Heady homestead vegetables, Matanuska Valley.
Heady homestead vegetables, Matanuska Valley.
Cooking Alaskan 
RECIPE BY MAMIE JENSEN, JUNEAU
4 cups cooked, mashed squash
2 eggs, beaten
⅓ cup melted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
1½ cups raw lingonberries or cranberries (halved if they are large)
½ teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
Dash nutmeg
• Heat oven to 400°F. With egg beater, whip the squash with eggs and 3 tablespoons of the butter. Stir in sugar, cranberries, salt, and pepper. Spoon into 2-quart casserole, top with remaining butter, sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake uncovered, 30 to 40 minutes.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS.
The Riversong Lodge Cookbook KIRSTEN DIXON
We love to make macaroni and cheese in variations. It is nearly a universal food. This white and green version combines Greek olives, feta cheese, sour cream, salsa, and spinach.
1 onion, finely chopped
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 cup sour cream
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup sliced Greek olives (about 15 olives)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup spinach, cooked, drained, and chopped
½ cup chunky mild tomato salsa
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
• In a skillet, sauté the onion in butter until it is soft and golden. Cook the macaroni in the boiling salted water until tender. Drain.
• In a bowl, mix the hot macaroni, onion, sour cream, feta, and olives. Toss well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the spinach and toss again. Stir in the mild salsa. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS.
The Alaska Heritage Seafood Cookbook
ANN CHANDONNET
Pecan Wild Rice is a savory side dish unique to Simon & Seafort’s Bar and Grill in Anchorage, where it is dished up with fish entrées such as Cod Baked with Sun-Dried Tomato-Thyme Butter (page 112) and Rockfish with African Peanut Sauce (page 114). This is my own version, enhanced with tangerine rind.
3 cups water
½ cup raw wild rice, rinsed and drained
2 cups rich beef stock
1½ cups raw long-grain white rice
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped dried tangerine rind (see Note)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove fresh garlic, finely minced
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• In a heavy saucepan, bring the 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the wild rice, reduce heat slightly, and cook at a gentle simmer, uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes or until rice is just tender. Drain. Keep warm.
• In another heavy saucepan, bring the beef stock to a boil. Add the white rice, reduce the heat slightly, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add the orange juice and stir. Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the tangerine rind.
• Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until wilted. Add the garlic for the final 2 minutes. Add the pecans and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring. Remove from heat.
• Combine the rices and the onion mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper, fluffing the rice with a fork. Serve hot.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS.
Note: For the subtle chinese fillip of tangerine rind, simply eat a tangerine 3 or 4 days ahead, saving the rind. Dry the rind at room temperature. Break the dried rind into little bits and fold into the rice.
The Riversong Lodge Cookbook KIRSTEN DIXON
We serve these potatoes both as a breakfast dish and as a side dish for other meals. The longer the garlic cooks, the more it sweetens and mellows in flavor.
¼ cup olive oil
1 pound potatoes, scrubbed and cut into cubes
10 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
Leaves from 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Spread the potatoes over the bottom of the pan and sauté for about 10 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and add the garlic. Continue to sauté until the potatoes are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the rosemary leaves, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS.
Lowbush Moose GORDON NELSON
If there are any foods in the world that love each other more than sour cream and mushrooms, I haven’t found them. Every time I drift home from the grocery store with a wistful look, my wife says, “Mushrooms and Sour Cream?”
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup onion, minced
¼ cup butter
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sherry
Salt and black pepper to taste
• You can add this pair to just about anything and they will come up tasting wonderful. Try the basic recipe here and then try the suggested variations or dream up your own. Just think of me when you eat them and maybe some of that enjoyment will come my way through telepathy.
• Some additions you might wish to try on the second or third time: 1 clove of garlic, minced, added during the sautéing. A dash of nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, ½ teaspoon tarragon or dried parsley or fresh chives—any of these, or any combination, added with the seasoning.
• Sauté the mushrooms and onion in the butter for 5 minutes. Stir in the sour cream, sherry, and salt and pepper. Heat the mixture to a point just below boiling, but be careful not to let it boil.
• When this is hot you can serve it as a separate dish as is, or as a sauce on just about anything, although it goes especially well with rice, noodles, mashed potatoes, or broccoli.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS.
A Cache of Recipes LAURA COLE
Serving these with our Grilled Marinated Flank Steak (page 155) complements their bold, savory flavor.
½ large red onion
1 red bell pepper, seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded
1 green bell pepper, seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• Slice the onion in half, then into 6 long wedges. Slice each red, yellow, and green pepper into 8 long wedges.
• In a large, 2-inch-deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 1 minute. Add the bell pepper wedges and sauté for 1 minute more. Add the molasses and balsamic vinegar, stirring to coat. When the peppers are tender, remove the pan from the heat. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme, and serve warm.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS.
A Cache of Recipes LAURA COLE
We refer to these as smashed potatoes because they are just coarsely mashed with the back of a spoon. Roasting the garlic gives it rich flavor and makes it easier to digest. Roasted garlic is a great food to have on hand. You can keep it refrigerated for up to two weeks.
Roasted Garlic
1 large head garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup heavy cream
14 small red potatoes, washed
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
• To make the roasted garlic: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the tapered end off the head of garlic, very near the top, exposing the cloves. Drizzle the oil onto the cut end of the garlic, allowing it to seep in. Sprinkle the salt on top of the oil. Wrap the garlic tightly in foil and roast it for about 45 minutes. Test it by squeezing gently on the foil; the garlic should be very tender. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool before unwrapping the foil.
• To prepare the potatoes: In a small pan, over low heat, melt together the butter and cream; keep warm.
• Set the potatoes in a large pot, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Insert a fork into the center of a potato to check doneness; the potato should easily fall off the fork. Quickly drain the potatoes and return them to the same pot. Add the warmed butter and cream. Smash the potatoes into the butter and cream with the back of a spoon. Unwrap the garlic and squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins into the smashed potatoes. The roasted garlic should be fork tender. Continue mashing and smashing with the spoon. The potatoes should be slightly mashed, with larger chunks of potatoes and skin still visible. Season with salt and pepper.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS.
The Double Musky Inn Cookbook
BOB AND DEANNA PERSONS
2 cups long-grain rice
2½ cups chicken stock
¼ cup diced green peppers
¼ cup diced white onions
¼ cup diced celery
2 tablespoons butter
1½ teaspoons granulated garlic
2¼ teaspoons salt
• Preheat oven to 500°F
• Mix ingredients well and place in an oven-safe baking dish that’s at least 2 inches higher than the rice mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake 50 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and pinch some rice between your fingers to make sure it’s done. It should feel soft. The vegetables will be on the surface of the rice; stir them in. The rice can be left in a 150°F to 200°F oven for up to several hours if covered tightly. Put the rice into another dish for serving.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS.
Note: This rice should be used the day you make it. It dries out quickly and cannot be stored successfully for serving again alone, but leftovers can be used as an ingredient in soup.
Wild Mushrooms CYNTHIA NIMS
(Northwest Homegrown Cookbook series)
The rich and creamy quality of a good potato gratin is deliciously embellished with wild mushrooms sandwiched between layers of thinly sliced potato. If you have a mandolin slicer, it’s just the tool to make quick and easy work of slicing the potatoes uniformly. Any type of wild mushroom will be good for this recipe, a few different ones used together even better.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup minced shallot or onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound wild mushrooms, brushed clean, trimmed, and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds russet potatoes
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup half-and-half
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously butter a 12-inch oval gratin dish or other shallow 2-quart baking dish.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add ⅓ cup of the shallot and the garlic and sauté until tender and aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they are tender and any liquid they release has evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes. Take the skillet from the heat and stir in the thyme with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into ⅛-inch slices. Sprinkle about half of the remaining shallot over the bottom of the gratin dish and top with about one-third of the potato slices, slightly overlapping in an even layer. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Top with half of the mushroom mixture, spreading it out evenly, and sprinkle with one-third of the Parmesan cheese. Top with another third of the potato slices, the remaining mushrooms, and another third of the Parmesan cheese. Finish with the remaining potatoes, arranging the slices in an attractive pattern.
• Stir together the cream and half-and-half in a small bowl, then pour the cream mixture evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining shallot and cheese over, seasoning once again with salt and pepper. Set the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake until the edges of the gratin are bubbling and the potatoes are quite tender (pierce through the layers with a small knife to check), about 1 hour 15 minutes. If the top is well browned before the potatoes are tender, top the gratin loosely with a piece of buttered foil. Let sit for a few minutes before scooping out to serve.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS.
Discovering Wild Plants JANICE J. SCHOFIELD
2 cups chickweed tips, snipped fine with scissors
1 cup cleaned fiddleheads
¼ cup chopped dandelion greens
2 tablespoons chopped sorrel
1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
2 tablespoons sesame oil
½ cup pineapple chunks
1 tablespoon soy sauce
12 ounces (1 package) chow mein noodles
• Sauté greens and gingerroot in hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes. Add pineapple chunks and soy sauce. Heat briefly. Serve immediately on chow mein noodles.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS.
Tired Wolf GORDON NELSON
During the summer months, our family enjoys the wealth of greens our garden provides. The favorite is Swiss chard, but if it’s green and tasty, we’ll cook it. Try this recipe with what you have to cook.
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced, separated into rings
1 green pepper (optional)
1 pound shredded garden greens chard, spinach, beet, or turnip tops or even the lettuces (8 packed cups)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
• In your large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the vegetable oil. Sauté the onion and green pepper about 5 minutes, until tender but crisp.
• Add the greens, salt, and pepper to the skillet and cover. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, until the greens are tender.
• Or try this recipe in a microwave oven. With the oven set on high, cook the onion and pepper in a microwave-safe 3-quart container for 3 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the greens and cook 2 minutes. Stir well, cook another 2 minutes, season as above and serve at once.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS.
Alaska Wild Berry Guide and Cookbook
1 cup lowbush cranberries
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
½ cup diced ham or bacon
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 cups stale bread crumbs
1 cup cornbread crumbs
Poultry seasonings to taste
• Run the cranberries through a food chopper and add the sugar. Cook celery, parsley, and diced ham in butter for 5 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, seasoning, and berries and blend lightly. This is particularly good with baked moose heart, wild duck, or poultry.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS.
The Double Musky Inn Cookbook
BOB AND DEANNA PERSONS
1 loaf day-old bread
1 tablespoon diced jalapeños
2½ cups diced celery
2½ cups sliced green onions
1½ cups diced green peppers
2 hot link sausages, about 4 ounces each, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons butter/margarine blend, melted
• Preheat oven to 425°F degrees.
• Finely shred day-old bread into crumbs, using a food processor or grater; the bread should not be too dry or stale. Measure out 5 cups of bread crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of diced jalapeños.
• Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Put the dressing mixture in a deep baking dish, spread it level, and cover it tightly with foil.
• Bake the dressing for 30 minutes, remove from oven, and stir it well. Cover and re-place the dressing in the oven for 30 minutes more. Remove the dressing from the oven again, stir, and put it back in the oven, uncovered this time, for 20 more minutes or until the top is slightly browned.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS.
Note: The cooking time for this dressing can vary considerably depending on the oven and the dish it is cooked in.
Discovering Wild Plants JANICE J. SCHOFIELD
Recipe by Mairiis Davidson-Hollister, Homer
4 cups fresh nettles, chopped
Boiling water
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Place nettles in steamer basket over boiling water. Cook 3 to 5 minutes. Top nettles with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS.
Hibrow Cow GORDON NELSON
Another vegetable that grows well in the Matanuska Valley is the carrot. Naturally after you have served them boiled, stewed, sliced, and grated, and added them to every dish you make, there will be some left. I had all I needed in the freezer and still had carrots left in the garden. Any suggestion would have been considered. Into this void of ideas came this recipe from a friend. This dish is reported to keep for a week, but in my experience it is gone within two days.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1¼ teaspoons sugar
2 cups peeled or scraped, shredded carrots
1 cup thinly sliced green peppers
⅓ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup water
1 cup finely chopped onions
¼ cup tomato catsup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
• In a saucepan over medium heat combine 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add carrots, green peppers, celery, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered. Stir occasionally during the 5 to 10 minutes necessary for vegetables to become tender. Remove from heat.
• In a second saucepan, sauté onions in 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon sugar until transparent. Add onions to carrot mixture and mix well. Add catsup and lemon juice and mix one more time.
• Transfer carrots to a covered bowl and chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold as a salad, or as a garnish for fish dishes, or add some to your favorite sandwich. And finish the bowl as a midnight snack.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS.
The Winterlake Lodge Cookbook KIRSTEN DIXON
The first time I ate fiddlehead ferns, I tried them fresh off the fern, and I got a terrible stomachache. Don’t eat them without blanching them first, which neutralizes the enzymes that can upset the stomach. Fiddleheads are best when picked still tightly curled. Peel off the papery skin and trim any remaining stalk. A handful is about right for a reasonable serving. Fiddleheads are abundant in Alaska. They are a warm, welcome reminder that spring is here.
½ cup butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound fiddlehead ferns, trimmed and cleaned
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Italian parsley
Salt and freshly ground Winterlake Pepper Blend (page 59)
• In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until it is aromatic but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the fiddleheads and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and cover the pan with a lid or with aluminum foil to allow the ferns to steam slightly, cooking for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the fiddleheads with parsley. Season the fiddleheads with salt and pepper to taste.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS.