Alaska Mixed Berry Fruit Jellies
By Chef Kirsten Dixon, Within The Wild Adventure Company
Serve a small tray of these elegant treats on the porch in the summer with a tall glass of freshly squeezed lemonade.
- 2 pounds (8 cups) mixed berries (such as currants, blackberries, and raspberries)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon liquid pectin
- About ½ cup granulated sugar or confectioner's sugar for dusting
Pick over the berries, removing any stems or blemished berries. Puree the berries in a food processor. Place the berry puree into a medium, wide saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fruit is soft. Strain the fruit through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean medium saucepan. There should be approximately 2 cups of puree. Add the granulated sugar and the pectin to the puree. Bring the puree to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue to stir until the mixture is thick, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Line a rectangular 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish with plastic wrap. Pour the fruit paste into the pan, smooth the surface, cover loosely and let stand overnight.
Remove the fruit paste from the pan onto a clean surface. Coat the paste with sugar. Cut the slab into 1-inch squares, or cut out into shapes with small cookie cutters. Dry the jellies on a wire rack for several hours before serving.
Makes about 42 (1-inch) squares.
About the Chef
Kirsten Dixon, Chef/Owner of Within The Wild Adventure Company came to Alaska to fulfill an obligation to the U.S. Public Health Service. Her husband Carl attended school in Seattle, then took a job at the Native Health Care Hospital in Anchorage. Over time, the couple became increasingly dissatisfied with their jobs and wanted to spend more time at home together.
Carl taught himself machinery and construction through books and experimentation, then built Riversong Lodge, a four-person cabin for guests, and a large one for his family. During the regular season, 20 to 25 guests stay each day in the 10 cabins that are now present.
Kirsten, now a world-class chef thanks to offseason studying and cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, offers cooking classes on a regular basis
Fire Roasted Salmon & Spicy Ratatouille
By Chef Farokh Larijani, Glacier BrewHouse
Salmon Ingredients
yield: 4 servings
- 1 4 pound salmon roast
- 2 Tbs chili rub--recipe follows
- 1/2 C thinly sliced onions
- 4 thin lemon slices
- 1 Tbs. fresh tarragon
- 2 Tbs. fresh basil
For each plate:
- 8 oz cooked basmati rice
- 4 oz ratatouille--recipe follows
- 2 tbs roasted tomato sauce--recipe follows
- 2 tsp cilantro oil
- 1 thyme sprig or chive garnish
Place the salmon roast in a clean prep sink and with a sharp knife scrape off as many scales as possible under cold running water, continue to scrape until very little scales come onto the knife's edge, rinse one last time and pat dry with paper towels.
With a sharp knife put a few slash marks into the skin of the fish, be sure not to penetrate into the meat, rub the inside of the cavity with chili rub. Be sure to coat the fish very well, for every 10 oz of meat use 2 Tbs of chili rub. Stuff the fish with aromats and cut into 10 oz portions, stick each roast with a metal skewer in order to speed the cooking process. Keep refrigerated.
Place salmon roast on a sizzle platter and place near the fire with the back bone on the fire side and the belly away from the fire, rotate the fish as time goes by in order to assure even cooking on the metal skewer. This procedure may also be done on an outdoor barbecue grill. When the thickest part of the fish reaches 120 degrees pull the skewer out and place fish on a ball of the rice (standing tall) and garnish with the ratatouille on the right bottom corner of the fish. Do not center the fish on the plate. Drizzle the plate with tomato sauce and cilantro oil and add garnish.
Chili Rub
- 1 Tbs chili powder
- 1 Tbs cumin
- 2 tsp chili flakes
- 2 Tbs Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 Tbs fresh chopped garlic
- 3 fl. oz olive oil
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate.
Roasted Tomato Sauce
- 2 oz whole butter
- 3 oz chopped shallots
- 1 Tbs chopped garlic
- 3 oz white wine
- 1 qt fire roasted tomatoes
- 3/4 tsp white pepper
Melt the butter in a heavy gauge sauce pan and sweat the shallots in the butter until translucent. Add garlic and saute, be sure not to burn the garlic, deglaze with wine and reduce dry. Add the tomatoes and reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated. Process in the blender and add the seasoning and reserve warm for service.
Spicy Ratatouille
- 1 lb yellow squash
- 1 lb zucchini
- 1/2 lb eggplant
- 1/2 lb yellow onions
- 6 oz red peppers
- 6 oz green peppers
- 3 cups canned tomatoes crushed by hand
- 4 oz olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 2 Tbs fresh basil
- 2 tsp salt and pepper
- 1 Tbs toasted cumin
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp coriander
Peel the eggplant and yellow onions. Clean the bell peppers and set aside. Cut all vegetables into 1/2" thickness and place over the wood grill to achieve a nice roast, this process will take approximately 10 minutes. When vegetables are roasted finish cutting them into 1/2' rough dice and set aside. In a large saute pan heat the olive oil and saute the onions first and add the rest of the vegetables and saute for approximately five minutes, add the fresh garlic and the herbs and the and the rest of the spices and deglaze with the canned tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes or until most of the juices are reduced and flavors are well incorporated.
About the Chef
Chef Farrokh Larijani, trained at the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon, quickly became a fan of fresh Matanuska Valley produce and "of course the seafood" as evidenced by his recipe selection for the website. An Alaska resident since 1994, Chef Larijani relaxes by, "fishing on a quiet stream, when I can find one."
Grilled Kodiak Scallops and Polenta Fritters
By Chef Jens Nannestad, South Side Bistro
Make fritters and pepper sauce in advance!
Polenta Fritters:
- 2 cups water or stock
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs (basil, parsley, oregano)
- salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal (preferably coarse ground)
Bring water, oil, salt and pepper to a simmer. Pour in cornmeal in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Keep at low heat and stir with a wooden spoon to eliminate any lumps. Cook for about half an hour. Finish by adding the fresh herbs.
By cooking polenta longer, you will achieve a firm texture -- which can then be spread out, cooled and cut into shapes that have a springy resilient texture.
Spread just-cooked polenta on a greased sheet pan to about 1/2 inch thickness. The polenta can be cut into fritters after about half an hour but will be easier to work with after several hours.
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:
- 10 roma tomatoes, cored
- 15-20 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 jalapeno pepper cut in pieces
- 1 small red onion cut in pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 roasted red peppers, peeled and seeded
- 2 ounces balsamic vinegar
- fresh ground pepper
- salt
Toss tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, red onion and olive oil together in saute pan and roast in 400F oven 45-60 minutes, or until tomato skin blackens and blisters. Puree in food processor with roasted red peppers, balsamic vinegar and salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Grilled Kodiak Scallops:
- Fresh Kodiak scallops (size 10-15 per pound.)
Grill on a very hot BBQ or charbroil until medium rare (still translucent in the center) approximately one minute on each side.
Serve scallops on a bed of roasted pepper sauce and alternate each scallop with a crispy polenta fritter, top the dish with chilled ocean salad (can be found at gourmet Asian markets).
Makes about 12 servings.
About the Chef
Chef Jens Nannestad displays his culinary skills at Anchorage's Southside Bistro.
What was your first cooking related job?
The Lipizzaner restaurant.
Where did you train?
California Culinary Academy.
What is your favorite Alaska product?
Fresh halibut and King salmon.
What is your favorite Alaska activity?
Fishing the streams in the fall.
Halibut Meuniere
By Chef Hans Kruger, Corsair
- 6-8 ounce slice of Alaska halibut 1” thick
- salt and pepper
- flour
- oil
- butter
- ½ ounce white wine
- juice of ¼ lemon
- dash of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh parsley
Season halibut with salt and pepper. Dust with flour, place in sauté pan with oil and butter. Brown on each side, total of 10 minutes. Place halibut on plate. Add to pan, white wine, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and teaspoon of chopped parsley. Bring to a boil. Pour sauce over halibut and serve.
About the chef
Renowned for its wine selection and Continental Cuisine, the Corsair is located downtown Anchorage. In addition to its excellent food and wine, patrons credit the personality of owner Hans Kruger and the attention to service of its 20 person staff as the real attractions to the restaurant. Web site
Halibut Tempura with Hot and Sour Asian Broth
By Chef Michael Arendt
Halibut Fillets:
- 4 seven-ounce fillets
Tempura Batter:
- 8 fluid ounces cold water
- 5 ounces flour
- 2 ounces cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- One fresh egg yolk
The Broth:
- 20 fluid ounces shellfish stock
- 6 ounces rice cakes
- 2 ounces black ear mushrooms
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms
- 3 ounces firm tofu
- 3 ounces red bell pepper, julienne
- 1 each lemongrass, finely minced
- 1.5 tablespoons Vietnamese chili garlic
- 3 fluid ounces rice wine vinegar
Preparation
Tempura Batter: Mix all ingredients and keep cold.
Broth: Add lemongrass and chili garlic to stock, bring to boil and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add remainder of ingredients. Return to boil for 5 minutes.
Plating: Dip halibut fillets in tempura batter. Deep fry at 375 degrees for approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Place 4 ounces of broth into large soup bowl. Place finished halibut on top and garnish with roasted red peppers and chives.
Makes four servings.
About the Chef
Chef Michael Arendt works at Elevation 92, a well-known restaurant once located in the heart of downtown Anchorage.
Where was your first job?
Village Gourmet in Rutherford New Jersey.
What is your favorite Alaska product?
Coming from the East Coast, I'm impressed with the abundance of fiddlehead ferns.
What is your favorite Alaska activity?
Definitely skiing.
Line Caught Alaska King Salmon with potato crust and roasted pepper coulis
By Chef Jack Amon, Marx Bros. Cafe
Salmon Fillets:
- 4 6-8 oz king salmon fillets
- 2 cups roasted red pepper coulis (recipe below)
- 2 tsp Creole seasoning
- 2 large raw potatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 tbs snipped fresh chives
Roasted Red Pepper Coulis:
- 2 oz butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups chicken stock, hot
- 2 large red peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- salt and white pepper
Preparation
Prepare the Roasted Pepper Coulis and keep warm.
Roasted Red Pepper Coulis: Melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Cook for 5-7 minutes stirring constantly, do not allow to brown. Whisk in the hot chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat, add the wine, red peppers and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Transfer food to a processor and puree until smooth. Return to pan over low heat and whisk in cream. Add the cayenne, salt and pepper.
Fillet Preparation: Spread the fillets on a clean surface and sprinkle the top of each with 1/2 teaspoon of Creole seasoning. Spread 1 teas. of the mustard on each fillet with 1/2 cup of the grated potatoes on the large holes of a grater packing them down well. Sprinkle the potatoes on each filet with salt and pepper.
Heat oven to 375F degrees.
Heat the oil in 2 nonstick skillets over high heat. When the oil is hot, gently slide 2 fillets into each skillet, crust side down. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until crust starts to brown. Transfer to preheated oven and cook for 5-7 minutes or until fish is done.
To Serve: Pour 1/2 cup of the Roasted Pepper Coulis onto heated plates. Place one fillet on each, crust side up and sprinkle with fresh chives.
Makes four servings.
About the Chef
Chef Jack Amon owns Marx Bros. Cafe, an innovative restaurant with an award-winning wine list. Web site
What was your first cooking related job?
I began my career in the main kitchen of the Hotel Captain Cook. Then I spent one year as a cook/ baker on an oil platform in Cook Inlet.
Where did you train?
I trained by opening Marx Bros. at 26 years old with almost no experience.
What are your favorite Alaska products?
Yukon king salmon, birch syrup and wild salmonberries.
Pan Roasted Alaskan Salmon with Tomato Fennel Ragu, Haystack Potato
By Chef Al Levinson, Kincaid Grill
Tomato Fennel Ragu
- 1 cup shaved fennel bulb
- 1 cup 1/2" diced roma tomato
- 1/2 cup julienne red onion
- 1 tbls. sliced shallots
- 1 teas. minced garlic
- 1 tbls. olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup tomato juice
- 1/4 cup fresh basil julienne
- salt & pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in heavy skillet, add shallots, onions and garlic and saute until translucent. Add fennel and tomatoes and heat through. Pour in white wine and tomato juice and bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until liquid has mostly reduced and becomes thick enough to coat fennel. Season with salt and pepper, keep warm until ready to serve. At time of service stir in fresh basil.
Roast Salmon Filet
- 4 ea - 7 oz salmon filets
- 4 tbls. flour
- 1 teas. ground fennel seed
- 1 teas kosher salt
- 1/4 teas white pepper
- olive oil for searing
Combine all ingredients to make seasoned flour. Coat salmon in flour mixture and shake off excess. Heat oil in a heavy skillet until a light haze forms. Place salmon filet skin side up in pan and sear until well crusted. Turn over filet and place in skillet in a 400* oven for approx. 8-10 minutes or just until done.
Presentation
Mound a portion of ragu in the center of each plate, place a salmon filet atop each mound of ragu, top filet with a small nest of fried haystack potato, garnish with fried basil leaves and droplets of basil oil (optional). Serves 4.
About the Chef
Chef Al Levinson created this recipe while at the Seven Glaciers Restaurant at Alyeska Resort. Alyeska is just a short 40-minute drive form downtown Anchorage and is home to one of the only Olympic quality ski areas with its base at sea level.
What was your first job?
Prep cook at Sea Galley Restaurant in Kirkland Washington in 1977.
What is your favorite Alaska product?
The seafood, for its freshness and availability.
What is your favorite Alaska activity?
Fly fishing for silver salmon in Old Harbor on Kodiak Island.
Prawns Juliano
By Chef Hans Kruger, Corsair
- 8 Alaska shrimp, under 15 count
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
- flour
- lemon juice & ½ fresh lemon
- salt and pepper
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 clove chopped garlic
- 1 ounce heavy cream
- 2 ounces soft butter
Peel and butterfly shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and lemon juice. Dust the shrimp with flour, shake off excess, then dip into eggwash (eggs and parmesan cheese). In saute pan; add butter and oil, over medium heat. Gently place shrimps into pan and fry on both sides until brown, about three to four minutes. Remove shrimps from pan and place on plate.
Saute garlic, then add the juice of 1/2 fresh lemon and white wine. Reduce to syrupy consistency. Add the cream and reduce by half. Pull pan from heat and mix soft butter (not melted butter). Pour sauce over shrimps and serve .
About the chef
Renowned for its wine selection and Continental Cuisine, the Corsair is located downtown Anchorage. In addition to its excellent food and wine, patrons credit the personality of owner Hans Kruger and the attention to service of its 20 person staff as the real attractions to the restaurant. Web site
Reindeer Stew
By Chef Danny Costanios, Downtown Deli & Cafe
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 pound reindeer meat cubed
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 cups carrots sliced
- 2 1/2 cups potatoes cubed
- 3 1/2 cups beef stock
Flour meat and brown in hot oil. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat cover simmer one to one and a quarter hours or until tender. Add vegetables. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Skim fat. Makes four servings.
About the Chef
Chef Danny Costanios cooks at Downtown Deli & Cafe, a restaurant in the heart of downtown Anchorage. His training began in Kapiolani Community College in Hawaii and the Mayflower Hotel in Washington D.C. Chef Costanios moved to Alaska in 1983 and has been pursuing his hobbies of cooking with fresh Alaska seafood and wild game, flyfishing and bowling ever since.
Scallops in Cream Saffron and Pernod with Caviar and Puff Pastry
By Chef Jens Hansen, Jens' Restaurant
- 12 large Alaska sea scallops
- 1 tbsp clarified butter (I prefer Plugra unsalted)
- 1/2 oz Pernod
- 1/2 cup fish stock or clam juice
- 1/8 tsp saffron
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 oz Beluga or other caviar
Pan fry scallops for 20 seconds on each side in one tablespoon of clarified butter, remove scallops, keep warm. Add Pernod, fish stock (or clam juice) and saffron to pan, stir well and reduce to three tablespoons. Stir in whipping cream and reduce to 1/4 cup. Whip in 1 tbsp butter. Divide sauce on 2 plates, place scallops on sauce. Decorate with beluga caviar and serve with puff pastry. Bon Apetite!
Yield: 2 servings
About the Chef
Jens Hansen, owner of Jens' Restaurant, began cooking at a young age. At his boarding school friends would pay him to cook for them, breaking all of the rules. Jens began more conventional training by serving an apprenticeship at Hotel Terminus, now called the Plaza Hotel, in Copenhagen. He continued school and work in Paris before moving to Anchorage. When asked what his favorite Alaska food product is he says, "It's too difficult to single one out-- all and everything fresh."
Smoked Salmon Recipe
Basic Brine
- 4 cups dark brown sugar
- 2 ½ cups pickling salt
- 6 tablespoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon cayenne
- 3 tablespoon garlic powder
Cut salmon filets into pieces and lay the first layer flat in large roasting pan. Cover filets with a 1/4-inch layer of the brine, put the next layer of fish and do the same. Cover the pan with foil, place in a cool spot or refrigerate and let stand overnight. Remove from pan and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Allow fish to air-dry until a glaze forms and the filet looks dry. Now it's time to smoke your filet! Smoke your filets at 175 degrees for at least ½ hour – it may
take longer! They should be smoked thoroughly.
