My Grandma was known for her hospitality. Stranger? Friend? Outcast? All were welcome in her home. In the 50’s, she started a Sunday school class at her church for unwed mothers, which was unheard of at the time. And when those women had nowhere to go, they could always count on “Peggy” to offer them a safe place grounded in the Gospel, a warm heart, and a warm meal. She loved to serve.
But she wasn’t a wealthy woman, or even a financially comfortable one, so she always had to make the most of what little she had. She was my inspiration for dinner last night. I scoured the fridge and freezer to see what, if anything I had for dinner, and I’ll be totally honest, the pickings were slim. I had frozen salmon, fresh carrots and hash browns…and a fully stocked liquor cabinet. (Something I’m sure my Baptist Grandmother DID NOT have.) And from this motley crew of ingredients a plan was formed: Bourbon marinated salmon with brown sugar glazed carrots and hash brown cakes. I know Southerners love their Bourbon, so I knew that I’d be honoring southern tradition by marinating my salmon in it. I combined ¼ cup of Bourbon, ¼ spicy brown mustard, ¼ cup of brown sugar and 1 tsp. of chili powder poured it over the salmon and let it mingle for about 10 minutes. While the marinade worked its magic, I chopped the carrots and threw them into the steamer. (Little did they know that their steamed goodness was about to be slathered with butter and brown sugar!) I also mixed the thawed hash browns with some chopped onion, flour, salt, pepper and beaten egg to make a simple cake. I browned them up in some hot oil till they were brown and crisp. I don’t know about you, but I am always on the lookout for new ways to make starches for dinner time. A woman can only eat so many servings of mashed potatoes and rice before she loses her mind. I was thrilled to find the hash browns lurking in the deep recesses of my freezer because they forced me to think outside of the box and make something unexpected.
Well, we can’t forget about the delicious Bourbon salmon can we? When it was finished marinating, I seasoned it with salt and pepper, put it on a sheet tray, poured the remaining marinade over it and put it under the broiler for 8 minutes until it was ready. It was heavenly. It wasn’t boozy at all, so don’t be concerned about the Bourbon…it added an extra layer of flavor you just couldn’t get from anything else. There are non-alcoholic alternatives to Bourbon, most of which involve Vanilla extract, but if you can, do it up the right way.
This meal challenged me to think inside the box (the ice box, that is) in order to think outside of it. I imagined my Grandma standing in front of her ice box in her hand stitched apron, contemplating ways to make a meal that would welcome wayward souls in need of fellowship. And I was proud; proud of her legacy, her service and my family’s meal.
Tonight’s meal includes shrimp and grits….so stay tuned!
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