About Jack & Barbra Donachy

Writers, photographers, food lovers, anglers, travelers and students of poetry

Coconut Chocolate Chip Scones – Yes, Please!

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Fry an egg, brew a cup of coffee and serve with these icing-laced coconut scones chock-full of mini chocolate chips. Fuel for a hike on the tundra, a morning downtown or whatever the weekend brings.

Shelf stable items are a staple in our Arctic pantry. Recently we have been experimenting with powdered coconut milk and are finding it to be easily reconstituted and packed with flavor. Friends recommended we add extra virgin coconut oil to our pantry, which ups the coconut flavor.

Armed with the coconut flavors I needed and an intriguing recipe I came across on MyBakingAddiction.com, I was ready to bake.

These scones have the essence of a chocolate dipped macaroon without being overly sweet. Using whole wheat for half the flour makes them more hearty than a traditional scone, while the baking powder helps them rise to epic scone proportions. The recipe is a perfect candidate for making dough the night before and popping in the oven the next morning for an impress-your-friends brunch.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Scones

Ingredients

3/4 cup coconut milk
1 egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
3/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 tbsp coconut milk (to brush on top)

For the drizzle

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp coconut milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix coconut milk, egg, sugar and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together flours, baking powder and salt.
Mix butter and coconut oil into flour mixture using a pastry blender or your hands. Do this quickly to avoid melting the butter. Mixture should have pea-sized butter lumps that are evenly distributed in the flour.
Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
Fold in chocolate chips and coconut flakes.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times.
Shape dough into a 9-inch disk. Disk should be about 3/4 inch thick.
Place disk on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Slice disk into 12 wedges, pizza-style, leaving the dough in place.
Brush disk with 2 tbsp of coconut milk.
Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, till scones are slightly golden brown on edges.
Cool scones in pan.
While scones are cooling, create drizzle by mixing powdered sugar and coconut milk. Drizzle should be consistency of molasses.
Place drizzle in a Ziploc bag. Snip a tiny bit off of one corner.
With a sweeping motion, squeeze out drizzle over scones until you are satisfied with the amount of coverage.

Whole Fish Salted and Broiled: Easy, Elegant, Delicious!

Posted on September 2, 2013 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

This Chukchi Sea Dolly Varden Char was liberally salted, broiled and served with roasted Peruvian potatoes and garlic cloves. Salt grilling or broiling brings out the natural sweetness of species ranging from porgy and snapper to trout, char and salmon.

When a friend recently presented us with two harvested-from-the-ocean-this-morning char, we knew immediately what we wanted to do with one of them: shioyaki. Although Japanese cuisine is better known for sushi and sashimi, far more fresh fish on Japanese tables is served well salted and then broiled or grilled.

The Japanese eat a lot of fish, and it is for good reason that shioyaki fish is weekly fare in most households. It’s quick, it’s easy, and fish prepared this way are deliciously savory and sweet. This is also an excellent method for preparing freshly caught trout while camping. Simply clean the catch, skewer it lengthwise, cut a few shallow slashes into the skin, rub salt on the fish and roast it on an open fire or over a grill. Brook trout served this way make for memorable camp fare, as do Japanese iwana (char).

This pair of sea run Dolly Varden char have all the characteristics of fresh fish: bright, clear eyes, firm, nicely colored flesh, and no evidence of bruising.

Because the fish are seasoned only with salt (and perhaps the smoke from a grill or fire), it is imperative that it be absolutely fresh. When you’re purchasing fish, look for a healthy shine, bright colors and clear, bright eyes. The scales should be intact and the gills, if any remain, should be bright red. Don’t be shy about giving a fish you’re considering purchasing a whiff. It should smell clean. Fish does not smell fishy; it is bacteria growing on poorly cared for or old fish that carries the unpleasant smell often called “fishy.”

Salt-Broiled Whole Fish

Start with a clean, fresh fish. If it is a salmon, trout or char, it need not be scaled, but all traces of gill and viscera should be removed. Rinse the fish in cold water and pat dry inside and out. (Fish, such as porgy, snapper and rockfish should be scaled.)
Preheat broiler to high and position a broiling pan a few inches from the heating element. (You may have to experiment to find the right position in your oven.)
Use a very sharp knife to cut shallow diagonal slashes about an inch apart down the length of the fish.
Rub a generous amount of salt into the fish. Let rest for a few minutes up to half an hour. Coarse grey sea salt from France (Celtic sea salt) is perfect for this recipe.
When the broiler is hot, coat the broiling pan with oil by either brushing on or spraying with a pump spray. Canola oil or light olive oil work well.
Place the fish on the pan. It should sizzle. If it doesn’t, it will stick to the pan.
Cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Do not move fish during cooking. (On a grill, you will want to turn the fish once to ensure even cooking.) The fish is done when the tail and fins are crisp, the eyes are opaque and clear juice is no longer bubbling up through the slashes. With a fat fish, you will see some white fat in the slashes. This is good.

This dish requires no further adornment and is delicious with a glass of cold sparkling water, a craft ale, or a fine daiginjyo sake.

Baked Minestrone Soup: Celebrating Summer’s Garden

Posted on August 29, 2013 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

A hearty bowl of minestrone soup is the perfect way to enjoy seasonally abundant vegetables from your own garden, your CSA, the local farmers’ market or the grocer.

Before there was Rome, there was minestrone soup, and although some may insist that true minestrone must have this or that, the spirit of this dish lies in taking advantage of whatever vegetables are on hand. Add pasta or not, rice or not, and although contemporary versions of minestrone usually feature a bean broth, some versions use vegetable or even meat broth. Chunk up some halibut, striped bass or loup de mer (European seabass), toss it in and you’ve got a hearty fish stew. Here’s how we made our minestrone – courtesy of the abundance of vegetables we have now that we are receiving weekly deliveries to our Arctic home from Full Circle Farm. A good smoked sea salt works beautifully in this soup. A dollop of sherry is nice, too.

Ingredients (feel free to change quantities and freely substitute):

olive oil
2 1/2 pounds tomatoes, sliced
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
two sunburst squash, diced (zucchini or summer squash also work well)
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1 cup (1 ear) sweet corn
1 1/2 cups green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
several leaves of basil, cut into thin ribbons chiffonade style. (You can do this by rolling the leaves cigar style, then slicing them.)
1 bunch spinach, chopped coarse
2 cups pinto beans (or other beans), cooked till they’re tender. Separate from broth and save the broth.
sea salt
black pepper
Italian herbs

Directions:

Start by cooking the beans in a pot till they are soft. Save the broth, as it will be the base of the soup. Set aside beans and broth.
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Place olive oil and tomatoes in a large pot over medium heat stirring occasionally till the tomatoes are falling apart. Add onions and green beans and cook till they just begin to soften. Add garlic and squash, followed by parsley and basil. (You will add the beans, spinach and corn later.)
Stir the broth and pour into the pot so that the vegetables are just covered. Add herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
As soon as the broth begins to boil, place the pot into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove pot from oven. Add beans, spinach and corn. Give the soup a taste and add seasonings as necessary. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove from oven, stir in a good olive oil for added flavor and give it a final taste. Let soup rest with lid on for about 10 minutes.
Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a baguette of French bread or a crunchy bolillo.

Fall Harvest Cakes

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

These delectable individual-sized cakes are packed with the flavors of autumn – honeycrisp apples, crunchy pecans, and caramel.

Taking advantage of fruit, vegetables, fish and wild game during times of seasonal abundance is a celebrated part of our kitchen, but it hasn’t always been easy to do so living in the Arctic bush. Back in California, between farmers’ markets and our own modest garden, our kitchen was stocked with ripe, heirloom tomatoes, freshly picked raspberries and peaches so ripe they had to be eaten over the sink (or outside under our peach trees).

Since moving to bush Alaska, we’ve been shipping up frozen fruits and vegetables during our annual summertime shopping. These have been supplemented with “keeper” produce such as squashes, potatoes, onions and apples. We’ve managed to keep many of our traditions intact by pulling seasonal items from our pantry and freezers at the appropriate times, but we’ve missed enjoying fruits and vegetables freshly harvested from local farms.

This year, we decided to sign up with a CSA (community supported agriculture). Our “local” CSA, Full Circle Farms, is based in Carnation, Washington, nearly 2,100 miles away. Offering freshly harvested organic choices, Full Circle delivers to the San Francisco Bay Area, Idaho, Washington, and to Arctic Alaska! It has been a long time since we’ve had peaches and nectarines as perfectly ripe as the ones Full Circle has been sending, In fact, all their produce so far, from leafy greens to tomatoes to avocados have been spot on.

As part of our order last week, we received honeycrisp apples. This variety is sweet and crunchy with a pleasant tanginess – a balance that seemed begging to be paired with caramel. The pecan topping gives these cakes a savory crunch.

Fall Harvest Cakes

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp mace
2 cups shredded apple
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
4-5 caramel candies, or 1/4 cup caramel sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin tin.
Cream butter and yogurt.
Gradually add sugar to butter mixture. Beat well.
Thoroughly mix in eggs, one at a time.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and mace.
Gradually incorporate flour mixture to sugar mixture.
Stir in apples.
Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle on pecans and caramel (sprinkle chopped candies or pour on sauce).
Bake for 10 more minutes. Cakes are done when wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool on wire racks.

Crunchy, Soft Bolillos

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Like miniature baguettes (each loaf is about five inches long), a bag of freshly baked bolillos from our Arctic bakery is ready to be made into tasty sandwiches or sliced and toasted with olive oil and garlic.

When we return to the road system each summer, we keep a keen eye out for new food ideas to take back to our kitchen in the Arctic bush. This summer, we rediscovered torta sandwiches, prompting me to make a mental note to bake bolillos when we returned to Point Hope.

Bolillos have their roots in Mexico where they are the main ingredient in molettes and tortas – lightly toasted bread topped with cheese (or olive oil and garlic) and sandwiches, respectively. Armed with many tasty sandwich ingredients in our bush pantry – garbanzos for hummus, home-canned smoked salmon, caribou and even duck eggs (for a twist on tortas de huevo) – I looked forward to trying my hand at bolillos for our lunch-time sandwiches. Based on several recipes I found on the Internet, I adapted the recipe below for my Zojirushi bread machine. This bread machine provides yeast with the perfect environment so that dough rises evenly and consistently in our Arctic home.

Bolillos

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup cold water
1 tsp cornstarch

Directions

Place first 6 ingredients into bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
Set on dough cycle. Start machine.
Dough should be smooth, soft and elastic. Adjust amount of flour or water if needed.
Punch down dough and knead briefly on a lightly floured surface.
Divide dough into 10 pieces and roll into balls.
Work dough balls with palms of your hands to form ovals, about 5″ long and 2″ wide in the center. Ends should be tapered.
Place rolls on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover and let rise for about 25 minutes. Rolls should double in size.
Preheat oven to 365 degrees F.
Mix cold water and cornstarch in a small pot.
Heat mixture to boiling, stirring constantly. Mixture should be thick and clear, about 2 minutes.
Brush each roll with cornstarch mixture.
Slash each roll down the middle, cutting about 1/2″ deep.
Bake rolls for about 30 minutes. Rolls are done when they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
Cool on wire racks.

Coconut Modest Lace Cookies

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Chocolate drizzle sets up on a fresh batch of ultra thin, chewy, crispy, modest lace cookies.

Traditionally, lace cookie dough spreads thin and bubbles while it bakes resulting in a delicate confection marked with lacy holes. I was intrigued with a coconut lace cookie recipe I found posted by Giada De Laurentiis. The cookies in the photo on her post looked simultaneously chewy and crispy and I could easily imagine the coconut flavor layered with the semi-sweet chocolate drizzle. Unfortunately, the reviews on her recipe were terrible (too greasy, too sugary, gloppy, lacking distinct flavor), so I contemplated how I could create a similar cookie while avoiding the pitfalls.

After making adjustments to amp up the flavor and improve the texture, the cookies came out of the oven a tasty winner. Although these very thin cookies crisped up around the edges nicely while remaining chewy, they aren’t very “lacy,” so I’ve dubbed them “modest lace.” The coconut shines through deliciously.

Modest Coconut Lace Cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp unrefined coconut oil, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
1/2 semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together sugar, coconut and flour.
Mix in butter, coconut oil, egg and vanilla to coconut flake mixture.
Drop batter by teaspoonful on baking sheets. These cookies spread, so give them a couple of inches to do so.
Bake cookies for 8 minutes. They should be golden brown in the center and darker brown on the edges.
Slide parchment paper with cookies on it onto wire racks to fully cool.
When cookies are cool, melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. Use a fork to drizzle chocolate onto cooled cookies.
Let chocolate set before serving. Pop the cookies in the freezer to set the chocolate faster.

Makes two dozen cookies.

The Arctic Terns of Tern Lake: Artists that Redefine the Air

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

arctic tern hovering n

With a brood of chicks waiting to be fed, this Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) hovers above the water in search of small fish, its primary food source. Minute control over individual tail and wing feathers enables terns to be graceful, formidable hunters as well as inspiring to watch.

Making an annual round-trip of roughly 50,000 miles (80,000 km) between their breeding grounds in the Arctic and their summer feeding grounds in the Antarctic , Arctic terns are a species that fill one with awe and wonder. Unlike most of their cousins in the gull family, they are true seabirds as their migrations take them over vast oceans far from land. To stand on northern beach and watch terns fly is to watch an artist redefine the air.

arctic tern scouting n

Breeding pairs mate for life and most terns return year after year to the same grounds where they were hatched. There they scratch out a shallow depression in the earth and lay one to three eggs (sometimes more) the size and color of large, brown-flecked olives. Approximately three weeks later the eggs hatch and three to four weeks after that the young birds are fledged. In fall, they will join their parents in making the longest migration of any bird species.

Inky black eyes almost disappear into a jet black cap. Although their legs seem impossibly short, terns are fairly adept on land. A specialized gland allows Arctic terns and other seabirds to extract the salt they ingest and expel it through their nasal cavities.

Although one individual is reported to have lived to the advanced age of 34, the average lifespan of an Arctic tern is about 20 years. Their preferred nesting sites are on islands where they’re relatively safe from predators such as foxes and domestic cats, although they lose some eggs and young to gulls and other birds. At one point the millinery trade took a heavy toll on tern populations, but in recent years the greatest threat appears to be decreasing food supplies due to human overfishing. At present, there are estimated to be about one million Arctic terns worldwide.

Above: An Arctic tern scans the water below for the tell-tale silvery flash of a school of small fish.

Often flying with a scissored tail and the ability to execute amazing aerial acrobatics – including backflips – account for the Arctic tern’s genus specific name paradisaea – paradise – reminiscent of birds of paradise.

He’s probably not really looking at his own reflection, but with a snappy red bell and a handsome black cap like that, who could blame him if he is?

Glaciers and Green: The Coastal Classic – A Five Star Train Ride from Seward to Anchorage

Posted on August 6, 2013 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

The mid-summer sky is reflected on one of Alaska Railroad’s GoldStar coaches on the Coastal Classic train. Mountainsides of magenta fireweed and, mixed forests, moose, Dall sheep, eagles and glaciers (and sometimes bears and caribou) were part of the 114 mile train trip between Seward and Anchorage.

Trains are magical. Whether we’re talking about Northern California’s quaint Skunk Train or Japan’s lightening fast, silky smooth shinkansen (bullet trains), we love the rhythm and glide of moving through the countryside on steel rails. As we brought our summer to a close this year, we decided to take the train from Seward. We departed at 6:00 PM and four hours later arrived in Anchorage energized and relaxed.

Fireweed, startling in its vibrance, lines the tracks along the Coastal Classics route through Kenai Peninsula forests and mountains.

Large windows and the freedom to get up and walk around are part of what make train travel so pleasant. After a very good meal of almond-crusted Alaskan cod accompanied by a glass of wine, we made our way to the rear of our GoldStar car where an open deck allowed us to take in the sights, converse with fellow passengers, and enjoy the warm (for Alaska) summer air.

The Coastal Classic passes by three large glaciers: Trail, Spencer and (above) Bartlett.

Scanning the terrain for animals from the observation deck of one of the double-deck GoldStar cars, we saw moose, eagles, beaver lodges and Dall sheep. Bears – both grizzly and black – and caribou are also frequently sighted. We’re already looking forward to taking the train from Anchorage to Seward when we return in May next year.

The evening sun reflects off Cook Inlet though the car’s upper deck windows. After a wonderful four-hour trip, the train pulled into the station at Anchorage. Early the following morning, we boarded a plane for the Alaskan bush and our other home.

Cedar-Planked Portabella Mushrooms Stuffed with Smoked Salmon and Manchego Cheese

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Simple and elegant, cedar plank cooking has been part of the Pacific Northwest since early native Americans first discovered this method. Food such as these these stuffed Portabella caps lend themselves to leisurely evenings complimented with good wine and good friends.

The most difficult thing in cedar plank grilling is remembering to soak the planks before you’re ready to fire up the grill. Aluminum foil is the solution. Although it’s best to soak the planks hours in advance of cooking, they also work perfectly well soaked just a short time prior to going on the grill provided they’re placed in a shallow aluminum foil “boat” with a little liquid added. Fold up the corners of the foil, pour in a little water or water and white wine, and you’re ready! Grilled on cedar, salmon and other foods come out wonderfully moist and take on smokey, woodsy flavors.

Grilled over charcoal, caramelized corn on the cob and pineapple rings go well with stuffed mushrooms.

Right: A split, whole king salmon self-bastes on cedar planks over hot charcoal.

Although cedar is popular, alder, hickory and boards from fruit trees work well too. Thoroughly cleaned, the boards can be used multiple times. Since plank cooking creates a barrier between the coals and the food, cooking time will be a little longer. In addition to preserving moistness and imbuing food with more complex flavors, planking typically results in more evenly cooked food than straight charcoal grilling.

Cedar-Planked Portabella Mushrooms Stuffed with Smoked Salmon and Manchego Cheese

Directions:

Cut out the Portabella stems, chop course and place in a bowl. Add shredded or finely cubed Manchego cheese, finely chopped sweet onions, finely chopped garlic, tarragon, freshly cracked pepper, extra virgin olive oil, a small amount of sherry or white wine, and soy sauce or sea salt to taste. Mix thoroughly.
Break up smoked salmon, cedar planked salmon, or any previously cooked salmon into small pieces and gently fold into the above mixture.
Spoon mixture into mushroom caps and place on a cedar plank that has been well soaked. If desired, fashion a shallow aluminum foil boat slightly larger than the cedar plank and place 1/2 cup of water and white wine in the foil to help keep the plank moist.
Grill over medium to medium-high heat for about 20 minutes, until a fork passes easily through the mushroom.

An Italian Amarone – a full-bodied red wine with lots of cherry – pairs especially well with a cedar-planked feast.

A Great Brine and Smoke – Soy Sauce, Brown Sugar and Seasonings for Salmon, Trout and other Fish

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

121

For the past couple of years, our brining and smoking method for salmon, trout, sturgeon and other fish has been the most popular article on our blog. Here it is again, with updated notes and photos.

If you’ve ever looked at those electric smokers sold in sporting goods stores and wondered if they did the job, the short answer is, “They do.” Our favorites are the Big Chief, Little Chief and Mini Chief models made by Smokehouse in Hood River Valley Oregon. Inexpensive, easy to use, easy to store and efficient, these smokers come with complete directions and a useful booklet that details the how-to of smoking and provides a number of recipes for fish, shellfish, poultry, meat, cheese, and even noodles, soup and breads. My own most recent experiment with smoking was sea salt. It came out… smokey!

To obtain the best smoked fish, start with high-quality fish. Fresh fillets from bright fish make for a far better product than poorly cared for fillets from a badly handled fish. Also – and this is important -the method we use is not designed to kill parasites. It is recommended that fish be frozen at the lowest freezer setting possible for at least seven days before smoking them in order to ensure that they are parasite-free. You can read NOAA’s full recommendations here.

Below: A double batch of sockeye salmon in side-by-side Big Chief smokers.

For salmon, trout, sturgeon and similar fish with fairly firm meat, we marinate fillets in a wet brine for roughly six to 10 hours depending on the size and thickness of the fish or fillets. The fish can be brined in non-reactive glass, plastic or stainless steel (not aluminum) pans in the refrigerator or in a bucket or cooler with a couple of sealed Ziplock bags of ice thrown in to keep the mixture cool. Following are the step-by-step instructions we use for whole small trout and the fillets of salmon and other fish. The recipe can easily be modified to add other flavors or to finish the smoked fish with a sesame seed glaze.

Brine

Ingredients: For eight pounds of salmon, trout, sturgeon or other fish

8 to 10 pounds fillets, skin on, rinsed, patted dry, cut into small pieces. A good size is about 3″ x 6″, but smaller or slightly larger is fine. Small trout can be cleaned and smoked whole.
8 cups water
2 cups soy sauce (Kikkoman is our favorite)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup sea salt or kosher salt (Do not use iodized salt. It will impart an unpleasant flavor.)
1 1/2 tbsp granulated garlic
1 tbsp ginger

Directions:

Mix brining ingredients together in a large bowl.
Pour mixture over fillets, making sure they are covered, or until they float.
Cover containers and marinate for about 8 hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator.
Remove fillets from brine, pat dry with paper towels, and arrange on racks to dry for about an hour – until a glaze forms on the surface of the fish.
Smoke fish according to your smoker’s directions with alder wood, mesquite, fruit tree or hickory chips. Check occasionally, keeping in mind that air temperature will influence smoking time. Typical smoking times range from 6 to 12 hours. A slightly wet product is best suited for many of the recipes we enjoy and for canning. For straight snacking, a drier product may be preferred.