Finnish Salmon Soup: Lohikeitto

This salmon soup can also be called salmon chowder, and it is a fairly common dish in some parts of Finland, which is understandable, as it is wonderful! You can certainly cut some of the fat and calories by substituting canned evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk) for the heavy cream. Of course too, you can adjust the salt and pepper amounts to your taste preference.

 

Ingredients  (5 or 6 servings): 

 

1 1/4 pound salmon, in bite-size pieces 

2 cups sliced leeks, mainly white and light green part

5 tablespoons butter

2 cups diced potatoes

1 cup chopped carrot

4 1/2 cups fish stock

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt (remember, the butter and the stock have salt)

3 tablespoons chopped dill, divided use

 

In a heavy-bottom pan, melt the butter over medium heat, add the leek slices and saute until they soften. Add the carrot and potatoes and saute a further two minutes, stirring often (you don't want the veggies to actually brown), then add the fish stock, bring to a boil and adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer until everything is tender, but not mushy. Add the salmon pieces and simmer another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the cream, black pepper, salt and 1 tablespoon of the chopped dill, stir to mix in. Let the now cream laced soup heat up, but do not boil. Remove from the heat, top each serving with some chopped dill. 

 

  

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Normal (Norm)-The ultimate origin of this word is shaky, but it seems to go back to Indo European "gnoh/gneh," meaning "to know," making it a distant relative of English "know," "can" and "ken/kenning," which are all from the Germanic roots of English, and it is related to "quaint" and to "cognizance," both Latin-derived words borrowed by English via French. The Indo European form gave transliterated Greek "ginosko," meaning "to know." This seemingly gave transliterated Greek "gnomon," which meant "carpenter's square." Latin borrowed this from Greek ("perhaps" via Etruscan?^) as "norma" also meaning "carpenter's square," but also, "a pattern, a model." This was taken by Latin-based French as "norme," essentially meaning "pattern, model, something to be followed (a "rule," both "the piece of wood used for measurement and drawing straight lines," AND, "a policy to be followed"), and English borrowed the word by the 1820s. Latin "norma" (mentioned above) spawned the Latin adjective "normalis," meaning "done following a carpenter's square;" thus also, "done by the rule, done following a pattern or model;" thus, "done in the common way." English borrowed the word from Latin initially in a rather limited way as a mathematics (geometry) term for "having to do with perpendicular, being at a right angle" (later also used with the meaning "perpendicular" as a noun), but later with the meaning "having to do with doing things in the established or standard way," and the word's usage began to become much more common by the early part of the 1800s. The latter part of the 1800s saw usage as a noun for "the common state of something," as in, "The normal for our family is to eat dinner on Sundays at 4 o'clock," and adjectivally as, "A normal Sunday for us is to eat dinner at 4 o'clock." Close English relative, German, also borrowed "normal" from Latin during the 1700s, also meaning, "(pertaining to) normal, usual, regular, standard." Example: "Ich hätte gern(e) einen normalen Kaffee" ("I would like a regular coffee"). 

 

^ Etruscan is a mystery language, "possibly" related to some languages of the Aegean Sea area, including "Minoan." In ancient times, Etruscan was spoken in a fairly large part of what is now Italy, but it eventually died out when Latin came to the area, although some Etruscan words were borrowed into Latin. "Etruscan" lies behind the words "Tuscan" and "Tuscany" (Italian: Toscana), a region in western Italy, the regional capital being Florence (Italian: Firenze).      

Salmon Mousse

This can be a high fat dish, but you can lighten it considerably, as I note in the ingredient list. For parties or get togethers, some people prepare it in molds of various shapes, often of salmon (I can't imagine where they got that idea).

Serve with toast, sliced baguettes, sliced bread rolls, pumpernickel or rye bread, sliced cucumber, sliced radishes, crackers.

Ingredients:

 

1 pound salmon, skin and bones removed, or you can use canned salmon

8 ounces cream cheese (low fat is fine)

2 to 4 tablespoons cream (you can omit this, or use just a little 2% milk to help thin the mixture)

1/3 cup mayonnaise (low fat is fine)

1/4 cup onion, chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped dill

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot sauce 

1 teaspoon ground white pepper 

 

If using fresh salmon, you can bake it until tender (this is what I do), then let it cool. Use a food processor and add the cream cheese, process for a few seconds to begin to smooth it out, then add cream, mayonnaise, onion, salmon, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and white pepper. Process the mixture until smooth, then stir in the chopped dill (this way the mousse will have some flecks of dill visible). Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours (if you're molding the mousse, you'll likely need several hours of refrigeration for the mousse to really set).  

 

 

 

WORD HISTORY: 

Fine-English has more than one word of this spelling, all connected, but this is the noun meaning, "a monetary penalty, a payment implemented as punishment," also the verb, meaning, "to issue a penalty requiring payment of a specific amount (as in, "There is a fine of $25 for littering"), sometimes issued along with other forms of punishment (as in, "Your punishment is a fine of $250 and you must also serve 10 days in jail for dumping trash on your neighbor's property"), or as a penalty to avoid further punishment (as in, "You can pay a fine of $100 or serve 48 hours in jail." "Fine" is related to "finish," but the origin of these words is more than a little uncertain. Latin "figere" and "findere" have been suggested, with "figere" meaning "to fasten, to fix (in place)," with the idea being of "fixing a boundary or limit," tying the words to the meaning "end;" thus, "finish." "Findere" means "to split, to divide, to separate," with this then tied into "separating into boundaries;" that is, "limits" (ends); thus also, "finish." Latin "figere" is from Indo European "dheigw," which meant, "to pierce, to stick (in or through), with the beginning rendered in Latin as "f." If "fine" is from this source, it is related to "fix," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English via French, and it is distantly related to "ditch," a word from the Germanic roots of English. "Findere" is from Indo European "bheid," which meant, "to split," with the beginning rendered in Latin as "f." If "findere" is the source of "fine," then it is related to "bite," a word from the Germanic roots of English. ANYWAY... Latin had "finis," meaning "end, boundary (also, "death")."  This was taken by Latin-based Old French as "fin," meaning, "end, boundary," and later also, "fee or tax paid at the end of a settlement," thus signifying "the end of proceedings," a meaning also found in Latin, so did French get this meaning from Latin or did Latin get it from French? English borrowed the word from French, circa 1200, as "fine/fyn(e)," seemingly at first meaning, "end," but also, "death, the end of life," but by the mid 1300s, the legal meaning of "amount paid as a penalty or a punishment" had been taken on. Both Latin and French were used in the English legal system that developed after the Normans began ruling England; so, at least for me, it's not always easy to say from which language a particular word or meaning came, and it's likely there was reinforcement of such words and terms from both Latin and French.         

Thai Salmon Salad with Peanut Sauce

A great salad with lots of nutrition and the peanut "saucy" flavor of Thailand and Southeast Asia. Well suited for lunch or a light meal. This salad is meant to have some heat from the chilies, but if you do not like heat, you can certainly replace the hot chilies with mild peppers, like some chopped red or green bell pepper. 

Ingredients (5 to 6 servings):

1 pound salmon in 2 or 3 fillets (can have skin, which will be removed after cooking)
1 tablespoon peanut oil for the fish
1/2 cup shredded or grated carrot
1 cup shredded cabbage
4 green onions, chopped with the green part
1 firm mango, peeled and chopped (not completely ripened)
2 chili peppers, sliced (serranos or jalapeños are good)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mixed greens, like spinach and kale
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (or 8 to 10 grape tomatoes, halved)
juice of 1 large lime
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, lightly toasted, or finely chopped roasted peanuts
(optional) salt to taste (keep in mind, the dressing has salt from some ingredients)
lime wedges for serving

Dressing/Sauce:

1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled
1 hot chili pepper, stem and seeds removed  
2 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey
a little water

For the dressing/sauce: put all of the ingredients, except water, into a blender; blend together well. If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of water and blend, continue to repeat this step until the desired consistency is reached. 
For the salmon: heat the peanut oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and fry the salmon on both sides until it is cooked through and is able to be flaked. Set aside to cool.
For the salad: in a large bowl, add the carrot, cabbage, green onions, mango, chili peppers, mixed greens and tomatoes; toss to mix. Squeeze the lime juice over the salad. Flake the salmon and toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for about 1 minute (or chop some store bought roasted peanuts and heat them briefly in a dry skillet). Top each serving with some flaked salmon pieces and either some toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts. Drizzle some of the dressing over each salad and serve with a wedge or two of lime on the side.

WORD HISTORY:
Dwindle-This word is related to "dead," "death" and "die," all words from Germanic, with the verb "die" either coming to Old English as a borrowing from Old Norse, itself a Germanic language, or as an original English word and receiving emphasis and reinforcement from Old Norse to help it prevail as the primary word for "to lose one's life." "Dwindle" goes back to Indo European "dheu," which meant, "to die." This gave Old Germanic "dwinanan," meaning, "to lessen, to diminish, to waste away." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "dwinan," meaning, "to waste away, to fade away." This then became "dwinen" and then "dwine," with the "dwindle" form showing up in William Shakespeare's play "Henry IV, published in about 1598." Exactly why the suffix was added is a mystery to me. Shakespeare's use of "dwindle" certainly boosted overall usage of the word. Some relatives in other Germanic languages: Low German "verdwienen" (to disappear, to lessen), Dutch "verdwijnen" (to disappear), West Frisian "ferdwine" ("to disappear"), Icelandic "dvina" (to diminish, to lessen, to decrease). NOTES: 1) I have found "reference" to a Danish form "tvine," meaning "to pine away," but sources are few and sketchy, so I can't confirm it as a modern form. Old Norse, the forerunner of the modern North Germanic languages, had "dvina" (to diminish, to lessen). 2) I cannot find a form in German, including in Old High German, the ancestor of modern German, but that "might" be because the word did not come into extensive use before the dialects that became German pushed southward. Further, there was obviously no later borrowing of the word from Low German.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats Part 1: Gefüllte Zucchiniboote

I'm sure many of you have wondered, as I have, why some things that seem incredibly easy turn out to be a pain in the neck. The other day when I went to buy zucchini, the produce shop only had large zucchini. So I bought the large zucchini and then I cut them in half, which made the pieces about 5 1/2 to 6 inches in length, which is perfect for this. Two things though: first, even after you cut them to smaller size in length, the thickness of the halves are bigger than zucchini that are truly 5 or 6 inches length; so that means a little longer cooking time. Second, these are supposed to be "zucchini boats," so with one end cut off, my boats are sinking! Where's Leonardo DiCaprio when you need him? Of course, if I had wanted large zucchini, the shop would have had small zucchini. I think I need a strategy ...

Blanching the zucchini pieces helps to give the zucchini a little start on the cooking process, because once the dish is put into the oven, getting the zucchini tender, but not burning the egg/milk/cheese sauce around the edges can be a bit of a balancing act, made more difficult by the thickness of these zucchini halves I used. In German stuffed zucchini boats are called "Gefüllte Zucchiniboote," literally "filled zucchini boats."

Ingredients (4 to 8 servings):

4 zucchini, about 6 inches in length, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out (if long zucchini, you can first cut them into equal halves in length)
3/4 cup dry cottage cheese or Farmer's cheese
2/3 cup canned milk or regular milk (divided use in equal parts)
4 ounces sliced smoked salmon
2 eggs
3 tablespoons chopped dill
1 tablespoon butter
3 or 4 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan) 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375 F. Blanch the zucchini halves in boiling water for about 90 seconds and then drain them well. Mix together the dry cottage cheese, 1/3 cup milk, dill, pepper and salt; set aside for a minute or two. Whisk or beat together the eggs and the other 1/3 cup milk, then mix in the grated cheese. Butter a baking pan lightly. Fill each "zucchini boat" with the cottage cheese mixture, top each "boat" with a slice of smoked salmon. Pour the egg/milk/cheese mixture over the tops of each zucchini boat. Bake the "boats" for about 45 minutes, or until they are tender (a fork easily pierces them). Some of the egg mixture may brown a little, and that's okay.

NOTE: I did Part Two a couple of days later, and here is the link: https://pontificating- randy.blogspot.com/2020/02/stuffed-zucchini-boats-part-2bacon.html 

 

With a salad ...

WORD HISTORY:
Lox-Before English borrowed the word salmon, the original English word for this fish was "leax," which then later became "lax" (it has absolutely nothing to do with the word of the same spelling meaning "loose, negligent"), but any continued usage of this word for the fish would be strictly limited to perhaps some dialects in the United Kingdom, if it is still used at all. The Old English word goes back to Old Germanic "lahks," which meant "salmon." This went back to Indo European "lohkso," which also meant  "salmon." This gave German, "Lachs" and the derived Yiddish form, "laks." ^ American English borrowed the term from Yiddish as "lox," but exactly when this took place is uncertain, although the term's usage spread in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Besides the German and Yiddish forms, the other Germanic languages have: Low German "Lass," Danish and Norwegian have "laks," Icelandic and Swedish have "lax." Frisian and Dutch, like their close English cousin, borrowed forms of  "salmon" from French, although also like their English cousin, they too had forms of "lox" as their original word.

^ Yiddish developed about 1000 A.D. from some High German dialects among German Jews living in the Rhineland area of Germany. It also used some Hebrew, and over time it spread throughout Europe's Jewish communities, incorporating some vocabulary from several Slavic languages/dialects in eastern Europe. It is written in the Hebrew alphabet, but it is classified as one of the Germanic languages, because of its strong German base. This makes it a close relative of English and of the other Germanic languages, with that particularly strong connection to German. Just for comparison: English "make," German "machen," Low German "maken," Yiddish (transliterated) "makhn."     

Alsatian/German Flatbread: Flammkuchen

"Flammkuchen," literally "Flame Cake," but actually more of a tart, got its name long ago from being put into wood burning ovens while the flames were still burning and the oven was extremely hot. This added browned or even blackened spots to the topping, and the "Flammkuchen" baked very quickly. As the flames died down and the temperature dropped a bit, loaves of bread were then baked, as the bakers naturally didn't want the bread to be burned. One of my German ancestors was a baker in the city of Siegen in the 1500s (in modern times, Siegen is in the German state of "North Rhine-Westphalia"). "Flammkuchen" was developed in Alsace (see "Word History" below), but it is also a part of various regional cuisines of southwestern Germany, like in parts of Baden and Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate),* and in a few others, including I believe, in parts of Switzerland. As with many German dishes, there are several dialect names and spelling variations; for instance, "Flammenkuchen," and in its home region it is called "Flammekueche," in Alsatian German dialect ("Elsässisch"). While toppings certainly vary, "traditional Flammkuchen" uses onion and bacon. Some people make the dough using yeast, like for a bread or pizza dough, while others use no leavening agent at all, making the dough "similar" to a pie dough. They actually sell already made "Flammkuchen" dough in packages in parts of Germany and Alsace (maybe in parts of Switzerland? Austria?).   

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup flour (a little more if needed)
2 tablespoons oil (I use regular olive oil)
1/3 to 1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ounces smoked salmon, thinly sliced, then torn into pieces
8 to 10 stalks of asparagus, tough bottom section removed, then cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup creme fraiche ** (or sour cream)
1/4 cup dry cottage cheese or Quark/Topfen***
2 to 3 tablespoons dill, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Add the flour to a bowl. Make a trough in the middle of the flour and add the oil, salt and 1/4 cup of water to the trough, reserving the remainder of the water. Begin mixing the ingredients into a dough, gradually adding water as you mix. I've found 1/3 cup of water to be good, but you might need a little more, or even a little less. "Need" the dough.... ah, "knead" the dough (I wish we still pronounced the "k" in such words) until the dough is smooth and not sticky. Wrap it in plastic wrap, or cover it in a bowl (it is not going to rise, as there is no yeast in it, but you don't want it to dry out) and let the dough rest as you get the topping ready. Put the asparagus pieces into a pan with water and cook them for just a few minutes. The asparagus should be tender when pierced with a knife or a fork, but still remain firm. Drain and dry the asparagus (I put it onto paper towels). Mix the creme fraiche and the dry cottage cheese together. Use a baking sheet: I use an 18 inch by 12 inch baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and remember, the Flammkuchen doesn't have to perfectly cover the entire baking sheet, nor does it have to be a perfect rectangle. Roll out the dough thinly, then get it onto the baking sheet. Spread the creme fraiche/dry cottage cheese mixture in a thin layer over the dough. Place and press into the creamy topping the pieces of asparagus and smoked salmon. Sprinkle on the black pepper and the finely chopped dill as evenly as possible. Heat the oven to 450 F and bake the Flammkuchen for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the bottom is firm. If the top is not browned in places, you can place the Flammkuchen under the broiler (about 10 inches from the broiler) for a brief time, with your undivided attention, as this is not "Holzkohlenkuchen" (charcoal cake). 

* Baden was long a separate German state, but in the early 1950s it became part of the state of "Baden-Württemberg." It's good to remember, that over the centuries, the boundaries of the various German states often changed, as "Prince So and So," married "Duchess What's Her Name," and lands were combined from such marriages. Of course too, boundary changes from wars also played a big part. Generally speaking, some well known cities in the Baden region are Heidelberg (I have been there), Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden (that's right, that's right).

** "Creme fraiche" is easily made at home, but it has a ton of ingredients: heavy cream and buttermilk. (Damn, that IS a ton of ingredients! hahaha). You can also buy it ready made, or you can use sour cream, including the reduced fat type, if you'd like. For the recipe: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/07/make-your-own-creme-fraiche.html  

*** "Quark" is a soft white cheese VERY common in German areas in Europe. In Austria and some parts of Bavaria it is commonly called "Topfen." It is "similar to," but not the same as, American cream cheese, and it is "similar to," but not the same as cottage cheese. I've seen some German recipes in the U.S. call for "drained cottage cheese put through a sieve," as a substitute for Quark, but years ago, German immigrant friends of mine said that procedure doesn't make it the same. Look, you're not going to win these kinds of arguments outright, so I use "dry cottage cheese," and unless you have an unusually sensitive palate, you won't have missed a thing by not using Quark. If you have your heart set on Quark, you'll likely find it in German shops or in some cheese shops. I use dry cottage cheese and I haven't turned into a pillar of salt, although I must admit, to make a brine, I just stick my hand in some water, and it works fine. Hmm...  

WORD HISTORY: 
Alsace-This name developed centuries ago (I've seen the 700s and 800s mentioned) in Old High German, the ancestor of modern standard German, and a close relative of Old English. It is a compound, with its component parts related to English "else" and "sit," both words from the Germanic roots of English. Old High German had "ali sazzo," which literally meant, "sitter on the other," with "the other" meaning, "the other side of the Rhine." "Ali" goes back to Indo European "aljaz," which had the notion, "from/of the other, another;" further, "beyond a given point;" thus, "other side." This gave Old High German "elles," meaning, "other, otherwise," which then produced "ali" (mentioned above). "Sasso" goes back to Indo European "sed," which meant, "to sit." This gave Old Germanic "sitjanan," also meaning, "to sit," which then produced the verb "sizzen," also meaning "to sit," and then the derived Old High German noun "sasso," meaning, "sitter;" thus, "dweller, one who sits, dwells."^ Combined, the parts gave German "Elisasz," which then became modern "Elsass." Latin borrowed the German term in the Middle Ages as "Alsatia," and English borrowed the word from Latin. Historical note: The history of Alsace is very complex, but as the Roman Empire declined, the entire region (not just modern Alsace) was taken by the Germanic tribe the Alemanni. To this day, the German dialect in Alsace and the overall region traces back to the Alemanni. The Franks, another powerful Germanic tribe, took over the area, and it became part of the Holy Roman Empire, which was not Roman, but German (German "Reich" #1), where it remained until the 1600s, when it was conquered (sort of incrementally), by France. When German Prussia and other German states defeated France in 1870-71, this brought the declaration of the founding of the German Empire #2, and it included about 90% of what had been Alsace. After World War One, France got Alsace, which was then taken by Germany in 1940, under Hitler and German Empire #3. The end of that war saw Alsace go back to France, where it remains to the present (and if you followed all of that). It continues with a mixed Franco-German culture.      

^ As with English "he sits" (present tense) and "he sat" (past tense), German has "er sitzt" and "er saß" (="sass"). Another German word from the same source is the noun "Gesäß" (kind of literally, "seat"), meaning, "butt, rear end, backside, behind," or "bum," more common in England and other parts of Britain. My guess is, many Americans would not know what that word means.        

Honey-Paprika Salmon

This is easy to make and it is delicious. If you give it a try, I think you'll find yourself making it again.... and again. Good served with rice or a salad, or both. 

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings):

1 1/2 to 2 pounds salmon fillets, rinsed and cut into pieces (leave the salmon pieces wet)
2 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Spanish paprika (it's smoked)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground white pepper (you can use black pepper)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
cornstarch mixed with water to thicken the sauce

In a large skillet or sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat, add the honey, the teriyaki sauce and the lemon juice, stir to mix. Do not brown the butter, so remove the pan from the heat and reduce the heat if necessary. Add the salmon pieces and mix them into the sauce to coat all of the pieces (as I've noted for other recipes, the wide surface of a skillet makes it easier to maneuver). Sprinkle on the salt, pepper and Spanish paprika, then mix in the seasonings. Cook until the salmon is cooked through. If you'd like to thicken the sauce (the juice from the salmon will also add to the liquid component), mix together a teaspoon or two of cornstarch in a couple of tablespoons of water, then carefully mix the cornstarch into the sauce a little at a time, or you can remove the salmon pieces and then thicken the sauce. Garnish with a slice or wedge of lemon for those who like a squeeze or two of lemon juice on their fish.

Honey-Paprika Salmon with a tomato and green onion salad ...

WORD HISTORY:
Canny/Uncanny-This adjective, closely related to "cunning," is derived from the verb "can" (meaning: "to be able to do, to have the knowledge to do something"). The meaning of "canny" tends toward, "shrewdly, but often warily, knowing how to do something, often, but not necessarily, in financial matters." In northern England and southern Scotland it tends to mean, "nice or pleasant." The derived form "uncanny," which means, "weird, mysterious," came from the notion of "beyond knowledge;" thus, "mysterious," and it was originally used in reference to the supernatural and magic. For the history of its close relative "cunning," here is the link: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2015/05/is-it-rumania-or-romania-part-6final.html

Poached Salmon

This is a good and easy way to cook salmon. Once the cooking liquid is prepared, you're just minutes away from great food.

Ingredients:

4   5 to 6 ounce salmon fillets (boneless, skinless)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 teaspoon salt (for water)
salt to season each fillet
1/4 teaspoon black or white pepper
butter
freshly cut chives

To a large skillet, add 6 cups water, onion, white wine, lemon, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil and cook ingredients for 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat so that the water is at a gentle simmer. Sprinkle a little salt on each salmon fillet. Add salmon to the simmering water and cook for 5 to 8 minutes (depending upon the thickness of the fillets), remove salmon to paper towels just to drain excess water. Top each fillet with thin slices of butter and a sprinkle of freshly cut chives (I use scissors to cut them).

I had my poached salmon with fried potatoes and a little garnish of parsley and cilantro...

WORD HISTORY:
Scale-English has more than one word of this spelling, but this is the noun, and the derived verb, for "protective covering for fish," and, "flakes of dried skin." This word is very closely related to "shell" and to "scale;" that is, the word of the same spelling, but meaning, "a device for weighing." This form of the word goes back to Indo European "skel," which had the notion "to cut, to split, to chip." This gave Old Germanic the root "skal/skel," with the meaning, "to split, to divide," and which gave forms that became the basis of "shell" (covering for sea creatures or land animals, or for the eggs of various creatures," "scale," "the split shells of certain sea creatures used for food or drink, and also used as a dish or tray to hold objects to be weighed," and "scale," the covering for fish and flakes of skin." Old Germanic gave Frankish, a Germanic dialect/language, "skala," with the meaning, "husk, shell," and this passed into Old French as "escale," which meant, "pod shell, husk and hardened covering," later specifically, "hardened skin." This was borrowed by English in the early part of the 1300s with the "hardened skin" meaning, which by then also meant, "hardened bits of protective skin for fish and some other creatures." The verb, meaning, "to strip the scales from fish," came from the noun in the early 1400s.

Salmon With Parsley, Dill & Pecorino Romano

Ingredients:

1 lb. salmon filet
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons dill
3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano, grated*

Coat the salmon with the oil and lemon juice mixed together, let sit while the oven heats to 400 F. Place the salmon on a baking sheet lined with foil. Mix the garlic, parsley and dill together and spread the mixture over the fish. Cover "lightly" with foil or parchment paper. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove foil/parchment paper, but keep for further use in a few minutes. Sprinkle top of salmon with grated Pecorino Romano. Return fish to oven, uncovered. Bake another 8 or 10 minutes. Remove salmon, cover with retained parchment paper, but more tightly. Wait about 10 to 12 minutes before removing the covering and cutting the fish into serving sizes. You do not need to add salt to this dish, as the cheese will supply enough salt.

* If you want your cheese to brown somewhat, and you grate your own Pecorino Romano cheese, make sure it is not too soft, because the retained moisture in the cheese will not be conducive to easy browning. Pecorino Romano is a sheep's milk cheese made in Italy, but pretty easily found in other countries, including in the U.S. Cheese in the U.S. simply called "Romano" is almost always made from cow's milk, but you can use it, or even the already grated type of Romano you buy in the shaker containers. Oh boy, the "cheese police" will be after me now. 

I served the salmon with home fried potatoes

WORD HISTORY:
Filet/Fillet/File-This word, related to "file:" that is, "file" with the meaning relating to "documents,"^ goes back to Indo European "gwislho," which carried the notion, "vein, sinew." This gave Latin "filum," meaning "cord, thread, wick." This gave Old French, a Latin-based language, "fil," meaning, "thread, string" (also a verb form, "filer," meaning "to arrange documents on a thread/string"). English borrowed the word circa 1450. From Old French "fil" also came "filet," which meant, "small piece of cord or string;" thus also, "band of string to tie the hair back, headband." And this was borrowed into English in the 1300s, and later still, the idea of tying meat and fish with string seems to have transferred the meaning to "cuts of meat and fish, especially deboned."     


^ Files were once documents put into some order on rope or string; thus, the connection to "fillet/filet."

Grilled Salmon

I took the basic recipe for this from a recipe in the Cleveland Plain Dealer quite a number of years ago, but I don't have a date on it, nor does the actual recipe mention a cook or cookbook for credit. I'm a salmon lover and I've always enjoyed this, so I've fixed it often over the years. Of course, you can just bake the fish in the oven, if you don't want to grill it, and I've done both many times.

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar (I use dark, but the actual recipe doesn't specify)
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
about 3 to 4 lbs. salmon fillets, with skin, pin bones removed

Place salmon, skin side down, on heavy aluminum foil (recipe suggests double layer of foil). Mix all ingredients and baste the salmon with it, reserving some of the mixture for later. Let sit for about 15-20 minutes. Place fish on open grill for about 30 minutes, basting occasionally with the reserved mixture. Salmon should be opaque at its thickest part before removing from the heat. The recipe says the internal temperature (if you have thermometer to insert) should read 135 to 140 degrees. While the recipe says "serve hot or cold," I've always initially eaten it hot, but then finished it off after it's been refrigerated for a few hours. It's good either way.

With a salad dressed with my homemade ranch dressing *

* The recipe for ranch dressing is at this link:  http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2016/06/homemade-ranch-dressing.html

WORD HISTORY:
Salmon-The ultimate origins of this word are unclear. It goes back to Latin "salmo(n)," which was used for the fish name, but where Latin got the word is not clear. Some believe the Romans borrowed the word from a Celtic source^, while others trace the term to the Latin verb "salire," which meant "to jump, to leap," thus, if correct, making salmon "the jumping fish." The Latin verb goes back to Indo European "sel/sil," with the notion being "jump, spring, leap." Whatever the case, Old French inherited a form of the word as "saumon," and English borrowed the word as "samon" during the 1200s. This gradually replaced the native English word "leax," a close relative of modern "lox," a word borrowed by American English from Yiddish speaking immigrants.

^ Celtic is a group of languages derived from Indo European. While once widespread in Europe, today the Celtic languages are much reduced to include Irish Gaelic, Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton (in France), none of which is truly a national language. The Celts and their various dialects were generally overtaken by Germanic dialects, including English, and by Latin. The Celtic languages are related to English, but further down the family tree.