Easter Menu Planning

I know it is Good Friday and I am planning a lavish feast! I should say a couple extra prayers tonight at mass. But in preparation for the feast of Easter, I better start planning the meal early. Two days early should be good enough ;) After all, I shop at too many different places, so I have to gather things along the way. First order of business is the menu planning. I am making every possible effort to eat with the season, buy my supplies as locally as possible, and if no other possibility exists- buy organic or from California! Do you think I can do it?

Here is what I am planning. Grilled salmon with a creamy leek sauce. Leeks are in season. Have you tried one before? They are like giant green onions but their flavor and fragrance are more subtle. The sauce for the salmon will be prepared by sautéing the leeks in dry white wine, then adding heavy cream, fresh chives, and chicken broth. These ingredients will be pureed until smooth and set aside for serving with the salmon. My sides will include a salad and potatoes. The salad I am choosing to make is a fresh herb salad with sliced red onion, and then tossed in a red wine vinaigrette. The potatoes will be roasted with garlic and salt and pepper, and then at the last minute, tossed with finely chopped lemon balm (which I am hoping has already started growing in the herb garden)!

I've already purchased the fish from a vendor in Pike Place Market. I bought fillets of fresh Columbia River King Salmon, caught yesterday. Then I walked around the vegetable stands throughout the market to purchase the herbs and potatoes but was disappointed to find that all of it was being shipped from California. My goal is to find produce from Washington State, preferably grown on the west side of the mountains. As local and seasonal and delicious as possible. I will be visiting the Proctor farmer's market in North Tacoma tomorrow. We will see what I can find. Stay tuned!...