Anticiplate

So, as you know, I can now claim myself to be a former ballet dancer. And, BTW, it feels freaking fantastic. And, can I be quite frank? I didn’t really know how I was going to react. I mean, I have been saying I am a ballet dancer for over a decade. I didn’t know if I would feel lost, like I was losing a part of myself to dethrone myself from the ballet world. But, I have only felt liberated and excited for what is next. The only trouble is, what do I call myself now? I certainly don’t feel like a Chef. Obviously.

I guess calling myself a “Stage”,  or an intern feels okay. “Chef in training” could also work. Apprentice seems outdated, and Kitchen Bitch seems to harsh. Any suggestions on what I should call myself? What about “transitional”?

I guess all of it doesn’t really matter, because, regardless of what I am, I am loving life. I have been writing A LOT (more on that in another post), unpacking my new home in South Lake Union and getting used to my new kitchen (which has great lighting for photography!), interviewing with some amazing journalists, learning how to fill water glasses and seat people at Anchovies & Olives (my new paying job), and slowly trying to master how to cook fish like the Chefs at my restaurant.

Fish seems like the only thing I want to cook with right now. It is summer, I guess, and people like to eat fish in the summer. Or, maybe it is because I never really knew how to cook fish before I started working at A&O this summer. When you are exposed, twelve hours a day, to a restaurant where EVERYTHING has some sort of seafood element, it does tend to influence you.

It’s the season for Lobster mushrooms, Coho Salmon, sweet summer corn, and baby heirloom tomatoes. And, pretty soon, Seattle, we will no longer have local options for these fantastic ingredients. Chef Matt made a version of this dish on Saturday night when he was working the fish station. I dappled between pasta and fish that night, picking up an order for tagliarini with Sea Urchin Butter for the pasta station, and helping Chef Matt with his platings of Artic Char or Striped Bass as he taught me how to perfectly cook fish skin. Before that night, I had never seen a Lobster mushroom before, and I couldn’t wait to get in my kitchen, and cook for the first time using this new ingredient I discovered.

If you have never had a Lobster Mushroom before, they have a seafood-like flavor and a firm, dense texture. Cut them into larger chunks so that when they cook down, you can still see the red “lobster” color after they cook.

Serves 2

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

2 (6 oz.) Coho Salmon fillets, skin on

Vegetable oil

2 tbsp. Salted butter

1 ear of sweet yellow corn, cut from the cob

20 baby heirloom tomatoes, cut in half

1 large lobster mushroom, cut into thin slices

3 sprigs of fresh oregano, just leaves

Kosher salt and Cracked black pepper

Heat two skillets over medium-high heat, one non-stick. Season your salmon generously with kosher salt on both sides. In the non-stick skillet, coat the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil. Place the salmon, skin side down in the pan, and press it down with a spatula for about a minute to ensure the skin gets crisp. Cook this way for about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, throw the pat of butter in the other skillet and add the corn and the mushrooms and saute for about 2 minutes. DO NOT SALT THE MUSHROOMS. They will get chewy and lose moisture if you salt them too soon. Then add in the tomatoes and saute for another minute.

As your salmon starts to get opaque on the sides of the fillet, flip it over and cook for another 3, or so, minutes. The skin should be hard and crispy. Meanwhile, in the other pan,  add in the oregano leaves, and season with salt and black pepper. Add in a little more butter for flavor, if you prefer.

To serve, place the corn and tomato mixture in a small lump in the middle of your plate, creating a bed. Place the cooked salmon skin side (presentation side) up, and drizzle it with olive oil and a little bit of kosher salt. Serve immediately.