FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FEAST (NAT CHERRY MONTH) ~ SESAME BROILED GREAT LAKES WHITEFISH with CHERRY SALSA

Great Lakes Whitefish: The Great Fish

Michigan is surrounded by the largest freshwater system in the world, commonly known as the Great Lakes. With 6 quadrillion gallons of water, this amazing ecosystem is home to many species of fantastic fish, including the delicious and versatile Great Lakes whitefish.Michigan fishermen are out every day, early in the morning, on the pristine waters to bring back the freshest, best-tasting wild-caught whitefish for your plate. By choosing Michigan whitefish you are assured the most flavorful fish: packed with Omega-3 fatty acids that make it a powerhouse of nutrition."

~ Great Lakes Whitefish

~ Icy Sunset

(Great 'inland' lake ~ Hubbard Lake)

SESAME BROILED GREAT LAKES WHITEFISH with CHERRY SALSA

~ This delicious whitefish recipe, adapted from Great Lakes Whitefish, is paired with another of Michigan's finest offerings, cherries, making this 'trial & error' combo a recipe even 'fish haters' might find hard to resist.

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4 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter

juice and zest of 1 fresh lemon

4 fresh (or thawed) whitefish fillets

sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

6 Tbsp. sesame seeds

fresh lemon wedges

• Preheat broiler and broiler pan.
• Meanwhile, combine melted butter with lemon juice and zest. Sprinkle fish on both sides with salt & pepper to taste and butter-lemon juice mixture. Place on broiler pan.
• Broil 5 inches from heat source, 6-12 minutes per inch of thickest part of fillet, basting once or twice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and continue to broil until seeds are golden brown, 1-2 minutes. To check for doneness, fish should be opaque and flake easily with pricked with fork. Serve topped with Cherry Salsa, lemon wedges and a bottle of 'award-winning' Michigan wine.

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CHERRY SALSA

  

~ This spicy recipe is compliments of the Cherry Marketing Institute

1 1/3 cups frozen unsweetened tart cherries

1/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 Tbsp. seeded and chopped jalapenos

1 finely chopped clove garlic

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp. cornstarch

• Coarsely chop frozen tart cherries. Let cherries thaw and drain, reserving 1 Tbsp. cherry juice. Combine thawed or fresh cherries, dried cherries, onion, jalapenos, garlic, and cilantro in medium saucepan; mix well. Combine reserved cherry juice and cornstarch in small bowl; mix until smooth. Stir into cherry mixture. Cook stirring constantly over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened. Let cool. Serve with fish (grilled poultry, roast pork or with tortilla chips).

CELEBRATE 'HEART MONTH' (Dicentra spectablis) ~ GINGER CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

"Beauty is not in the face; Beauty is a light in the heart." 

     ~ Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)

 Bleeding Heart

(Dicentra spectabilis 'Gold Heart')

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GINGER CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

~ Heart healthy meal everyone will enjoy

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3  (4-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breasts

3  Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

3  cloves crushed fresh garlic

3  Tbsp. Tamari or organic soy sauce

3  Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

2  Tbsp. honey

1  Tbsp. sesame oil (spicy or regular)

1-2  tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. cornstarch

4  tsp. extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil

1 1/2  cups thin matchstick sliced carrots

2  cups julienne sliced red, yellow or orange pepper

1  cup matchstick sliced snow peas

1  cup fresh bean sprouts

1  (8 oz.) drained and diced water chestnuts

3/4  cup sliced green onions

1/2  cup toasted sliced almonds

Bibb lettuce leaves for 6 servings

• Cut chicken into thin strips.
• Combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and cornstarch. Pour over chicken while prepping vegetables.
• Heat wok or large skillet. Pour in oil and heat. Remove chicken from marinade and carefully add to pan. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Pour marinade over chicken. Add carrots, peppers, sprouts, snow peas, water chestnuts, and onions. Cook 3 minutes or until sauce slightly thickens, stirring often. Add almonds.
• Spoon 1/4-1/2 cup chicken mixture into lettuce leaf and roll up.

Gardener's Note: This brilliant 'old-fashioned' bleeding heart POPS in a shade garden . Surprisingly hearty with long lasting blooms, its sunny leaves will glow throughout spring and summer.

'IMAGINATION'

"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere."

~  Carl Sagan

'Abalone Abstract'

'NIGHT & DAY' (Hubbard Lake, MI)

“The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.”

~  Rabindranath Tagore

February Day

'Night and Day'

(Hubbard Lake, MI)

February Eve

“Do not say, "It is morning," and dismiss it with a name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a new-born child that has no name.”  

~  Rabindranath  Tagore