Do you like the band Vampire Weekend? I do. I know they're preppy and all that, but I still like them. That is my prerogative. I like a song that's been playing on the radio, and I haven't paid close attention to it as it's usually on in the background, but found myself humming and singing along earlier this week.
"In December, drinking hot chowder"
Then it occurred to me--how do you drink hot chowder? You don't drink chowder. That'd be a choking hazard, all those clams or corn or potatoes or whatever, going down and clogging your windpipe. You eat chowder. You chew it before you swallow it. Not so much of a choking hazard that way. So why were they insisting on drinking chowder? Was this some odd form of suicidal behavior? A cry for help? An ignorant lyricist waxing poetic about things he hadn't learned enough about?
Yes, I'm aware there are bigger problems in the world. But this bugged me enough that I finally looked up the lyrics.
"In December, drinking horchata"
Oh.
I still like the song, although I fear I may always think of it as the hot chowder song. If you're curious, the second line--and this is correct--is "I'd look psychotic in a balaclava." I think you'd look psychotic drinking hot chowder.
Now onto some real food. Having wasted far too much time considering the proper way to eat or drink chowder, then learning what horchata is, I found myself one evening with a thawed-out slab o' salmon and no real plans for it. I dug around online and found a simple recipe which only needed two ingredients beyond the salmon itself.
Maple syrup and soy sauce. One-quarter cup of each mixed together and boiled on the stove until reduced to about 1/3 cup.
Gotta tell you--this does not smell good when it's happening. It immediately began to smell scorched, which worried me. I kept testing it, and it tasted fine, but the smell? Blech.
Eventually, or 5 minutes, it was reduced properly. I set aside a couple tablespoons for drizzling over the final product, then brushed half of the rest over my salmon.
I baked it as required for 10 minutes, and once again? The smell? Not resembling delicious in any way. After 10 minutes, it was time to pour the rest of the sauce on and set under the broiler until done.
By this point I was having some serious doubts. Hard not to, when your kitchen smells scorched. But it was actually pretty good. Well--the Teens were not enthused. DH and I thought it quite enjoyable. I think the Teens may have been affected by the smell in the kitchen. Perhaps this would be better grilled outdoors? I'll try it in the spring. Also, one of the commenters at the original recipe noted she'd try it again with a higher maple syrup content, and I think I'd do that too. The soy was the dominant flavor, and the sweetness got a bit lost.
Still, better than drinking hot chowder.
ps - we make salmon by mixing soy sauce, rice vinegar, and ginger, and oil into a sort of vinaigrette. Aim for a taste similar to the dip you often get with oriental fried dumplings/spring rolls. You can add garlic, too, but it's not absolutely necessary. Cover the salmon with a reasonable amount of this and broil them all together. Easy and yum!
Posted by: Eileen | June 18, 2010 at 08:32 PM