Pasta with smoked salmon and rosemary cream

This was a yummy dinner that came about almost by accident. We had some salmon that Neil from our parents' group had caught and smoked, and some fresh rosemary from the garden outside Liz and Bob's new house. The salmon wasn't the sort of barely cooked stuff you find sometimes; it was fully cooked, kind of a delicious salmon jerky. To top the whole thing off, we had some smoked salt from Market Spice down at Pike Place -- the crunch and extra smoke was a really nice touch.

Amounts are approximate because I'm guessing after the fact. Cook

1. 8oz dried pasta, such as penne

in boiling salted water until almost done. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, combine

1. 2 c heavy cream
2. 3/4 c shredded Parmesean
3. 1 sprig fresh rosemary
4. 6 oz smoked salmon, chopped

Cook just until cheese is incorporated and mixture is slightly thickened. Add drained pasta and cook until pasta is tender and coated in sauce. Serve garnished with

1. Salish smoked sea salt (from Market Spice)
   

Turkey gravy

We hosted Thanksgiving for the first time this year, so it was my first time cooking a turkey. I followed the salted turkey recipe from last year's Cooks Illustrated, and it came out well. I think icing down the breast meat really did help everything finish at the same time.

For the gravy, on the other hand, I didn't have a recipe exactly. The day before, I had seen Alton Brown making one with red wine on TV, and I had the trusty Ultimate Southern Living -- but neither was quite what I (thought I) wanted. Funny enough, the gravy got more compliments than anything else I made. So I'm recording it here for next year!

In a medium saucepan, simmer for 45 minutes:

1. half an onion, chopped
2. handful of carrot pieces
3. celery seed (would've used celery if I'd had it)
4. 2 bay leaves
5. large spring fresh thyme
6. small bunch fresh parsley
7. salt and pepper
8. turkey neck
9. turkey gizzard and heart (no liver) (pictures for identifying the pieces)
   
10. water to cover

Strain, chill, skim. Yields ~3 cups stock.

While turkey is resting, pour off all drippings from the roasting pan (don't scrape). Place over burners, add ~1 cup stock, and scrape until all browned bits are dissolved and pan is clean.

In a medium saucepan, make a roux with

1. 4 T butter (half a stick)
2. 1/4 c flour

Pour in pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve and whisk to combine. Whisk in additional broth as needed to reach desired consistency, keeping in mind that full thickening won't happen until the gravy comes to a simmer.

Thai glazed carrots

Carrots? Yes, carrots. I like them in things -- stir fries, pilaf, couscous. And they're fine for snacking, with dip or hummus. But on their own, cooked, I always thought of them as bland and mushy, not far removed from baby food. Even the carrots in ginger ale recipe was a little bland.

These carrots are much nicer: a little tangy, a little sweet (not too much), even a little spicy. And since Katy and I are really trying to watch our food budget, it doesn't hurt that they're 75 cents a pound and used things I had in the refrigerator anyway. (They got created in a what-have-we-got-in-the-fridge moment one night.) They dirty up only one pan and one spoon, which is a big plus in my book. Plus, any vegetable that brightly colored has to be good for you, right?

I used some lemongrass paste from a tube that I had left from some other recipe, when the grocery store didn't have fresh. But I think real lemongrass would be good here too. Ginger would also be nice and would probably be a perfectly respectable substitute.

The Key limes were also a bargain at ~$3 for a whole bag. Although the Key lime cupcakes looked and tasted like playdough, the rest of the limes kept nicely in the refrigerator and made themselves appreciated at several meals later in the week.

This technique is from The Best 30-Minute Recipe, but the flavors are mine. The amounts below are guesses, because I wasn't measuring when I made this :)

Thai glazed carrots

In a large skillet over medium heat, combine

1. 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into coins on the bias (about 4 large carrots)
2. 1/3 cup water
3. 1 T sugar
4. 1/2 t salt
5. 1 t hot Asian chili or chili-garlic sauce
6. 2 t lemongrass (paste or fresh), or fresh ginger

Cover and steam until carrots are just tender when poked with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove lid and stir in

1. 1 T butter
2. 2 T sugar

Increase heat and cook, stirring, until carrots are tender (but not mushy) and glaze is thickened and lightly caramelized. Remove from heat and toss with

1. juice of 2 Key limes, or 1/2 - 1 regular lime

Goes nicely with a variety of things, even if the rest of the meal isn't Asian.