A review by Marty Martindale
There must be something ennobling about living in this special region of the world and cooking the area’s fresh indigenous ingredients in delicious ways.
Early in this book, Rex-Johnson vividly points out the diverse groups that have settled in the region, their treasured recipes and their adaptations. She describes the native population as influenced by Europeans (north and south), enhanced by Pacific-Rim newcomers and Mexican Latinos. These influences all came together thanks to the abundance of the region—the lush mushrooms, seafood, salmon, lamb, berries, fruits and greens that are the cornerstone of Northwest cuisine.
Rex-Johnson has created a very attractive compilation, yet it is easy to understand and she anticipates well the questions you may have by including a well-written, easily understandable Techniques section. Lastly, she shares her monthly calendar of regional wine-and-food festivals that once again highlights the region’s rich culinary treasures.
BLUE
CHEESE MUSSELS (MOULES AU BLEU DE GEX)
Oregonzola Cheese, onion, white wine, whipping cream, and chopped
parsley
SNAKE BITE DIP
Garbanzo beans, garlic, red onion, olive oil, lemon juice lemon zest,
red pepper flakes, Frank’s RedHot Pepper Sauce and flat-leaf parsley
WILD KING SALMON
WITH MACERATED CHERRIES AND SMOKED ALMOND BEURRE NOISETTE
Dried cherries, port wine or Madeira, olive oil, unsalted butter,
rosemary, orange zest and smoked almonds
CHERRY-MARINATED
GAME HENS
Fresh sweet cherries, white wine, and six rock Cornish game hens
LAMB LOIN STEW WITH
SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BUTTER BEANS
Olive oil, yellow onion, garlic, Sam Remo brand sun-dried tomato halves,
chicken stock, basil leaves and a can of rinsed butter beans
ORGANIC GREENS WITH
GOAT CHEESE, WALNUTS AND PICKLED CHERRIES
For the pickled cherries: red wine vinegar, red wine, sugar, cinnamon
stock, allspice berries, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves and a pint of
sweet red cherries. For the walnut vinaigrette, red wine vinegar, brine
from pickled cherries, Dijon mustard, honey, walnut oil and canola oil
WALLA WALLA SWEET
ONION FRITTATA
Large eggs, low-fat milk, packed, mixed fresh herbs, unsalted butter,
olive oil, young goat’s milk cheese or Asiago or Parmesan cheese
CERVELLE DE CANUT
(HERBED GOAT CHEESE WITH WALNUT CROSTINI)
Crème fraiche, shallots, lemon zest, olive oil, parsley, fresh chives,
artisan walnut bread and half a head frisée
ROASTED BREAST OF CHICKEN WITH LENTIL VINAIGRETTE, CRACKED WALNUTS AND
WILTED SPINACH
Olive oil, Dijon mustard, sherry vinegar, lemon juice, celery, celery
leaves, capers, red onion and unsalted butter
GOAT’S-MILK
CHEESECAKE
Sour cream, sugar, vanilla, graham crackers, ground cinnamon, unsalted
butter, cream cheese, eggs and lemon juice
BROCCOLI AND
OREGONZOLA SOUP
Unsalted butter, onion, russet potato, broccoli, vegetable stock, nutmeg
and walnut oil for drizzling
IDAHO LAMB
MEDALLIONS WITH PLUM BRANDY JAM
Koenig Plum Brandy, fresh plums, sugar, garlic, canola oil and mint for
garnish
MISO-CRUSTED
SABLEFISH WITH SOBA NOODLES AND LEMONGRASS BROTH
Sake, sugar, lemongrass, fresh ginger, kombu seaweed, bonito flakes,
shoyu sauce, rice vinegar, shitake mushrooms and green onions
Rex-Johnson also discusses the Northwest’s burgeoning wine scene and makes wine recommendations for each recipe. The book is beautifully illustrated and could be a couples’ cooking-club handbook for an extended period of time.
Keep current with
Rex-Johnson by visiting her website:
http://www.northwestwininganddining.com/
There you will see she is also author of the Pike Place Market series of
cookbooks and publishes a monthly e-newsletter entitled, “Northwest
Notes.”