When An Adventure Goes Well in the Midst of Delightful Company

Last week I returned to, in the words of some of the locals in my Dad's hometown of Alma, NB, the foreign country of Halifax, Nova Scotia.  To share in a wonderful evening of making and sharing a meal and meeting new people.

What was the meal?

I was tasked with making a new sauce to marinate and cook some salmon and boneless chicken thighs.  Note -- my preference is Chicken thighs.  Sorry all you white meat chicken lovers.  Give me the thighs.  Only went boneless because I wanted both items to cook at the same time.  In other circumstances, I would go with bone in thighs and trim the skin and fat.  Leaving a covering of skin with most of the fat scraped or cut away.

Further Note -- This Sauce could have been made with Herbs Provence or a Tuscan Herb mix with some Heat as a contrast to the Ginger.  I chose the Herbs Provence to start and plan to do another version with a Tuscan Herb mixture but only if the mixture has heat.


Raspberry - Herbs Provence with Ginger Sauce

Raspberries

Balsamic Vinegar

Grape seed Oil

Herbs Provence

Ground Ginger

Stevia for Sweetening Agent or also add Agave Syrup, Liquid Cane Sugar or Maple Syrup

Combine, blend  and let sit for at least one day and then taste and then adjust to get what you desire.  If you want more bite you in the mouth zing.  Add more ginger.  If you want just the herbs and ginger to make a claim that they are there but not too noticeable then add these ingredients slowly.  Took me a couple of days to adjust the taste and leave the herbs and ginger to be not too noticeable.

As a Finishing Touch after the meal is cooked and plated, I would add the following.  Orange Zest and/or Hot Pickled Eggplants.

That night I sliced a Turkish Jalapeno and the hot zesty zing of that was a Wonderful Complement to the meal and the sauce.  Mind you.  Others might disagree.  Bite the bullet and try it.  Maybe with a little less heat.

An Unexpected Surprise?  Was the afterglow of the ginger in your mouth as one savoured the meal.  I did not add too much ginger to make it noticeable in a taste test prior to cooking the meal.  What one noticed most in tasting before cooking was the vinegar and raspberry with the herbs and ginger making a claim that they were there.  But its effects were noticed after cooking in the after glow taste, as one enjoyed the meal.

Now I know none of the above gives you any help in deciding how much to add.  Sorry.  This recipe was a entirely an adventure and when I make it again I will try to figure out some measurements.  So enjoy the adventure.

And many thanks to Samuel and Rebekah for hosting a wonderful evening.  Look forward to another time.  Thinking a top sirloin or prime rib small roast done in a cast iron fry pan.  Covered with a lid and drenched in balsamic vinegar and herbs.  Slow simmered for 4 hours or so on the stove top.  You will make vows to not sop up the tasty reduction sauce/gravy as the roast cooks but before you know it the gravy will be gone and bread crumbs will be on your face.  And you will wonder; how did that happen?

But that is a tale for another day.

Happy Eating

Grace and Peace