Aiming for the taste of Arrows
For those who like to replicate high-end homestyle meals in their own kitchens, Maine Classics: More Than 150 Delicious Recipes from Down East (Running Press; $30) is the perfect culinary gift. Chefs Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier are trusted experts - the James Beard Foundation named them the Best Chefs in the Northeast last year; their Arrows restaurant in Ogunquit has garnered impressive accolades from both Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines; they now own two other eateries, in Maine and Massachusetts - and their dishes are a stunning juxtaposition of farm-fresh and inventive. There are butternut squash doughnuts, grilled oysters, scalloped clams with Maine potatoes and yams, caramel-pumpkin pie with mincemeat ice cream(?!), grilled venison with huckleberry sauce . . . all intermingled with local food history and lore, as well as glossy, mouthwatering photos. While we take slight issue with the title (why would the acclaimed chefs highlight "Down East" cooking when their home base is in Southern Maine?), everything else about Maine Classics indicates that it's bound to be, well, a classic. (Want to give a personalized copy of the cookbook or sample its recipes before putting it under the tree? Gaier and Frasier are holding a few "cookbook dinners" at Arrows during the month of December. Visit arrowsrestaurant.com for more information.)
Grilled Salmon with Green Beans and Corn
It's summer, summer, summer when the corn and beans are coming out of the garden and those fresh-from-the-garden vegetables are great with seafood. All you need to do is fire up the grill and create a ragout, which can also be done on the grill. Serves 6
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ears of corn, cleaned of silk and kernels cut off (about 4 cups)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup peeled, seeded, chopped tomato
2 tablespoons chopped thyme
1 pound green beans
6 (6-ounce) pieces salmon fillet
1/4 cup olive oil
Heat the grill as hot as it will go. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the corn for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, tomato, and thyme. Boil 1 quart salted water and add the green beans. Blanch the green beans in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain the beans and add to the corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Brush the salmon with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the salmon until cooked, about 5 minutes on each side. Divide the bean and corn mixture onto six plates. Top with grilled salmon and serve.