What is a Steelhead, anyways?

I've been working too much these days -- and my limited free time has been dedicated to outdoor activities in the Pacific Northwest to take advantage of our summer sun. Hence, my absence from the food blog for most of August.

But you should know that I would never take a hiatus from gastronomical adventures! I was still able to make a recent nature foray into a culinary experience, and it was also -- yes -- very educational too.

My brother-in-law is a passionate, avid fisherman, and he invited us to one of his fishing expeditions. Turns out that Steelhead are great for sports-fishing, as they put up a good fight and are strong fish.





We went to the Klickitat River in Eastern Washington, where the Hood/Columbia River empties into the Klickitat. We stayed at a gorgeous cabin.



Steelhead are in the same species class as rainbow trout. However, trout are exclusive to fresh-water, and Steelhead are "anadromous" which means they have a life-cycle that includes both fresh-water and salt-water. Interestingly, the Steelhead were recently introduced into the same genus class as salmon.

So what does a Steelhead taste like? Even before I knew of the genus/species classification of these fish, I thought it tasted like a cross between trout and salmon. The flesh is light-pink which looks more like a salmon, but the flavor is milder than salmon. Taking the fish right out of the water, and grilling it the same day, it just doesn't get any fresher -- or better -- than that. Cooking (and common sense) tip: When you have a very fresh fish, try not to mask the flavors. Let the fresh fish do the talking! We kept it simple with lemons, onions, salt and pepper to accentuate the natural flavors -- you could really taste the fish. It smelled amazing too...

You might ask: "Where can I purchase a Steelhead?" We talked to a fish monger in Seattle today, and found out that Steelhead are not sold commercially, because they are considered a sport fish. So, get your fishing rod out and take a drive to the Klickitat river!

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Rustic Raspberry Crostata

Well, raspberry season is coming to a close, I'm sad to say. It kinda snuck up on me this year. But it didn't escape me, and I was still able to make my annual raspberry crostata.

I learned how to make this several years ago on the Martha Stewart Living show (what I now refer to as "vintage" Martha. I miss those episodes, don't you?). Anyways, I was drawn to this recipe for two reasons. It looked easy, and it looked beautiful---showcasing the raspberry with a bold statement.



When you pick out the raspberries for this tart, be sure to pick out firm berries that can maintain their shape while baking in the oven.



In case you didn't know, a crostata is a free-form rustic style Italian tart. No baking tin needed, so if you're in a rush and don't have time to mess with pie/tart crusts, this is definitely the way to go! After rolling out the dough, the filling only has TWO ingredients: Raspberries and sugar.

Once the raspberries are arranged, just simply fold up the sides overlapping onto each other until it looks like this:

As always, the crostata turned out beautifully. The crust is buttery and flaky, and the raspberries taste amazing. Top it off with some vanilla ice cream (or low-fat frozen yogurt), and expect to be amazed. You and your guests won't be disappointed.

RASPBERRY CROSTATA (adapted from the Martha Stewart Living Show)

Crust (makes enough for two separate crusts)
-2 sticks butter (cold, cubed)
-2 c. flour
-1/4 c. sugar
-1/4 c ice cold water
-pinch salt

Filling: 2 cups raspberries (for one crostata) and a couple Tbls of sugar.

Mix all of the crust ingredients except the water in a food processor. Add water (in increments) at the end to help bind the crumbly mixture. Flatten into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for one hour.

Roll out dough to 10-11 inches in diameter (I like to roll it out between lightly floured parchment paper or plastic wrap). Transfer to baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 Tbls of sugar.

Arrange raspberries in a circular pattern in the rolled out dough (refer to my picture above)leaving 1 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle 2 to 3 Tbls of sugar over the raspberries. Then fold the crostata edges up and over, allowing the flaps to overlap on each other (again, refer to my picture above).


Bake at 450 degrees for approx 20 minutes.
Serves : 4-6



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