Devshirme

1 can (14oz or so) Alaskan wild sockeye salmon, w/ bones

1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, ground pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 c water

1 cup quinoa

1 tsp veg. bouillon

1/3 bunch parsley, finely chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

Bring water to boil with bouillon.  Add quinoa.  Reduce heat, simmer for 12 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Drain salmon, remove larger bones leaving smaller ones (high in calcium).  Place in large bowl.  Add quinoa and remaining ingredients.  Mix well, form patties, and refrigerate at least 10 minutes.  Bake, broil or pan fry until medium brown, regardless of cooking method.

Saturday I went over to Mike Barris’s house for a blues jam and some BBQ.  For you northerners, BBQ is not throwing burgers and hot dogs on the grill but rather the fine art of cooking and smoking meat and then serving it with slaw and the chef’s signature sauce.  It is really a southern art, with many regional variations, but Mike is a master, despite his northern habitat .  Mike is also part of the world of competitive BBQ, which is a very, very serious thing.  He is a master at this but he does have a secret weapon: the Cretan culinary gene.  I am convinced Mike’s Cretan roots are what put him over the top as a BBQ master.  Here is a recipe, in his words,  for the sauce he served with his delicious BBQ the other night:

Krazy Kretan’s Basic BBQ Sauce for Barbecue Pulled Pork

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 small can of concentrated tomato puree

1 to 1 ½ cups of brown sugar (depending on taste)

2 tablespoons of barbecue rub (can be your favorite – it usually includes some combination proportions of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, and/or chipotle pepper)

This hearty soup is probably more of a winter dish but, this being New England, you never know when winter-like weather will pop up again – I think it is about 40 degrees out as I write this.

3 potatoes, sliced thinly

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 chicken sausages, cooked, cut up and casing removed

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed

Salt and pepper to taste

In a pot heat a 1/4 cup or so of olive oil.  Add the celery, garlic, green onion and onion and heat until they start to soften a bit.  Add water – the amount depends on how soupy you want the soup – and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, throw in the potatoes and bring back to a boil – it takes about 5 minutes to get the potatoes cooked.  Turn off the heat and add the beans, bouillon and sausage.

1  jar grape leaves

1 large bunch parsley, chopped

4-5 medium onions, chopped (4 cups)

2 cups rice (Carolina)

1 cup canola oil

1/4 cup pomegranate syrup

juice of 2 lemons

2 T tomato paste

1/2 tsp black pepper, salt to taste

1-2 T dill, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup golden raisins

Add oil to deep pan.  Heat.  Add onions until softened.  Then add all remaining ingredients, with the rice coming last.  Taste test and allow to cool.  Line pot with broken or tough leaves.  Layer the rolled (stuffed) leaves onto those.  Cover with another layer of remaining leaves in a flat layer.  Cover with 1 and 1/2 cup boiling water mixed with 1/2 cup lemon juice.  Pour over leaves.  Bring to a boil then simmer 45 minutes – 1 hour.

This is most definitely not a Lenten recipe but I feel I need to celebrate the new blog with a recipe, since recipes are by far my most popular posts.  I am especially ebullient right now since, after reviewing pending comments, I noticed that the new software eighty-sixed my first spam comment (you will recall that these nefarious comments plagued the old site).  So here is the recipe.  As usual it is a Prez original.  She says it is good for pasta, fish or poultry.  Add to a food processor:

2 cups baby spinach, 2T olive oil, 2T grated parmesan or romano, 1T pine nuts (optional), 3 cloves garlic, salt and pepper.

Process until a paste-like texture.  Use as a topping.