HUNGRY GERALD

The result is pleasure when HG/BSK cook together. Teamwork is flawless. Last night produced a meal of Salmon A’ L’unilateral (salmon cooked on one side in a cast iron pan), haricot verts with shallots, boiled potatoes with sour cream dusted with zaatar (middle eastern spice). Except in very good restaurants, salmon is overcooked into tastelessness. The first time HG ever tasted properly cooked salmon (reddish pink in the middle and slightly quivery) was at the Cafe Luxembourg on West 70th Street in Manhattan. After that experience, HG/BSK enjoyed proper salmon at Quatorze (closed) on 14th Street and Raoul’s in Soho. HG purchased last night’s Norwegian salmon at Trader Joe’s (splendid fish at a bargain price). Lightly oiled a decades-old cast iron pan. Turned up the heat. Cooked the salmon into the desired medium-rare state and finished with a simple sauce of melted butter, lemon juice and capers. (One of the blessings of cooking Salmon A’ L’unilateral is the delicious crisp skin filled with lush and healthy oils). Meanwhile, BSK boiled potatoes and made magical haricot verts. In Paris restaurants, haricots verts are cooked into mush while steaks are browned but raw (go figure). Trendy New York restaurants serve the vegetable almost raw. BSK steamed the slim string beans to the proper consistency and then finished them in a pan with shallots sautéed in butter. Drank pleasant Spanish red Rioja. After 54 years of marriage, teamwork with BSK remains a joy.