Sterling Terrain V02 - Flipbook - Page 21
Sterling College | 19
The Sterling FishSquish
Hear me out. We are a landlocked state - and FishSquish is probably the
last thing you were expecting to see written in here. While these two
statements are true, it is also true that we’re a landlocked state with
access to modern distribution, and a lot of our students and community members come from places well… less landlocked! While meat, milk,
potatoes, and endless floods of zucchini and kale should hold us allyear-round, the reality is that it is rather nice to have a change of pace
here and there - a taste of what reminds some of us of our former home,
while we’re in our home here.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t be ecologically conscious when it
comes to these realities. Here at Sterling, we pay attention to the practices of not just the land but also the sea - and lucky for us, we have access to a small faction of amazing and responsible fishers, fishmongers,
and fish-appreciators.
We source a fair amount of our fish from Starbird Fish, a small crew
based out of Burlington, Vermont, that makes an annual voyage to Alaska every summer to sustainably source and harvest salmon. When we’re
not reaching out to Tony and his crew at Starbird, we’ve got Ed at Stowe
Seafood holding down the East Coast fishing scene. These are relationships that we have built over the years, and we lean into them when the
itch comes for a taste of the sea, but a taste that can also align with
our values.
Now about the FishSquish. We’ve done a lot of different fish dishes here
on campus, but this one always hits. I’ve been making these salmon
cakes for the better part of nine years now, and the recipe I’ve known
a lot longer. I will not give credit to a fast-food chain for inventing a fish
sandwich that is wittily-named, but I will give credit to my late Grandma
who perfected one particular sandwich. Raised in a fishing village in
Newfoundland, my stoic Nanny would make these fish cakes regularly
- her house legitimately always reeked of them - in a good way - a homey way. So I took that recipe and made it a little more college-friendly.
Thus, I present: the FishSquish - ‘cause this one needs a good squish to
make it and all of its fixing fit.
For the Salmon Cake
1 lb salmon - whole or trim, fresh or frozen
(thawed)
3 shallots, finely minced
¼ cup peas, cooked
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 bunch parsley, chopped fine
1 bunch dill, rough chopped
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 egg
½ cup panko, bread crumbs, or starch (corn/
potato)
3 tbsp white wine or rice vinegar
For the Slaw
½ green cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, shredded
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp sesame oil (or preferred oil)
Salt and pepper to taste
In a small bowl, massage all ingredients together. Set aside.
For serving
½ cup or 1 stick of butter, for frying
2 tbsp butter, for toasting
Bun of choice
Mayonnaise
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Pickles of choice, thinly sliced
In a food processor or small stand mixer, add
salmon, shallots, peas, and garlic. Pulse until
evenly combined. Add herbs, salt and pepper. Pulse until fully incorporated. Add egg
and starch. Mix on medium speed for one
minute. Mixture will be loose.
Heat ¼ cup of butter in a small cast iron skillet or saute pan on medium-high heat, until it starts to bubble. Scoop 4 oz of salmon
mixture, two at a time, into the skillet. Press
down lightly with a spatula. Brown for 5 minutes, and flip. Cook for five minutes, and turn
heat down to low. Add white wine, or rice
vinegar, and cover. Cook for another 3-5
minutes until the salmon is cooked through
(150°F), and remove from the pan. Repeat
with remaining salmon mixture. Set salmon
cakes aside.
To Build the Sandwich:
Wipe out the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, and turn heat up to medium. Toast buns
until golden. Generously slather mayonnaise
on top and bottom of bun. Place salmon cake
on the bottom bun. Top with red onion, slaw,
pickles. Place the top bun on and give it a
good squish.
Food Photos: Compliments of Liz Chadwick
Photo of Liz: Mark Washburn