Saturday salmon

Eastside Road, September 3, 2011—

SATURDAY: FARM MARKET: salmon. It's virtually certain: if we're at home, and it's between May and November, and it's Saturday morning, we're in Healdsburg, at the farm market. There are five or six favorite stalls; we nearly always buy something from each of them. And inevitably Saturday's dinner reflects this.

Today the provender was absolutely typical: salmon from Dave, The Fish Guy, an extremely interesting guy who catches the salmon he sells, at least as a general rule. We eat the local salmon whenever we can; it's so nice when political correctness coincides with deliciousness. (It generally does.) And with the salmon, lima beans from Nancy Skall, whose beans and strawberries are the best.

But if the provender was typical for our Saturdays, the preparation was different, at least for the salmon. I picked three or four fig leaves and soaked them for a couple of hours, then salted, peppered, and sprinkled vodka on the salmon and wrapped it in the fig leaves. In a wire clamp-basket over a fire of grape cuttings it steamed more than it grilled: but the peppers alongside grilled and roasted until nearly done. I finished all of this in one black iron skillet with a little olive oil.

I'm sorry: I've forgotten the name of those long skinny red peppers. They're Italian, and sweet, not piquant; and they were quite delicious. Next time I'll take notes.

A bowl of cherry tomatoes from the neighbor; maybe a peach or two before bed. What more do you want?

Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Armento, 2009