Dried Apples, Applesauce and Grilled Salmon with Garden Mayonnaise

Local apples and new potatoes are now available at the farmer's market. It has turned into a mecca of wonder fresh fruits and vegetables many of which I will be preserving over the next couple of months. Yesterday I took a break from canning tomatoes to make the first batch of apple sauce and dry apples. The house smelled heavenly! On the menu for dinner was grilled salmon with garden mayonnaise, grilled asparagus and steamed new potatoes.

Dried Apples & Applesauce

By far my favourite apple for baking, drying or making applesauce is the L-star. This is a nice firm, tart apple that holds it's shape well. Cooked apple pieces need only to be run through the food mill for perfectly textured applesauce eliminating the need to boil down further. The method I use for making applesauce can be found in an earlier blog entry here. The only modification I make to the method is to omit the sugar.

Dried apple slices are very easy to make. They can be used for snacking, cooking or garnishing. Be sure to make a lot of these as they will quickly become a favourite treat.

Method: Wash and core apples. Slice into thin slices. Dip into a solution of water with about 2 tbsp of lemon juice added. Arrange the slices on drying trays. Dehydrate at 130º F until the slices are dry to the touch and are pliable. Remove from tray and store in vacuum* sealed mason jars.

* Vacuum sealing will prevent any moisture from getting in that could cause the apple slices to mold. It also protects them from rodents and insects.

Grilled Salmon

I keep a good stock of salmon fillets and steaks in the freezer as it is one of our favourite fish. Grilling salmon is quick and easy, under 15 minutes. When paired with grilled or steamed vegetables I presented the meal as shown in the picture with the salmon sitting on top of the asparagus then topped with Garden Mayonnaise. Steamed red and white potatoes completed the meal.

I came across a recipe called Grilled Salmon with Garden Mayonnaise in the August issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Their method for grilling the salmon fillets and asparagus spears differed from mine so I decided to grill them the way I always do. I also leave the skin on salmon as I find it gives a better result when grilled. Their recipe included Garden Mayonnaise which sounded interesting so I made it and then tweaked a bit (recipe follows).

Grilled Salmon

1 salmon fillet or steak per person
1/2 tsp butter per fillet or steak
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice per fillet or steak
sprig of lemon thyme per fillet or steak
citrus slices (optional)

Pre-heat the grill to medium. Place the salmon skin side down for fillets or brush with half the butter for steaks and place on the grill. Brush the top side with remaining butter. Pour about 1 tbsp lemon juice on the salmon. Place 1-2 citrus slices (optional) and lemon thyme sprig on the salmon. When salmon looks cooked on the bottom side, turn. Brush with butter and lemon juice. Remove from grill. Use citrus slices and thyme sprigs as garnish if desired.

Grilled Asparagus

Wash and trim ends from the asparagus. Dry then place on pre-heated grill on medium heat. Lightly spritz the asparagus with olive oil using a health mister or lightly brush on a little olive oil. Sprinkle on just a light pinch of sea salt. Let cook about 4 minutes, turn and repeat. Remove from grill.

Garden Mayonnaise
adapted from: Garden Mayonnaise, Better Homes and Gardens, August 2007. Pp. 202

1/2 c finely chopped celery
1/4 c thinly sliced green onions
1/3 c mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp snipped fresh tarragon
pinch Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tsp fresh lemon thyme leaves

Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Use as you would tartar sauce to garnish salmon.

My notes: This is a fancier version of tartar sauce with a nice fresh flavour. The first five ingredients are the same as the original recipe. I did just a bit of tweaking by adding the other ingredients. This is one recipe I will continue tweaking a bit.