“No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers.”  ― Laurie Colwin

I love this quote and I think it is perfect for this time of year as we make family recipes for the holidays.  My Mom is a wonderful cook and I learned so much of what I know about cooking from watching her.  I used to love it when she would make us chicken in her Romertopf pot so when I saw one on sale last year I had to have it.

Isn’t she gorgeous? Cooking in a Romertopf is easy and cuts down on the need for added fats.  You have to soak the clay pot for 15 minutes in water before placing it inside the oven.  This allows it to create and maintain moisture that cooks meat and seafood like this salmon to perfection.

What to buy (serves 2):  

• 1 pound of salmon fillet
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup chardonnay (or whatever white wine you prefer)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

• pre-soak a Romertopf or clay pot, top and bottom, in water for 15 minutes
• place salmon steaks in the presoaked pot
• combine melted butter, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice, and wine and pour over the fish
• cover pot and place in a cold oven
• set the oven temperature to 400 degrees and cook for 30 minutes