Another Birthday

We have often spent my February birthday in a tropical spot but the last years have found us celebrating in the cold. Bud and Zoë will not let me forget our trip to Pawnee Buttes on a frigid birthday and a picnic lunch in the car. I threaten to revisit the site each year just to tease them.

This February we traveled to Taos for a stay at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, a place I have wanted to visit for years. We skirted snow and bad weather on our way south. The drive is  a favorite part of the trip for me. Naming peaks along the Front Range, seeing the landscape open as we descend Raton Pass and winding through the canyon up and over the mountains to Taos.

Sited beneath looming Taos Mountain the charming historic inn is haunted by the many artists and writers who have stayed there. Our friends Rodney and Renee came from Santa Fe for a night and we talked and talked about our lives, aging, art, and food. I’m reminded of how important are our friends on life’s journey. Altogether a wonderful birthday weekend.

I can’t settle into any sense of winter as the weather swings from super cold near zero weeks to sunny over 50 degree days. I’ve been making salads one week, soups and stews another. Here are a couple of my cold weather concoctions.

Salmon Cakes

This dish is a trip into my childhood when we ate tuna patties for Friday meatless dinners. These are a vast improvement on those dry, rather boring patties and a nice pantry meal using canned salmon. Based on a recipe in the New York Times.

Combine 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons mayo, the zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon, 2 minced scallions, 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons panko or other breadcrumbs. Stir in a handful of chopped dill or parsley. Add a large 15 ounce can of salmon, breaking it into smallish chunks, don’t mash it. I used salmon with skin and bones – a healthy choice – and picked out the bigger bones. Refrigerate for a hour. Form into four patties and sauté in olive oil until browned, about 2 minutes a side. Serve with Tartar Sauce:

Combine 1/2 cup mayo, 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles, 2 tablespoons finely minced red onion, 2 teaspoons capers, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and some chopped dill. (I didn’t have capers but it was tasty without them.)

For dinner one cold night I made a pork and green chile stew. This is a free-form recipe so use what you have, in quantities you prefer, i.e. more chilé, meat, or other veggies – fennel would be nice here. I bought a pound of ‘pork stew’ at the butchers. You could use a pork shoulder cut into cubes, most of the fat removed.

Toss the meat with a few tablespoons of flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Brown in 2 tablespoons safflower oil and set aside. In the remaining fat cook a large sliced onion until translucent, ten minutes. Add a carrot and a large Yukon Gold potato cut into 1/2 inch chunks, and a few cloves of garlic, chopped. Deglaze the pan with a little water and scrap up the tasty bits. Return the browned pork to the pot. Add 2 roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped poblano peppers, a bit of salt and pepper. Add water to barely cover and bring to a simmer. Cover and let cook gently, do not boil, for an hour until tender. Add water as necessary for a brothy stew. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a handful of chopped cilantro, additional hot sauce, and corn muffins. Find the recipe at https://howilearnedtocookanartistslife.blog/2018/11/25/a-taste-for-corn/