As they say: planning is everything.
Remember the garlic chips I made for the Crispy Mushrooms?
As I was stir-frying the chard to have with the salmon (the rest of the dinner, after the Stuffed Zucchini to start) I decided the garlic chips would add just the right amount of crunch and flavor.
Thus a dish is born…..
For those who want to know – I just stir-fried 6oz (180gr) chard in a 1 tbs of olive oil. When it was sufficiently wilted I added 2 tsp each soy sauce and Balsamic vinegar, topped with the garlic chips and done!
Grilled Salmon with Miso Sherry Sauce
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 salmon fillets, 6oz each (180gr each)
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) sherry
- 2 tbs light miso
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbs minced fresh ginger
- 1 tbs peanut butter
- 2 tsp soy sauce
Instructions:
- In small saucepan mix all ingredients except salmon
- Gently heat, stirring, until peanut butter melts and sauce is hot.
- Remove from heat. Put half of it in a shallow bowl and allow to cool, Keep the other half warm.
- When ready to cook salmon, spoon the cooled sauce on top before putting the salmon on the grill.
- Grill on indirect heat for 10 – 15 minutes, or until done. Keep the lid partially closed and do not turn.
- To serve:
- Put the warm sauce into small bowls and serve with the salmon.
Next up on my journey down memory lane is the hall.
It was originally 2 rooms. Although I think before it was 2 bedrooms it was actually the entrance hall, but that’s only speculation.
In the photo below you can see the door frame that was in the wall. They had to walk through this room to get to the room in the back (other blue arrow). The red arch is where we broke through the wall into what would be the kitchen. The beam is, well, the beam.
Then it became our workroom for awhile, followed by our bedroom.
By fall, we had moved our beds into another unfinished room and tackled the hall.
We needed to have usable stairs inside the house to get to the upper level to work.
These are the barn stairs we had been using (and still do – scary!)
Mon mari decided to have the same guys that installed our new windows build and install the staircase.
First order of the day was figuring out where to cut the hole.
They threw a beam over the hole to attach the rope to so they could winch the staircase into place….
With the help of a hydraulic jack and two ladders they used as braces.
I stayed out of their way.
When it was in place, the banister was attached and we could finish the walls and move in some furniture.
I could finally unpack my cook books.The rest of the dishes were unpacked as well, and put on the dresser at the far end.
We did eventually get rid of the green door frame.
My desk was tucked under the stairs where it remains to this day.
It’s right next to the kitchen (you can see through the opening on the left) which is very handy.
Plus the dogs usually lay by me when I’m here…. We had planned on putting the computers and desks upstairs in the small bedroom, but my poor girl dogs would be lost if I spent my days so far away from them.
They’re not allowed upstairs.
Your salmon dish looks delicious. Love your photos of all the amazing renovations you have done…great to see before and after pictures. What a transformation!
Salmon and chard are favourites here.
Your house re-vamp is and has been of great interest. Things we were prepared to live with in a maison secondaire are being re-examined now it is likely to become our home. At least we don’t have as many rooms to do and we do have a grenier we can expand into if necessary. The garden/field with a couple of outbuildings submerged in ivy and brambles is yet another area to be tackled!
I’m amazed and impressed by your vision. How you saw the potential in that house and worked toward making it beautiful inside and out is mind-boggling.
Thanks, Ina…. it was a lot of work and hard to believe when I look back.
Gill, you’re thinking of moving here full time? How exciting! (I hope) Outbuildings….. always a challenge. Are you staying longer this summer?
Zoomie, mon mari is very good at that sort of thing…. luckily!
Katie, we hope to be ready for the move in the first half of next year but there is a lot to be done before then. We are keeping to our normal three months this summer in view of what has to be done at the other end. It is an exciting time!
Exciting, yes… and always so much to do. But next summer may be permanent?