salmon creole

It has been an interesting day.  The day started with me looking at the kitchen counter and realizing that the sourdough pancake batter had exploded during the night.  Then the boyos scooped up the batter on the counter to create more pancake batter.  Yes, my life.  My whole day has been:  it looks, go for it, can we change it?  I am tired.  I did not get anything done after work I should have but a few rows of crochet.  It is okay because that where my energy is.

I was at work searching my blog for my recipe of salmon creole.  I was making my list.  And come to find out that I had not written it here!  My Beloved teased me that my blog is going to have to be around indefinitely because it is the family cook book.  He is about right.

I am now documenting the recipe for salmon creole so I cannot lose it.  You can make it quick like I did this evening.  Or you can set it up in a crockpot and let it simmer all day.  Like most things Creole, letting it sitting and simmer and meld makes it taste richer and more flavorful with out changing the ingredients.  The recipe I have also calls for celery and since I rarely have celery in the house, there is none in this version.

salmon creole

2 to 4 tablespoons olive

1/2 to 1 onion, peeled and chopped fine

1 cup sweet bell pepper, chopped fine

4 large cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon basil

1 cup broth or water

1 28 ounce can tomatoes, blended

1 teaspoon sugar

about 8 ounces of salmon per person, skinned, boned as much as possible, and cut into chunks

Put the olive oil in a large skillet and put it over medium heat.  Put in the onion and sweet pepper.  Let start to get golden.  Add the garlic and sauté until golden.  Stir often.  Add the salt, pepper, bay, thyme, and basil.  Stir and let cook a couple minutes.  Add the water.  Bring back to a boil.  Add the tomato.  Bring to a boil.  Add the sugar.  Let cook down a bit.

If you were to do this in a crockpot, put the tomato and water in the crockpot.  Add the cooked vegetables and spices.  Mix in the sugar.  Turn on low and let cook for hours.  Watch the amount of water in it, never letting it go to dry.

To both, add the salmon about 10 minutes before you wish to eat.  Cover the pan.  The salmon is done when it is lighter and more opaque in color.

I serve this over rice.

Like most foods I make like this, salmon creole is excellent the first day but the leftovers are even better.  Letting it sit in the refrigerator and meld just makes it that much better.  It always makes me think I should go visit New Orleans soon.  The Christmas season in New Orleans is quite beautiful and Christmas Eve mass at Christ Church Cathedral is lovely.