We live in Western Colorado in the off season, and it feels like we’re always talking about water. We’re either in a drought or on the verge of one. We “own” water rights to irrigate our fields. We watch the sky in hopes of rain. We even named our boat Virga - that heart-breaking meteorological phenomenon where it looks like sheets of rain are coming down but they evaporate before they hit the ground.

And, unless you’re on a news boycott you know California is seemingly days away from running out of water completely. And they’re not alone (Texas, I’m looking at you).

When we are at sea, fresh water is a valuable commodity.  Our boat holds 300 gallons. That’s water for drinking, cooking, dishwashing, hand washing, and showering. For two people, for as long as we are out (which ranges from 7 to 21 days).  Here’s what we do to conserve;

• Wash dishes like you’re on a boat with 300 gallons of water!  Scrape off any leftover bits over the side of the boat, a little water to scrub with, a small tub to reuse the wash water and the world’s fastest rinse.
• You do not need to shower every day, even on a boat. Even after cleaning 300 king salmon. And when you do shower, it’s just like washing dishes. A splash to get wet, then the water’s turned off while you soap up and shampoo. Water back on for a quick rinse, and that’s it.
• Anyone who still lets the tap run while they are brushing their teeth should have to spend a week in the desert.  
• Even cooking water can be reused, or at least maximized. For instance, if we are steaming vegetables for dinner, steam enough for 2 or 3 days with that same water.  Also, although it’s hard for me to not boil pasta in at least a gallon of water, David has wrung that habit out of me, now when I cook noodles it’s with barely enough water to cover them.  
  

Get Salty

People sometimes ask us about using seawater for different purposes - I suppose one could use a bucket of seawater to wash dishes in, then only use fresh for the final wash. David also has a great story of passing some troller who was single handing it, standing on deck washing himself down with the deckhouse while simultaneously stomping on soapy laundry.  “Multitasking!” he yelled as they passed.

I’m not quite ready to start heating up buckets of seawater on the stove to bathe in, but I can imagine it.

For me, the hard part is “thinking like I’m on the boat” even when I am at home. The faucet yields a seemingly endless supply of clean, fresh water. I have to force myself to turn it off! Lately I’ve been setting the timer on my phone and trying to stick to 3-minute showers. I don’t know why something that seems so easy on the Virga is so hard here at home! The buzzer seems to always go off while I still have conditioner in my hair (note: right, we don’t use conditioner on the boat!)  

The Bigger Picture

Larger issues loom for salmon fishermen as California’s drought-related issues grow.  This recent article in The Press Democrat lays out the larger problem facing North Coast fishermen:

“Salmon spawn in cold, fresh water streams, and the fish have been struggling to survive in increasingly hostile conditions during the state’s prolonged dry spell. Low flows and high water temperatures imperil eggs and juvenile fish, and consecutive years with such conditions can threaten multiple generations of salmon.”

No matter where you live, thinking about your own water use helps keep you focused on the larger issues that we all face in times of extended drought.  

It’s snowing here on the Western Slope of Colorado. Seems weird to look out the window and see my daffodils dusted with white, the iced over hummingbird feeder swaying in the wind… But, it’s typical here. April is a big snow month for us (and we sure need the moisture).

A slow snowing morning has me thinking of condiments - something I can work on this morning while I rock out to my favorite local radio show (The Freakshow on KVNF) and enjoy the weather.  

What’s bright and fresh that we can just drop on top of tonight’s coho fillet? We’ll see if the Captain wants to grill in the snow - otherwise we’ll just roast our fish inside.  No one wants to drive to the market, so time to play with what’s on hand…We have half a cucumber, which makes me think of pickles. Pickle butter!

Soften a 1/2 cup of butter (unsalted if you have it).

While that happens, chop up some pickles.  Dill would be great, I happen to have some Hot & Sweet in the fridge so I am using those.  2 Tbs. worth, and about 2 tsp. of pickle juice

Add 2 tsp. of Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. of dried dill, 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder, a dash of tabasco and salt and pepper to taste.  

Mix everything together and form into a log using some waxed paper - this way you can cut nice disks off to place on top of your cooked salmon.  It also makes a great base for a smoked salmon appetizer - just imagine some rye bread smothered in pickle butter topped with some gravlax and a little fresh dill.  

Keep thinking spring!

Spring has me thinking light.  Salmon Tartar is an easy meal or a quick way to wow guests - enjoy as an appetizer or a light first course. As a reminder, you only want to use wild salmon that’s been previously frozen.  

The FDA guidelines for eating raw wild salmon are:

▪ Freeze at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (continuous time); or

▪ Freeze at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -31°F (-35°C) or below for 15 hours.

Since it’s hard to achieve temps that cold in your run-of-the-mill home freezer, it’s best to buy salmon that’s been commercially frozen then you don’t have to worry about it.  

Now, on to the recipe:

• 1 lb. FAS Wild Coho Salmon, diced
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 2 Tb. olive oil
• 2 Tb. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tb. chopped fresh dill
• salt and pepper to taste
  

All you have to do is combine, taste, adjust seasoning if necessary and serve - so easy.  I like salmon tartar on rye bread or those super-crunchy Blue Diamond Nut Thins (pretty much my favorite cracker).  For a first course enjoy on top of a lettuce leaf or served in a fancy cocktail glass.

What's your favorite spring salmon preparation?

We have some friends visiting from out of town which gave us a perfect opportunity to enjoy a real treat - an ivory King Salmon! We don't catch very many - maybe only a dozen each season.  We enjoyed grilling this big fish up for dinner (using our favorite marinade) and despite how delicious it was, we ended up with a lot of leftovers.

Which is not a problem!  We love leftovers.  Sometimes even more than the meal itself.

The grilled meat is a perfect base for one of our favorite breakfasts - salmon hash. So easy and delicious, this is protein-packed way to start a great day.  It helps if you have some potatoes already cooked (we keep some in the freezer for just such an occasion).  But if you have those two things - you're about 15 minutes away from a great meal!  Other things you might want to add - chopped onions and garlic, scallions, shredded cheese, roasted peppers, eggs...  you can keep it simple or you can layer in the flavors. 

Start with a nice big skillet - cast iron is great - but whatever you use make sure it's big enough to hold all the potatoes in a single layer. That's a key to getting brown and crispy taters.

Get that pan nice and hot.  Super hot. Add some oil (we like grape seed oil for this one) and then when the oil is hot, add your potatoes (and onions if using). You want to hear that SIZZLE when they hit the pan. Now, let them sit for a few minutes.  Add your seasonings while you wait (I'm a big fan of a Cajun blend). After 5 minutes or so your potatoes should be nice and brown - get in their with a spatula and flip things around. If the potatoes seem like they are sticking, give them another couple of minutes.  

All you have to do now is add your cooked salmon to the pan to warm it up. You can add chopped scallions, cover with shredded cheddar, or top with an egg before serving.  Enjoy!

We’ve been in Boulder, CO the last few days spending time at the two Alfalfa’s Markets that are currently featuring our fish (on special!  Fillets for $14.99, Steaks for $12.99). After chatting with a store member who works in bulk foods, I thought I’d share a suggestion for one of our favorite sides to eat with salmon - a sort of quick and easy grain dish.


Start with a few cups of cooked grains - lately we’ve been loving wheat berries and freekeh.  You can start with one cup or 10, depending on how much you want to make.  Now, chop up some mushrooms - one cup mushrooms for every cup of grain (or so…) chop up a bit of garlic too, and a little onion if you have some.  


To make the dish, saute the garlic and the onion in a bit of olive oil (or your current favorite - we actually just used avocado oil for the first time yesterday and it rocked!).  Add the garlic and the mushrooms and cook until soft and golden brown.  Mix the cooked mushroom mixture in with the grains.  The final step involves a bottle of Annie’s Shiitake Sesame Dressing - add as much as you need to flavor and moisten your quick and easy pilaf.  It’s delicious hot or cold, and a perfect pairing for wild Coho salmon!