Chef's salmon meal is real deal.

Byline: THE $10 GOURMET By Jim Boyd The Register-Guard

Greg Winslow, the food services department coordinator at Lane Community College, offers a recipe for Sweet Salmon With Ginger and Scallions for today's edition of The $10 Gourmet.

He served the salmon with roasted red potatoes flavored with rosemary; and green beans flavored with Old Bay seasoning, garlic and pine nuts.

The ingredients for this one-plate meal cost only $6.68, mainly because he got a great buy on wild Alaskan coho salmon ($1.99 a pound for a tail piece of whole fish) at the Albertsons grocery store where he shopped.

He filleted and skinned the fish to create the pair of 7- to 8-ounce portions he used for this meal.

"Actually, there was a little bit more (fish) than that and I decided to do a little test with it," Winslow said. "Not only do I work at Lane Community College but I work at King Estate Winery. So I did a little bit of a test there with the little pieces that were left and paired them with some really fine wine, also."

Winslow recommends the King Estate 1999 Reserve Pinot Noir ($37.50 a bottle at Sundance Wine Cellars) to serve with the salmon.

The $10 Gourmet is a feature that allows professional chefs to give menu ideas to home cooks by cooking a meal for two on a $10 budget. Small amounts of common ingredients don't have to be included in the accounting of costs.

The ingredients that Winslow used from his kitchen supplies included salt, pepper, garlic, sesame oil, Old Bay seasoning, fresh rosemary, olive oil, red wine, sugar and "50 cents or a dollar's worth of pine nuts" by his estimation.

Winslow started preparing the meal by putting the potatoes in the oven to roast and by first blanching and later sauteing the green beans. Sauteing the salmon came last, with Winslow explaining that the 1/4-inch cubes of ginger used to flavor the sauce would not be served on the salmon because the pieces would be woody to chew.

As LCC's food services department coordinator since Sept. 15, Winslow oversees the day-to-day operation of the food court, espresso bar, snack bar and Taco Time restaurant, all in the Center Building. He worked previously as kitchen manager at Cafe Lafayette in the Eugene Water & Electric Board complex.

He has has been a professional cook since his days in the mid-'70s in the United States Coast Guard. He has worked as the head chef at the Albion River Inn in Albion, Calif.; as assistant chef and banquet chef at the Downtown Athletic Club; and as the EWEB cafeteria supervisor before that operation was privatized.

Sweet Salmon With Ginger

and Scallions

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 salmon fillets, each 1 inch thick, skin removed

Salt and pepper 

1/4 cup ginger, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces and then cut lengthwise into 2-inch strips

1/4 cup red wine

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Sesame oil

Heat oil in pan on high heat.

Salt and pepper both sides of the salmon fillets.

Place fillets in pan and do not disturb. Cook on high for 40 seconds. Turn heat down to medium-high and continue to cook for 3 minutes.

Turn fillets and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove fillets from pan and set aside on a plate.

Turn heat back up to high and add ginger and scallions. Cook until slightly tender, about 1 minute.

Add wine and deglaze the pan. Add soy sauce, water and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.

Place salmon fillets carefully back into pan and simmer until salmon is cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Remove salmon fillets from pan and place a fillet on each serving plate. Drizzle a few drops of sesame oil on each fillet. (Discard the pieces of ginger and cooking sauce that remains in the pan.)

Serves 2.

Old Bay Green Beans With

Garlic and Pine Nuts

7 ounces green beans

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon pine nuts

In a pot of boiling water, blanch green beans for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove while still crisp (al dente). Run cold water on them until chilled.

Drain and place beans on a plate. Drizzle on olive oil and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning and chopped garlic. Refrigerate until ready to use.

When ready to use, saute beans on high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add pine nuts during the last 3 minutes of cooking.

Serves 2.

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes

With Rosemary

6 medium red potatoes

Olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Salt and pepper

Cut potatoes in half or quarters, depending on size.

Rub with olive oil, chopped rosemary, salt and pepper, all mixed together.

Put a single layer of potatoes in a baking dish or on a sheet pan in oven and bake at 425 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, turning the potatoes 2 or 3 times during cooking. The cooked potatoes should be fork-tender and browned.

Serves 2.

SETTLING THE BILL

Green beans: 77 cents

Salmon: $3.56

Scallions: 50 cents

Red potatoes: $1.07

Ginger root: 28 cents

Lemon: 50 cents

Total: $6.68

CAPTION(S):

Greg Winslow prepares a salmon dinner at his home.