World's Best Salmon Loaf

Always looking for things to do with leftovers! This was very quick and really tasty, not at all bland.

1 tblsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
1 stalk of celery, minced
Heaping 1/2 tsp curry powder
Heaping 1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 cup cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Scant 1/2 c breadcrumbs or panko
Scant 1/2 c cubes of bread, dry the best
1/4 c parmesan cheese
2 tblsp minced fresh parsley
2 tblsp minced scallions or chives
2 tblsp minced fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3/4 cup diced fresh mushrooms
2 cups cooked salmon

Preheat oven to 375, butter a loaf pan.

In a large bowl, whisk cream and eggs together.

Heat 1 tblsp of the butter in a small skillet at medium-low. Cook celery and onion in the butter until soft. Add curry and cayenne and stir, transfer to the bowl with the eggs and cream.

Put the other tblsp of butter in the skillet and saute the mushrooms in it until soft, add to celery mixture.

Stir in crumbs, cubed bread, cheese, parsley, chives/scallions, tarragon, salt and pepper. Stir in salmon, being careful to remove bones.

Mix everything together, spoon into loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until slightly brown on top and bubbling. Serves 4 people with other dishes.

Note: Serve hot. Would be good with a cheese sauce or hollandaise. And a bitter green, like broccoli rabe or braised escarole.

Flourless chocolate cake for Pesach

From Alan -- Joel Cohen's mom's recipe

12 eggs, separated
12 ounces of chocolate
12 ounces of butter
12 ounces of sugar

Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler, add sugar. When cool, add egg yolks.

Whip egg whites until stiff peaks. fold in to chocolate mixture. Pour 2/3 of the mixture into a springform pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comesout clean. (refrigerate the remaining 1/3)

Let the cake cool -- it will collapse. Spoon the remaining mousse into the cavity in the cake and refrigerate.

Spicy Pickled Okra

I finally pickled something for the first time in my life! Wow! And it tastes really good!

1 quart jar
About a pound of fresh okra
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp green peppercorns
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 small hot fresh chilis, deseeded and minced very fine
2 cups water
1/2 c white vinegar

Pack as much okra into the jar as you can, to within an inch of the top. Put all the garlic, peppers, and spices in too except the salt and sugar. Heat the water and vinegar and salt and sugar in a saucepan until boiling, pour over okra in the jar until it's all covered and liquid is about 1/2 inch from the top of the jar. Screw lid on tight and refrigerate for about 10 days before eating.

Note: this is not canning, it's more marinating, so you need to keep it refrigerated and eat it within a couple of weeks. Very nice hors d'oeuvre or as a garnish to bloody marys. Feel free to play with the seasonings -- the flavors are pretty intense with very little of any spice. I'm going to try green beans next!