Fick shows how to turn fresh salmon and other local seafood into simple, flavorful dishes including the Captain’s Platter and peanut butter tuna.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The calendar says fall has arrived, and that means it’s time to grab a rod and reel and head out to catch a salmon. But first, join me in the kitchen and discover new ways to cook the catch.
On a Columbia River salmon fishing trip this past September, our guest, Everett Twilleager, hooked a dandy chinook — a 20-pound upriver-bound salmon — and it was a fine reward for the day’s adventure!
It was a gorgeous catch for sure, and congratulations were shared from all aboard. But a question remained: What to do with 20 pounds of salmon?
Longtime fisherman and seafood chef Steve Fick and his friend, Scott McMullen, recently teamed up in the kitchen to prepare new recipes centered on fresh and abundant Oregon seafood, starting with salmon.
As the chefs gathered their ingredients and kitchen tools, Fick noted, “We’re going to have a little fun with this fish, and that’s part of what cooking is all about! Step out of bounds a little bit and try something different.”
“The simpler the better,” added Fick, who always seems to enjoy cooking the seafood as much as the catching. Today’s main course: a dish he raves about called “The Captain’s Platter.”
Recipe No. 1 – The Captain’s Platter
“There are a lot of unique flavors in this dish,” Fick said. “We have Dungeness crab, Pacific prawns, Oregon salmon, true cod and halibut. We also have local oysters and scallops — it’s like Christmas, and we are decorating the tree!”
Fick called his homespun recipes “simple and delicious” as he wrapped bacon strips around the scallops and pinned each with a toothpick. The 20 scallops were slipped into a 375-degree oven for a pre-cook.
The Captain’s Platter was assembled atop a standard cookie sheet that was covered by a sheet of foil. He placed alternating strips of fish (approximately 2 pounds of each fish) that included salmon, halibut and true cod. The thick strips cozied up to each other across the foil-covered sheet. He then placed fresh prawns topped with a Dungeness crab mixture (1 cup of crab and one-half cup of mayo) and then added the pre-cooked scallops atop the fish. He placed 20 shucked oysters around the perimeter of the dish to round out the dinner. The platter was placed into the 375-degree oven for no more than 10 minutes.
Fick noted timing is everything to the taste of the fresh fish.
“If you cook it too long, you’re going to get a dry, tasteless dish, and you don’t want that,” he said. “All of this is healthy for you, and it’s a low-calorie, Oregon-based meal. You can’t ask for anything better.”
Recipe No. 2 – Sautéed Albacore in Peanut Sauce
While the Captain’s Platter cooked in the oven, Fick moved on to fresh albacore tuna loins that he sliced an inch thin and then dipped into a huckleberry marinade. (He prefers Willow’s Huckleberry Salad Dressing.)
“I don’t marinate it for a long time because I like it to enhance the flavor and not dominate the flavor, and that’s why I’m a little gentler with it,” he said.
He sautéed the tuna slices in a hot cast-iron frying pan (he first melted half a stick of butter and then added a quarter cup of peanut butter) for just a minute a side in the buttery mixture.
“The peanut butter gives it a little different edge with this dish, and the mix cooks well with the fish,” Fick said. “We’re also having fun with this, and that’s part of what cooking is — step out of bounds a little bit and try something different.”
He topped the cooked tuna slices with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and scallions and placed the fish on a platter of balsamic rice, ringed by two dozen cherry tomatoes. He served it alongside the finished Captain’s Platter.
Diners give their reviews
Each recipe is so easy that anyone can try, as our guest diners sampled and weighed in on their favorites:
“Everything was my favorite,” said Leslee Sipp with a chuckle. “I really liked the way Steve layered the fish and placed the prawns on top. That was outstanding! He has become my favorite chef.”
Guest diner Stephanie Smith noted, “I loved the oysters, and I loved the scallops wrapped in bacon, and of course, tuna’s my favorite as well. It was really a lot of fun watching him prepare this meal.”
Diner John Jordan observed, “Steve’s got a bit of the artist in him! The halibut and the salmon and the oysters and shrimp altogether were new to me, and it was just terrific.”
Diner Leslie Curran added, “A favorite — oh, that’s hard! I liked it all! I thought it was amazing prep, and I could do that at home too.”
“Obviously, fresh is the best,” said diner Kerry Harsin. “The bacon-wrapped scallops were a surprising treat, plus layering the salmon and the halibut was simply spot on.”
“These are simple steps that look a little complex, but it really isn’t,” added Fick. “You can have other variations on this seafood too — just let your imagination go. The point is, Oregon seafood — and especially in-season salmon — is just the best, and you’ll live longer eating Oregon seafood.”
More Grant’s Getaways
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You can reach me at Gmcomie@kgw.com.
Dining and Cooking