Alaskabites

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Great Alaska Seafood Cook Off

Published on: May 10, 2013

Categories: Made in Alaska, recipes, Restaurants

Tags: alaska seafood marketing institute, chinooks waterfront, great alaska seafood cook off, kevin lane, la baleine, mandy dixon, maxine's fireweed bistro, Rebecca Palsha, robert lewis, Seward

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Wednesday night was the second annual Great Alaska Seafood Cook Off, which is hosted by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.
It’s a pretty cool event. A lot of people take a train to the Bill Sheffield Railroad Depot and the event is packed once you get there.
Six chefs had one hour to make and plate a dish that features Alaska seafood.
Kevin Lane of Chinooks Waterfront in Seward won first place. Mandy Dixon from La Baleine and Robert Lewis of Maxine’s Fireweed Bistro tied for second.
I was sent a copy of Lane’s winning recipe. If you make it send me pictures! rpalsha@ktuu.com

Sourdough Crusted Sable with Yukon Gold Potato Puree, Sea Bean Sauté, Smoked Salmon Jus,
Rhubarb Aigre-Doux and Basil Coulis

Sable
Sablefish 8portions
Sourdough, thinly sliced 8pc
Salt and pepper
Clarified butter 1Tbl
Place sable, bone side down, onto each piece of sourdough and trim excess dough. Season.
Heat clarified butter in large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add sable, sourdough side down and cook until golden. Flip and finish cooking.

Yukon Puree
Yukon potatoes 2#
Garlic 1clove
Milk, warm ¼ cp
Butter ¾#
Salt
White pepper
Peel potatoes and cut into large dice. Place into salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender then drain. Run through food mill back into pan. Return to medium heat to evaporate any liquid. Add milk then beat in butter, little by little until fully incorporated. Season.

Rhubarb Aigre-doux
Rhubarb, small dice 2cp
Shallot, minced 1tsp
Beet juice 2Tbl
Red wine vinegar 1tsp
Black pepper
Spruce tip syrup 2Tbl
Honey 2Tbl
Place rhubarb, shallot, beet juice and vinegar into and small sauté pan and bring to a simmer. Cook until rhubarb is tender and liquid has reduced. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in syrup, honey and pepper.

Smoked Salmon Jus
Smoked salmon 2oz
Shallot, sliced 1
Thyme sprig 1
Veal stock 4oz
Place all ingredients into sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes then remove from heat. Strain and hold warm.

Tempura Batter/Sea beans
Flour 1cp
Cornstarch 3Tbl
Soda water 12oz
Dill, minced 2Tbl
Sea beans, trimmed 8
Place all dried ingredients into a bowl and whisk in soda water and dill. Heat fryer to 375. Dip sea beans into batter and fry until crisp. Drain on paper towels. No need to season as the sea bean is briny enough.

Mushroom/Sea Bean Saute
Olive oil 2Tbl
Shiitake Mushroom, sliced 16
Red onion, julienne 1
Sea beans 1#
Garlic, minced 2cloves
White wine ¼ cp
Chicken stock ¼ cp (or less)
Butter 1Tbl
Espelette Powder ½ tsp
Heat oil over high heat. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté until caramelized. Add garlic and sea beans and toss. Deglaze with wine and stock. Finish with butter and pepper.

Basil Coulis
Basil leaves 1/4cp
Spinach leaves 1/4cp
Chix stock 1/2cp
Orange juice 2Tbl
Salt small pinch
Xanthan gum 1/4tsp
Place all ingredients except xanthan gum into blender and puree until smooth. Add gum and puree. Strain and place into squeeze bottle.

Vegging Out

by rebeccak2

Published on: February 22, 2013

Categories: Made in Alaska, recipes

Tags: eggs benedict, nutritional yeast, phil eherenman, Rebecca Palsha, vegan

Comments: 1 Comment

I was skeptical. I didn’t trust Phil Eherenman with his mop of curly blonde hair and his assertions that eating vegan would taste good.

You know, as in no milk, cheese, meat or fish. Then he handed me a bean quesadilla. I bit. It was cheesey, tangy, self-sufficient. How was it possible? Eherenman told me the cheese flavor was from nutritional yeast, the yellow-Velveeta color from roasted red bell peppers, there was a deep rich flavor from the liquid smoke.

“This is powerful stuff,” Eherenman said as he showed me how to make a dip he calls cheesy-beany spread.

Eherenman says he went vegan about seven years ago to improve his health. His knees had been hurting. He thought he’d developed arthritis after years of backpacking through Alaska. He says he had terrible cholesterol and high blood pressure. He was constipated and had hemorrhoids. And the snoring, it was awful.

“I couldn’t sleep at night,” Eherenman said.

So he became a vegan. Eherenman says all his health problems went away. He’s hiking again.

Now, to be honest, I’m not cut out to be a vegan. I love cheese way too much to give it up. I can’t imagine brunch without eggs Benedict and bacon or sausage. I start my day with hot chocolate for breakfast. But, I do understand wanting a healthier lifestyle and having more vegetables in your diet just seems like a good plan.

Eherenman, who teaches cooking classes, is amazingly passionate about being a vegan. He sold me on having more vegan dinners, although I probably won’t give up a meaty cheeseburger.
Cheesy-Beany Spread
1 can white beans, drained
1tbsp. tahini
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1-2 tbsp. roasted red bell pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt (only if not using canned beans)
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice (or more to taste)
a few drops of liquid smoke

Latino Pastries, a Secret and a Dream

by rebeccak2

Published on: January 31, 2013

Categories: Made in Alaska, recipes

Tags: latino, nilda's party creations, Rebecca Palsha, tres leche

Comments: No Comments

Nilda Veras has a lot of secrets. Secrets she won’t tell you about even if you pry.

She’s originally from Puerto Rico but came to Anchorage several years ago to be closer to her sister. And, when she moved here, she brought the secrets to baking Latino pastries. I met with her this week to learn how to make a tres leche cake. She taught me the basics, but wouldn’t tell me everything she puts in her cakes. She was afraid other people would copy her recipe.

Inside her shop in midtown Nilda effortlessly moved between two mixers, one beating egg yolks, the other egg whites. The table jerked back and fourth to the beat of the mixers. Nilda told me that for several years she sold pastries to people at her church, then, after a lot of encouragement, she opened her own shop this month. She said she’s the only Latino bakery in Anchorage.

“Since I was a child I always liked baking,” Nilda said.

She told me that Latino pastries often use passion fruits. Guava syrup’s dripped over quesito de guayaba, which is a pastry that’s similar to danish. Pineapple’s stuffed inside a massive white sabor Latino pineapple filled cake. Portion’s here are generous, you can easily share a pastry between two, or three people.

I asked Nilda what made her store special.

“It’s just something I love, I have passion,” she said, “it’s the flavor, we add the secret, and we make it special.”
Nilda’s Party Creations
4240 Old Seward Hwy. #21
907-332-0025
www.nildaspartycreations.com

Losing it in 2013

by rebeccak2

Published on: January 2, 2013

Categories: Christmas, recipes, Restaurants

Tags: baby weight, carrot juice, juniper, jupiter, middle way cafe, pounds, Rebecca Palsha

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Did I tell you I’m trying to lose five to 10 pounds? Once I do I’ll be close to my pre-baby weight. I’m running like crazy, but, obviously, I love food. I haven’t given up rich and decadent meals, yet. This week I’m attempting it. I stopped by Middle Way Café to learn how make salads more interesting, but what I was really jazzed about was the lesson I got on making juice.
Jacob Davis the manager at Middle Way made a drink called The Jupiter. He tossed three large carrots, two apples and a big hunk of ginger into a juicer. A sunset colored orange juice poured out. It tasted sweet and gingery. It was light, but filling.
What are your healthy, weight loss ideas?

Latkes for Dinner

by rebeccak2

Published on: November 28, 2012

Categories: Made in Alaska, recipes

Tags: chanuak, chanukah, esty greenberg, latke, oil, Rebecca Palsha

Comments: No Comments

If you get a chance to try a latke, do it. Esty Greenberg from the Alaska Jewish Campus gave me a lesson on how to make the salty potato pancakes, which are traditionally served during Chanukah. She didn’t have a recipe, Etsy is from the ‘a little pinch of this, a sprinkle of that,’ school. Here’s what I do know, you need about six potatoes, an onion, three-ish eggs and oil. Etsy says any kind of oil works fine, although most people recommend using peanut oil. She grated the potatoes and finely chopped the onion. Eggs were added into that mix until the consistency was slightly runny looking.
She scoped up a spoonful and put it in a pan with hot oil. After about five-ish minutes Etsy flipped the latkes.
They kind of look, and feel, like traditional pancakes although it’s salty. You can eat them with sour cream or applesauce. I really liked the salty, sweetness of the applesauce and latkes.
I think I’ve found a new food tradition for my family.

Apples Season

by rebeccak2

Published on: October 1, 2012

Categories: recipes, Summer

Tags: apple butter, apple pie, apple turnover, apples, fall recpies, Rebecca Palsha

Comments: 2 Comments

This past weekend I took the girls apple picking at a friends home. We have a huge haul, and I can’t wait to put something together. But, to be honest, I don’t have an incredibly exciting recipe. What are your suggestions? I’d like to feature some readers/viewers in an upcoming Alaska Bites story. Anyone out there willing to share some family recipes, apple butter, apple pie, apple turnovers?

Cupcake Truck

by rebeccak2

Published on: May 9, 2012

Categories: recipes, Restaurants

Tags: No Tags

Comments: No Comments

Have you seen Kastle Sorensen cupcake truck in Anchorage or Eagle River? She started driving it around town this past February and business has been awesome. I’ve got an interview with her that will air Wednesday morning and Wednesday night at 6. She showed me how to make a lemon, cream cheese frosting that is to die for. Try it and let me know what you think! To find out where Kastle is next you can ‘like’ her on Facebook, or check out her website kastleskreations@yahoo.com or call her at 726-1118.

Kastle Sorensen’s Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 1/2 sticks of butter
8 oz. cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
lemon juice, to taste
Whip until creamy–about 2-3 minutes

Glacier Brewhouse Pizza

by rebeccak2

Published on: February 8, 2012

Categories: recipes, Restaurants

Tags: dodger pizza, glacier brewhouse, New Sagaya, ranch, Rebecca Palsha

Comments: No Comments

Glacier Brewhouse ‘Dodger’ Pizza

Roll out pizza dough. You can buy it at New Sagaya Midtown or Downtown, or you can use any store bought dough. Add Ranch. Top with a three cheese blend of mozzarella, provolone and white American. At 2 oz. of sliced chicken breast, 1 oz. of roasted garlic and thinly sliced red onions. Place in the oven, about 350 degrees, until you have a nice crust. You can also add herb roasted tomatoes and herbs after taking the pizza out of the oven.

Marx Bros Cafe, Caesar Salad

by rebeccak2

Published on: February 6, 2012

Categories: recipes, Restaurants

Tags: caesar salad, channel 2 news, jack amon, marx bros cafe, Rebecca Palsha, van hale

Comments: 1 Comment

Hi everyone. Let me know what you think of this salad. I had a blast meeting Jack Amon from Marx Bros Cafe, and I’d like to thank him for teaching how to make Van Hale’s Caesar salad, (by the way he offers classes!). Tune in (on Channel 2 News at 6 Monday night to see the news story), and click-on!, AlaskaBites.com on Tuesday to see how to make truffles.

Van Hale’s Caesar salad from Marx Bros Café
3 Garlic cloves
3 Anchovy filets
1 Coddled egg
1/2 Lemon
1/4c Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 tbs. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Large head romaine lettuce, washed, torn and spun dry
1/2c Croutons

In the bottom of a large wooden bowl, drizzle a little olive oil and mash the garlic cloves with a fork. Add the anchovies and continue to mash together into a fine paste. Using the back of the wooden spoon, mash the garlic and anchovies into the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Break the egg into the bowl and juice the lemon. Mix thoroughly, then add the olive oil and vinegar and blend. Mix in the Parmesan, add lettuce and toss the leaves so they are coated with dressing. Mix in the croutons. Serve on chilled plates and garnish each with a sprinkle of Parmesan and cracked pepper.

Baby, it’s Cold Outside

by rebeccak2

Published on: January 17, 2012

Categories: recipes

Tags: beef stew, cold, fire, martha stewart, pug, Rebecca Palsha

Comments: No Comments

I’ve realized today that recently I’ve been eating a ton of red meat. Like, enough that I should probably start slowing down a bit. Explore different proteins. But first, I had to make this beef stew. It’s that time of year when you cringe just by walking out your front door and any food that can help warm you up, I’m a fan of. So sit by the fire with your favorite puppy and enjoy.

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About Alaska Bites

Fearless cooking and eating in the Last Frontier. We've all heard someone say a restaurant is good...for Alaska. That's no longer true. The Lower 48 can have their Olive Garden, we have some of the finest chefs, best seafood and local farmers in the country. Our goal is to explore the state one bite at a time to find the most delectable, savory dishes Alaska has to offer. In this blog you can expect cooking tips, dining suggestions and advice on how to find local products. We also want your advice to share! Send emails to rpalsha@ktuu.com. Let's get some Alaska bites!