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Canku Ota |
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(Many Paths) |
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An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America |
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August 24, 2002 - Issue 68 |
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Fish Walk the Plank for a True Tribal Taste |
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by Mary Ladd, Special to The
Chronicle
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credits: Maple Syrup
Salmon cooks to juicy perfection on a special cedar plank. Chronicle
photo by Lacy Atkins
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 For
at least 100 years, the cooks in my father's tribe -- the Kwakiutl in
British Columbia -- have turned bentwood boxes into pots to steam and
boil soups of shellfish, salmon, cod and halibut, giving those fish extra
flavor. Today, many tribe members still living on Quadra Island in British
Columbia use spearlike sticks to skewer and cook a butterflied whole fish
on a beach or other outdoor area.
"The Kwakiutl style is to put the sticks in the ground, allowing the smoke and heat to come up to the fish. You need a lot of space," my great Aunt Elaine told me on a recent visit. Finding such a device and the space to use it won't work for most Bay Area cooks. My great Uncle Bill offered me the crossbow-esque cooking device as a gift, but with security being what it is at airports these days, I declined. A better choice for today's cooks, and also a Native American tradition, is to use a a special cedar or alder wood plank to give salmon or other fatty fish a delicious flavor while keeping it moist. The cedar plank chars in the heat and gives a warm infusion of cedar smoke, creating a glazed finish to the fillet. In some tribes, planks are passed down from generation to generation. Cedar or other wood planks especially designed for cooking -- do not simply use any wooden board -- are available at some cookware stores and online (see box). Some are designed to be used in an oven; others are for outdoor use. Be sure you use the planks only as directed. In all cases, planks should be soaked before using for 20 minutes to 4 hours. Using hot water shortens the soak time. The planks can be reused if they don't char too much or crack. Catching salmon was a main source of income for many tribes, but in recent years the fish numbers dwindled. Most of my relatives turned to construction, tugboating and other outside work to make ends meet. That doesn't stop my Aunt Kelly from serving and enjoying plank salmon several times a year. "It's great for a party, and we serve it during the holiday season, especially. It's probably the only way I'll eat salmon," she says. After trying her salmon, I can see why. In California, wild salmon season runs through Oct. 19. Wild salmon has a decidely richer flavor and firmer texture than farmed or Atlantic salmon, and works well on planks. "The best meal I ever had was on the beach," my father recalls. "Salmon with potatoes and hooligan oil, made by Grandma." Hooligan oil isn't for everyone -- it's an extremely strong grease from herring or Oulichan fish, prized for its pungent flavor and used in trading. But, with or without this oil, planked salmon is a unique way to experience the season's catch, a Native American tradition I've grown to love. |
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Mary Ladd is a student at the California Culinary Academy. |
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| Canku Ota is a free Newsletter celebrating Native America, its traditions and accomplishments . We do not provide subscriber or visitor names to anyone. Some articles presented in Canku Ota may contain copyright material. We have received appropriate permissions for republishing any articles. Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monetary gain to those who have expressed an interest. This is in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. | ||
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Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry. |
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The "Canku Ota - A Newsletter Celebrating Native America" web site and its design is the |
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Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 of Paul C. Barry. |
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All Rights Reserved. |
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