn (our neighborhood food market) in the Summer of 2006 I was utterly amazed by the quality writing, beautiful photography and the unique and inspiring layout of the magazine. How can a publication of this caliber focus on my little area […]
Today’s Pasta Cooking Class
First a little history with an excerpt from my first cookbook “Hartstone Inn, Signature Recipes from an Elegant Maine Inn.” The origin of pasta is a very controversial subject in culinary history. The Arabic countries, Italy and China have all laid claim to the creation of what has become a favorite food worldwide. Most probably, […]
Cocktail Mixology – Blackberry Mojito
Blackberry Mojito 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves4 teaspoons granulated sugar (or 2 packets of Splenda)2 limes1/4 cup fresh blackberries3/4 cup light rum1 cup club soda2 sprigs fresh mint for garnish 1. Place the mint and sugar in a mortar and “muddle” it with a pestle. Squeeze in the lime juice and add half of the […]
Tangerine Crème Caramel with Plumped Apricots Recipe
The first dessert I made from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking cookbook was her crème caramels and they made a lasting impression on me. This tangy version is made with tangerines and served with plumped dried apricots for a unique twist. This recipe can be found in my second cookbook In the […]
Cocktail Mixology – Key Lime Martini
Key Lime Martini Graham cracker crumbs 1 1/2 limes 3/4 cup keke beach liqueur 3/8 cup vanilla vodka 1 cup crushed ice 2 slices of lime for garnish Make a thin layer of graham cracker crumbs on a small plate. Juice the limes and reserve. Take one of the squeezed lime halves and coat the […]