Marian Platt

The poets wrote about April, angry one day and sweet as syrup the next.
It’s always touch-and-go in April, but our area just might have unexpected guests this year. At least The New York Times has placed it as one of the top 41 places to visit in 2011.  
Besides all the Northwest beauty, there are the homemade and homegrown food and beverages available. Food involves all five senses and creates emotions powerful enough to cause people to travel to sample.
And here on the peninsula there is much offered — the strait teeming with salmon, halibut and cod, lakes filled with trout, and the oysters, shrimp and crab. There are mushrooms in the forests, wild berries along the road, local farms offering a variety of vegetables and fruits, dairies with homemade cheeses, even wineries and bakeries.
It’s all here on the North Olympic Peninsula — food from the land and the sea.

LAND AND SEA
ON A BUN
1 cup diced turkey or chicken
1 can flaked crab, drained
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoon dry white wine
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
6 buns
12 slices bacon, halved and cooked crisp
6 slices Swiss cheese, halved
Combine turkey or chicken, crab, celery, mayonnaise, wine, mustard and nutmeg; mix well. Split buns. Top each half with above mixture, bacon slices and cheese. Broil 6” from heat until cheese melts, 3-5 minutes. Serve open-faced.
Makes 6 sandwiches.

SURF ‘N’ TURF KEBABS WITH CILANTRO-LIME SAUCE
MARINADE
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons honey
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
KEBABS
1½ pounds swordfish, cut into 16 1½-inch cubes
1½ pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 16 1½-inch cubes
8 plum tomatoes, halved
16 3-inch-long scallion bottoms
1 red bell pepper, cut into 16 squares
1 1-pound eggplant, cut into 16 1½-inch cubes
3 small zucchini, cut into 16 1/2-inch-thick rounds
one stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into 8 slices
Place fish and lamb in separate medium glass bowls. Add 2/3 cup marinade to each; toss to coat.  Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Reserve remaining marinade for basting and making sauce.
Drain fish. Alternate 2 fish cubes, 2 tomato halves and 2 onion bottoms on each of 8 skewers.
Drain lamb.  Alternate 2 lamb cubes, 2 bell pepper squares, 2 eggplant cubes and 2 zucchini rounds on each of 8 skewers.
Arrange on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Cover; chill.
Spray grill.  Grill kebabs until slightly charred and cooked as desired, turning occasionally and basting with remaining marinade, about 8 minutes for fish and 10 minutes for lamb.
Heat marinade, whisking in butter, 1 slice at a time, allowing each to melt before adding next. Season butter sauce to taste with pepper and serve with kebabs.

LAND AND SEA
KEBABS
1 boneless pork chop, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cubes fresh pineapple
1 plum, quartered
6 cubes papaya
4 uncooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 teaspoon lime juice
1½ teaspoons curry powder
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon each salt, dried minced onion and grated lime peel
On two metal skewers, alternately thread the pork, pineapple and plum. On two additional skewers, alternately thread papaya and shrimp. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.  Marinate the skewers at least one hour.
Spray grill and cook kabobs 8-12 minutes, or barbecue.
Serves 2.

CHICK-ON- A-STICK
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup peanuts
2 teaspoon sesame oil
2  pounds chicken breasts, cubed
Place coriander and cumin seeds in heavy dry skillet, tossing occasionally over high heat. When seeds just start to smoke, remove from heat and pour onto plate to cool. Grind in food processor. Combine cumin and coriander with other spices in small bowl. Grind peanuts in food processor until they are the size of small crumbs. Add to spices. Add just enough oil to mixture to form paste.
Rub paste on up to 2 pounds cubed chicken and marinate overnight.
Thread chicken onto skewers and grill until just cooked through.
Serves 4.

Reach Marian Platt at 683-4691 or via e-mail at mlplatt@olypen.com.