Cooking With Chef Chris: A Salt-Free Series 

A ‘Nobel’ Dinner

I hope you enjoyed last month’s recipe. This one is dedicated to a friend of mine, Dr. Stanley B. Prusiner and his family . I had the opportunity to spend time with Stanley, picking his brain, so to say. Speaking with his daughter Helen and her fiance about his accolades. Then speaking about the sciences we both studied through the years plus what a prion is and his discovery of it. Even, the usage of a Cryo-Electron Microscope or CRYO-EM for short, and talking about the zipper effect in the brain and how to stop a protein molecule from folding onto itself. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1997 for discovering the cause of ‘Mad Cow Disease.’  Our conversation transpired while walking through the Tahoe City Marina into its farmer’s market before having breakfast with Larry Ruvo and others. Feeling inspired by his incredible journey, I created his supper before he left. Now, I will share it with you. Included below will be a source so you may give a good read, about a great man and his accomplishments…Let’s get to it!

Ingredients

1 bag of fresh spinach

1 butternut squash

2 oz smoked Dukkah (no salt)

2 oz Baharat seasoning (no salt)

2 oz. Aleppo pepper (fresh ground)

1 bottle Enzo lemon oil

1 bottle grape seed oil

4 oz oat milk

1 filet of Faroe Island salmon (cut into 8oz pcs)

Required Reading

My Egypt by Michael Mina 

(I modified a recipe from it)

How To Make

First, start by preparing your fish. On a small tray, sprinkle both sides with your Baharat seasoning. *Modify by adding 1 tsp of smoked paprika into the Baharat recipe. Then cover the entire pan with plastic and put it into the fridge. 

After that, peel off the skin of the squash and cut in half the entire length. Use a spoon to remove seeds easily. Cut into squares and place half into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle all the smoked Dukkah (*modify by adding ½ cup extra pistachio and walnuts) into a bowl,add some grapeseed oil and mix. Put it to the side. Take the other half and cook in the oven at 400° F for 10 minutes. Then, put the other seasoned squash in the oven for 15 minutes. Two things at once. While the squash is hot, use a food processor or blender and add the squash, oat milk and Aleppo pepper. Blend. If too thin, put on the stove at a low/medium and reduce. Making sure to stir. Once thickened, put to the side. 

Take your spinach and sauté it with some lemon oil over medium heat. Check your roasted squash. If you can push a fork into it, it's ready. Grab your fish and place into a pan with lemon oil on medium. Cook for 4-5 minutes and then go directly into the oven to finish. Making sure all other ingredients are hot. 

Take the fish out after 4 minutes and begin plating. Start with your spinach as seen in the picture. Then the filet of fish, drizzle your squash puree over it and top with a tab of your Smoked Dukkah squash ‘butter’ tab. There you have it! You just recreated a delicious meal that I had the honor of creating for an amazing individual who is still to this day trying to find a way to combat the degradation of the brain itself. Larry Ruvo and family gave me ‘My Egypt’ at Christmas. I'm happy to have used its contents to design this dish.

For more information on this incredible man's journey…

Stanley B. Prusiner -  https://share.google/9Ov1KLaYh1rvMezgy

Chef Chris Rodarte is a multi-talented Chef and has cooked for some amazing people. Recipient of a Certificate of Achievement from The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and a Special Congressional Award from The US Senate. Thanks Jacky!  Look for more on social media.  If you like this recipe please give a like and follow, it helps: Instagram: @chef_chris_rodarte, Facebook: @Chef Chris Rodarte & @Christopher Rodarte.

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