The main event

It’ll be stuffed salmon fillets vs. apple stuffed chicken and apple cake vs. huckleberry polenta at what’s sure to be a tasty finale to The Spokesman-Review’s Flavors of the Inland Northwest recipe contest.

Professional chefs who are serving as judges for the contest narrowed the pool of recipes in the entrees and desserts categories down to the four finalists who will prepare their dishes live at The Spokesman-Review Cooking Expo on Friday.

The doors open at 11 a.m. Beginning at noon, the winners in the other two categories, appetizers and sides/salads, will demonstrate their recipes. The live cook-off, which will determine the entrees and desserts winners, begins at 4 p.m. Here’s a glimpse at the cook-off contestants and category winners:

Lesley Parker is no stranger to The Spokesman-Review’s annual cooking expo and its assorted contests. She’s entered each of the last four years’ contests. The home economics teacher at Freeman High School is back again with a salmon recipe that she says was inspired by an omelet she had at the Dockside restaurant in Coeur d’Alene.

After tasting the smoked salmon omelet, Parker said she went home and began experimenting.

“Salmon, a staple in many homes in this area, is stuffed with two cheeses and herbs. This combination alone virtually melts in your mouth, but when you add the tangy sweet taste of huckleberry salsa, the flavors of the Inland Northwest explode on your taste buds,” she wrote in her entry.

Parker says she loves cooking and seeing how food brings people together. She says she enjoys demonstrating her recipes and treasures the opportunity to meet other cooking enthusiasts.

Among them, Audrey McClenahan who won last year’s recipe contest, and who will put her apple stuffed chicken breast recipe to the test against Parker’s salmon for the title of best Inland Northwest entrée.

McClenahan has entered a few contests and has participated in the KSPS Cooking with Friends event. But she says what drove her to enter the contest was simply her love for the Inland Northwest, the place she’s called home for more than 40 years.

“I actually never had huckleberries before I moved here,” she says. But the special berry grew on her and began to replace blueberries in many of her recipes. Eventually she decided it would be a good complement to chicken and shortly thereafter her Apple Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Huckleberry Chutney was born.

“I … have served this wonderful dish many times to friends and relatives visiting from the East Coast,” she wrote in her entry. “They are always amazed at the wonderfully pungent, yet delightful flavor of my huckleberry chicken.”

Huckleberries also star in the two finalists’ recipes in the desserts category.

In one, a huckleberry sauce is paired with polenta. In the other, it dresses up an apple cake.

Heidi Larson says she’s been working on her apple cake recipe for about year, adapting it here and there and combining it with different flavors. Around Christmas, she decided pairing it with huckleberries would produce the ultimate Inland Northwest dessert.

Larson found time to test her Country Apple Cake with Huckleberry Sauce recipe several times (not a small feat given that she has four kids ages 5, 3, 2 and 4-months) and write a poem that describes her dessert in part:

With Washington apples, granola and

huckleberries, too,

Well there’s no denying that’s our country food

Served to you like a moist morsel cake

One bite of this there will be no mistake

You’re having a piece of the Inland Northwest…

Though she hasn’t entered a recipe contest before, Larson says cooking and baking is a hobby for her. And she’s helped teach a cooking class at her church but chuckles, “By no means am I professional.”

Her competition, Jennifer Olsen of Post Falls, also has taught cooking classes – to elementary school students. It was in an after-school cooking class that Olsen introduced students to one of her favorite breakfasts, polenta and mixed berries.

“The kids thought it tasted like dessert. They loved it,” she says, adding that it inspired her to tweak her recipe into the Huckleberry Dessert Polenta that she’ll make at the cook-off.

“This dessert polenta juxtaposes the natural sweetness of mountain huckleberries with the satisfying and homey flavor of mom’s old fashion porridge. It is a bit unusual but comforting at the same time,” she wrote in her entry.

Olsen, a teacher, says she loves to bake, calling it a good “stress reliever.” Her first foray into cooking contests came just this past year when she entered the Kootenai County Fair and won awards for her brownies and oatmeal cookies.

All of the finalists say they regularly tweak recipes looking for new and different ways to combine ingredients.

For Cecilia Nolthenius, who was selected as the winner in the sides/salads category, the mushrooms growing in the forests near her Coeur d’Alene home provided a “delightful” twist to an old standby recipe for potato dumplings.

As a vegetarian, she says she’s become more creative in her cooking because it’s easy to grow tired of eating the same thing. That’s what led her to combine dumplings and chanterelle mushrooms into her winning Idaho Potato Dumplings in Chanterelle Cream Sauce.

“My husband, he hunts for deer and I hunt for mushrooms,” she says, adding that she’s learned to pick and preserve the chanterelles so she can enjoy their flavor year round. Nolthenius will demonstrate her recipe at 12:30 p.m.

Just before Nolthenius takes the stage, Jamie Severson, who was crowned the appetizer category winner at an earlier cook-off at Everyday Gourmet, will demonstrate her 3-2-1 Nachos, beginning at noon. Severson, whose flavorful nacho recipe won the Dairy Farmers of Washington Inland Northwest Nacho Recipe Contest last year, wowed the judges again this year, even beating out new entries that used regional flavors.

Stuffed Salmon Fillets with Huckleberry Salsa

From Lesley Parker

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon dill

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Salt and pepper to taste

4 salmon fillets

4 tablespoons butter

1 small jar huckleberry jam

1/4 cup white wine

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, dill and green onion. Mix well and set aside.

Using a meat mallet, pound salmon fillets between two pieces of waxed paper until flattened. On each piece of salmon, spread one-fourth of the cheese mixture. Roll up, tucking sides in as you roll; secure with toothpicks.

Melt butter in saucepan. Sauté salmon bundles, turning them as they brown. Cook until salmon is done, about 10 minutes.

While salmon cooks, prepare huckleberry salsa by combining wine and jam in bowl. Microwave for approximately 1 minute.

To serve, place salmon fillets on four plates and drizzle with huckleberry salsa.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 719 calories, 42 grams fat (20 grams saturated, 53 percent fat calories), 50.8 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrate, 186 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 819 milligrams sodium.

Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast with Huckleberry Chutney

From Audrey McClenahan

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the stuffing:

1 cup dried bread crumbs

2 tablespoons finely chopped onions

1 tablespoon finely chopped celery

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 medium size Jonathan (or your choice) apple, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon dried thyme

For the Huckleberry Chutney:

1 cup huckleberry topping or sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/3 of a yellow pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce

Pound chicken breasts to about 1/2 -inch thick. Place in a gallon-size plastic bag with olive oil, oregano, allspice, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Make sure ingredients are infused and cover all of the chicken breasts. Seal and place in refrigerator to marinate for a couple of hours or longer.

To make the stuffing, combine all ingredients and mix well.

For the Huckleberry Chutney, combine ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until chutney begins to thicken. This can be prepared up to a few days ahead and refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove chicken from refrigerator. Place a heaping tablespoon of stuffing in middle of each breast and roll up. Place seam side down in a large baking dish. Baste with melted butter or olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Place on serving dishes and cover with generous helping of chutney.

Yield: 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 449 calories, 13.8 grams fat (4.45 grams saturated, 28 percent fat calories), 37.6 grams protein, 43 grams carbohydrate, 104 milligrams cholesterol, 2.8 grams dietary fiber, 580 milligrams sodium.

Country Apple Cake with Huckleberry Sauce

From Heidi Larson

Cake:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 (8-ounce) carton plain yogurt

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup granola

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large Washington apples

2cups shelled walnuts

Sauce:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup (4-ounce jar) huckleberry jam

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. In a large bowl, combine the oil, egg, yogurt, brown sugar, vanilla and granola and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt and add to the oil mixture in large bowl.

Peel, core and thinly slice apples and fold into the batter. Pour into prepared cake pan and top with walnuts. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in saucepan on low heat. Add brown sugar and whipping cream, stirring until dissolved. Mix in vanilla and huckleberry jam using a whisk to remove lumps. Remove from heat and set aside. When cake is done, dust top with powdered sugar.

To serve, cut cake into 8 slices. Put 1 large spoonful of huckleberry sauce on each plate. Place a slice of cake on the sauce and then drizzle cake with additional sauce.

Yield: 8 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 665 calories, 34 grams fat (7.5 grams saturated, 45 percent fat calories), 12 grams protein, 82 grams carbohydrate, 54 milligrams cholesterol, 3.3 grams dietary fiber, 431 milligrams sodium.

Huckleberry Dessert Polenta

From Jennifer Olsen

Polenta:

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups water

2 cups low-fat milk

Huckleberry Compote:

1 1/2 cups huckleberries (fresh or frozen)

3 teaspoons honey

1/2 cup orange juice, divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Powdered sugar, optional

Place cornmeal, salt and sugar in a large microwave-safe bowl. Gradually add milk and water, whisking until well blended. Cover and microwave on High for 12 minutes, whisking well every 3 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine huckleberries, honey and 1/4 cup orange juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Mix remaining orange juice and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into huckleberry mixture, stirring constantly until thickened.

Serve over warm polenta, sprinkling with powdered sugar, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 285 calories, 2.8 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 9 percent fat calories), 8 grams protein, 59 grams carbohydrate, 7 milligrams cholesterol, 4.4 grams dietary fiber, 373 milligrams sodium.

Idaho Potato Dumplings in Chanterelle Cream Sauce

From Cecilia Nolthenius

Dumplings:

1 pound Idaho potatoes

1 egg

1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup unbleached flour

1/2 cup chopped fresh or canned chanterelles

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch nutmeg

Enough flour to coat hands

Oil for greasing dish that will hold dumplings

Sautéed Chanterelles:

3 tablespoons butter

3 small or medium shallots

1 small garlic clove

1 pound fresh or canned chanterelles

1/2 cup white wine (such as viognier from Coeur d’Alene Cellars)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 twists of ground white pepper

Cream Sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon unbleached flour

1/2 cup milk

1 small shallot

1 whole clove

Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

Sea salt to taste

2 tablespoons crème fraiche

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup parsley, chopped fine, divided

Wash potatoes. Place in a pressure cooker with 3/4 cup water and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from pot and cool.

While potatoes are cooking, proceed with sautéed chanterelles. In a medium size, heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Peel and finely chop shallots and garlic. Add to melted butter and cook over medium heat until soft and transparent, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, wash and pat dry the chanterelles. Slice lengthwise in eighths and add to the shallot-garlic mixture. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 3 minutes, add the wine and continue cooking, uncovered, for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper. Remove from heat and set aside, covered.

To make the dumplings, bring a large pot with water to boil. Peel warm potatoes and mash lightly. Beat in egg, flour, chopped chanterelles, parsley, salt and nutmeg to form a slightly sticky dough. Wash and coat hands with flour and make four fairly large potato balls. Set individually on a floured platter.

Preheat oven to warm and set four deep serving plates inside.

Add 1 teaspoon salt to boiling water. Carefully, without crowding, drop potato balls one by one into water; adjust heat to maintain a slow boil and cook for 7 to 10 minutes until potato dumplings rise to the surface. When cooked, drain and set dumplings in oiled dish and place in warm oven.

To prepare sauce, peel and cut shallot lengthwise in two. Inset the whole clove in one half and set aside. In a small heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat, sprinkle flour, whisk and cook until flour turns to a pale color, about 3 minutes. Add milk, whisking vigorously. Bring mixture to a boil and add shallot halves. Lower heat and simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove shallot and clove and add crème fraiche and heavy cream and season with nutmeg and salt. Mix well. Pour over sautéed chanterelles. Return chanterelles to low heat and stir gently to warm through. Add half of the chopped parsley.

To serve, place a dumpling in the center of a preheated serving plate. Pour chanterelle cream sauce around it and garnish with leftover parsley.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.