Salmon and Dill Sandwich

The taste of fresh dill and just harvested cucumbers remind me of Elizabeth Buhler. As a child, I loved watching her garden with her feet firmly planted in Manitoba's black soil. A jar of her pickled cucumbers ended up in our cupboard, and by late summer, crab apples from the large tree in her yard were lined up on the counter. On Saturday mornings, soon after my sister and I had started an odyssey with The Jetsons, Mrs. Buhler would drop by with cinnamon rolls that were still warm from the oven. Not one to waste, she packed them in an old cereal box laid flat on its side. During road trips, we traveled with loaves of her homemade bread.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

In January, Mrs. Buhler died just short of her 112th birthday. During her remarkably long life, she withstood the terrors of Russian revolution and the unchartered plains of southern Manitoba. She raised six children and left behind 23 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren and 39 great-great grandchildren. All the while, she scratch cooked. In her 70s, she made my mom's spicy sambar for her Thanksgiving dinner guests.

As one journalist noted, hers was an "Extraordinary Ordinary Life." Each time I shape a cinnamon roll from the recipe Mrs. Buhler penned in a curry-cued script, her spirit is with me.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

SALMON AND DILL SANDWICH
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS1-14.75 ounce can Alaskan Pink Salmon
1 teaspoon finely minced dill
1 cup diced cucumbers
1/4 cup diced scallions
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 slices of bread
A heap of arugula

INSTRUCTIONS

Drain the water from the salmon. Spoon it into a medium sized bowl and break it up with a fork.

Add the dill, cucumbers, scallions, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and olive oil. Mix together.

Layer on bread and top with a handful of arugula.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

This time of year tomatoes can be found ripening all over the community garden. The squirrels, birds, and other critters vie for their fair share. So it's important to act fast if you want to eat any of vine-ripened fruit. I planted three heirloom tomato plants the year I got my plot. I hoped to freeze enough to last me over the winter, but ended up with half a dozen or so. The rest were poked by birds or plucked by squirrels who left a trail of the half eaten fruit into bushes. One morning, I saw a squirrel grasping a grape tomato pole to pole and feasting on it like a cob of corn. It was humbling to have worked so hard for such a small harvest. But it was also a testament to the fine taste of the animals in the garden who find no reason to pass up the sweet flavor of summer tomatoes. I resolved to raise a larger crop the next year.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

I rely on tomatoes for many dishes, including South Indian staples that require sauteing an onion, some ginger and garlic and tossing in a cup or so. In the summer, I love to eat tomatoes raw so I often use them in salads or sandwiches. Last week, I got a lovely log of mozzarella cheese and decided to throw together an Italian-style sandwich.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

I sprinkled a few slices of the cheese with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and a dash of fine French olive oil. After it had marinated for about 30 minutes, I placed the cheese on a whole wheat roll and layered it with a few leaves of fresh basil and oregano which added dimension.

Try to find fresh oregano if you've never had it. It has a subtle yet refined taste and provides more anti-oxidants that any other herb. Also, if all you have is mature basil consider blanching it as suggested by Saveur to temper the strong taste of licorice. Next year, I plan to plant my basil later in the spring so I can feast on tomatoes and younger basil.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

Finally, I chopped up a handful of cherry tomatoes and layered them on top. I ended up with a sandwich so full-flavored that I couldn't resist eating half of it standing next to the cutting board.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)