Still Life With Salmon

I have taken to eating outside again. I've cleaned off the little table, and I bring out my book (The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy), and sit and read while I eat. I have a hummingbird that zips over to say hello before dashing off to his next appointment. This is also the season when the crows convene a summit in the eucalyptus tree next to my neighbor's house. Occasionally a red shouldered hawk will try to muscle his way in, but the crows make a great fuss over chasing him away. And after the commotion is over, there's the sweet sound of finches and warblers filling the air.

Sometime last week I noticed that I had run out of gas for my barbeque. Somehow, that item on the "to do" list actually got done, so I was ready when the urge for salmon struck. Salmon is one of those foods that just fits with so many moods. I love it off the grill. And I love the salad I create the next day. And if there's anything left over, there's always pasta - a perfect starting point for any kind of leftovers. I managed to find some wild caught salmon - always an extra treat!

Terry B over at Blue Kitchen created a beautiful, springtime sauce for salmon last Wednesday. I bought the salmon thinking I was going to try it, but somehow my taste buds were asking me to do a rub for the fish instead. So Terry's beautiful sauce will have to wait until next time.

I love the simplicity of putting a bunch of dry ingredients into a bowl, mixing them up and rubbing them on meat, poultry or fish. I have a friend who lives in Oregon, right on the banks of the Rogue River. He catches salmon in his back yard! One time when I was visiting him and his family, he made a salmon that practically brought tears of joy to my eyes. It was simple, it was flavorful, and of course, it was very, very fresh. I asked him for his recipe and he just laughed. He didn't really have one, of course. He told me he just put some brown sugar, red chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt together and rubbed it on the fish.

I've been using that basic recipe ever since. The sugar cuts the heat of the chili, so the hotter the chili, the more sugar you'll need. Other than that, it's up to you. The proportions were never given to me, so it's really a matter of personal taste.

Enjoy!

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