Silvia Lehrer's Cooking Column

I attended a wedding in upstate New York several weeks ago. The groom was Israeli. When I asked the bride to be, who had lived in Israel, what it was like to live there, she remarked, “They don’t take anything for granted.” Her comment was thought provoking. More than 200 years have passed since the signing of the Declaration of Independence from Britain, and I fear that this major, unreligious holiday is often taken for granted.

The Fourth of July is no doubt our most significant and uniquely American holiday. And for this reason alone we have cause for celebration with perhaps a little reflection.
A New Hampshire friend often refers to the tradition of cooking a poached salmon for the Fourth of July. I have enjoyed Ina Garten’s baked, whole salmon with onion and fennel stuffing from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, 1999. The recipe can be completely prepared ahead to be baked later or baked and served at room temperature. A potato accompaniment and a timely strawberry rhubarb tart will help you get off to a joyous and independent Fourth.

SALMON WITH ONION FENNEL STUFFING
A perfect party dish for a crowd.

Prepare ahead and bake before serving.

Serves 10-15

1 7-8 pound whole wild or organic salmon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large Vidalia onions sliced 1/4-inch
3-4 fennel bulbs sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fennel fronds
Zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons coarse (kosher) salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Have the fishmonger cut the head and tail off the salmon and butterfly it, removing all the bones. You should have about 5 pounds of salmon fillets.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Warm oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions and fennel over medium heat, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add thyme leaves, fennel fronds, orange zest, orange juice, salt and pepper and saute about 5 minutes longer, until the onions and fennel are tender. Taste for salt and pepper.
3. Place the salmon on a cutting board and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Spread the onion fennel mixture over half of the salmon. Pull the other half up and over the filling, enclosing it. Tie the salmon every 2 inches with kitchen string to secure the stuffing.
4. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or large oven going platter. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Test for doneness; insert a plain cardboard matchstick into the thickest part of the flesh which should go through easily when done. The matchstick will bend if the fish is not cooked through.
5. When fish is cool enough to handle remove the strings. To serve, cut into thick slices with a sharp slicing knife. The salmon may be served hot or at room temperature.
Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Potter, 1999.

ROAST POTATO WEDGES
Hot, crispy and garlicky potato wedges. Heaven!

Serves 4 - 6

4 baking potatoes, peeled
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced paper thin
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 teaspoons coarse (kosher) salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

1. Cut potatoes in half and cut each half into wedges about 1/3 inch thick. Put into a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss carefully to coat. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, one layer deep.
2. Put potatoes in preheated oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from oven, turn potatoes and bake for 10-12 minutes longer until crispy and golden. Serve at once.

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRUMB TOP TART
Rhubarb, with its characteristic tart flavor, is a vegetable that parades as a fruit. It is in perfect harmony with ripe strawberries in this sweet crumb-topped tart.

Serves 8

1 recipe pate brisee (short crust pastry)*
3/4 - 1 pound rhubarb (about 3 cups)trimmed
1 pint ripe strawberries, hulled and halved
Grated rind of 1 navel orange
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Crumb Topping
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons rolled-oats
2-3 tablespoons coarsely ground almonds

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Roll out pastry to 1/8-inch thick on a lightly-floured surface and line a 9-inch Pyrex pie plate. Crimp edges decoratively. Refrigerate the shell.
2. Cut rhubarb into 1/2 inch lengths and put in a bowl with the strawberries. Grate the rind over the fruit and add the juice.
3. In a bowl mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Sift the mixture over the fruit and stir gently to mix with a rubber spatula. Transfer mixture to chilled pie shell.
4. Place a tent of foil, shiny side down, over the filled pie and place on a flat baking sheet in preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes, remove foil cover and adjust heat to 375 degrees. Bake 25-30 minutes longer.
5. While pie is baking, prepare crumb topping. In a bowl cut butter into sugar with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Add flour, oats and almonds and mix well to coat.
6. Remove pie from oven and strew the crumb topping over the tart in an outer circle leaving an open circle of fruit in the center. Return to oven and bake about 20 minutes longer, until filling is bubbly and crust is delicately browned. Let rest for several hours before serving.

*Purchase pie pastry dough or make your own.