Vigilante Breakfast

I’ve written previously about when I was a teenager I dated a girl whose family was in to sailing and they were part of a sailing club that would meet at Catalina Island off the California coast. As I was an outgoing kind of kid, I got to know a number of the other members of the club and reveled in some of their antics.

One member was a former police officer. As it has been 30 years, I have long since forgotten his name but will call him Mac. He had been wounded in the line of duty (shot in the knee) and was out permanently on disability. He was a big, gruff kind of guy but had a great sense of humor. As the father of several boys, he constantly had his hands full. You had to be wary when passing his boat as they were known for the rapid launching of many water balloons that hit with great force and accuracy. It was almost pirate like and I am sure they liked it that way.

One summer, the club met at Catalina and I was along for the ride. One evening there was a club function on shore and after getting there I looked around for other teens. I knew the Mac’s 15 year old son (and his friend) were on the boat but as it turns out they decided to remain on the boat for the night.

Hearing the full story the next day, Mac returned very late that night and found they boys had found their way into the liquor cabinet. They were passed out drunk. Mac thought about how he could handle the situation and decided to let the boys sleep for a few more hours. Mac got a few hours himself then woke and cooked the greasiest meal he could devise. Bacon, sausage, potatoes cooked in the undrained grease and slimy eggs. He then woke the boys and told them their punishment. They had to eat the full breakfast and then clean the boat.

The boys, tired and very hung over, proceeded to cautiously eat the food. Mac’s boat, like many in the club was tied to a floating can in the middle of the harbor, vs at a dock. Because of this, the swells that came in from the Pacific Ocean would regularly strike the boat, causing it to gently roll. Being below deck with this regular rolling was tough for many people, but with a stomach full of alcohol and greasy food, it was just too much for the boys. They would clean a little and then fly up the ladder to vomit over the side of the boat. Mac would yell at them to return and the process would begin again.

I loved that vigilante justice!

Grilled Salmon BLT Clubs

While I eat my share of salmon, it rarely is put into a sandwich.

A few more ingredients than your typical BLTs.

The spread is made.

Roasting the onions and salmon.

Nothing smells better than bacon cooking.

The assembly line of sandwiches.

Once made, grilling the sandwiches, Panini style.

Look at those wonderful grill marks.

Delectable.

Grilled Salmon BLT Clubs

Prep Time: 30 M | Cook Time: 10 M | Servings: 4 servings | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
8 slices bacon
1 1/4 pounds center-cut skinless salmon fillet
1 small red onion, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 slices country bread, toasted
8 leaves red-leaf lettuce
3 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 avocado, halved, pitted and thinly sliced

Directions:

Combine the mayonnaise, garlic, the zest and juice of 1 lime, the dill and parsley in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Break the slices in half.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Slice the salmon on the diagonal into 8 thin pieces. Season the salmon and red onion slices with salt and pepper and rub with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the zest and juice of the remaining lime. Grill the red onion slices, turning occasionally, until tender and charred, about 5 minutes. Grill the salmon until marked and just cooked through, turning once, 1 to 2 minutes.

Lay out 4 slices of toasted bread; top with some of the herbed mayonnaise, a lettuce leaf, a piece of salmon, some tomato and avocado slices and 2 bacon halves. Top each with a piece of toast, then repeat the layering (mayonnaise, lettuce, salmon, tomato, avocado and bacon). Spread the remaining 4 bread slices with herbed mayonnaise and place on top of the sandwiches. Secure each sandwich with 4 toothpicks and cut into quarters.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/grilled-salmon-blt-clubs-recipe/index.html