FRIDAY FISH FINDS: SMOKED SALMON BRATS

I find it hard to resist foods I've never imagined before. So when I happened onto smoked salmon bratwurst recently, I had to buy one.

But once I got it home, what on earth was I going to do with it? Should I brown it and braise in beer with caramelized onions as I would a traditional brat or cheddarwurst? Or go with a more lox-inspired preparation? What kind of side to round out my meal? And where to settle on the bun vs. no-bun question?

A tempting hunk of baguette suggested it could make a fine bun. But I really wanted to taste this unique sausage, so opted to forgo the bread.

Condiments are de rigueur in my kitchen, so I put together a little lox-meets-dog sauce of horseradish with chives and capers. With a hefty pinch of salt to bring out their flavors so much better than when they were simply lying here in the sour cream.

As a simple and french-fry-esque side for my dog, I went for roasted potatoes, with some leftover yellow squash and a stray piece of zucchini while I was at it, cutting my veg into three-sided pieces. Keeping them uniform in size and shape (no rectangles here) simplifies how many times to turn them in the oven.

My one issue with roasting - and I tell myself this EVERY time - is that I have to get over fear of high heat. My comfort zone is at about 425 F., but real roasting works best at 450 or, gasp, 500 degrees. Yes, you've got to watch what you're roasting - even better, let the smell dictate when you need to check and turn. Still, as many times as I've roasted vegetables, I don't know what my deal is - do I think my oven is going to blow up if I set it to 500?

What you're looking for with potatoes is a bit of puffy, browned exterior. Ideally, a little caramelized crunch on the outside, with the inside of the potato cooked through.

As for the brat, the kind folks at the fish market (Lobsta Bakes of Maine) confirmed that this sausage is already fully cooked. Although many customers like to grill these babies, given the winter weather, they suggested simply sauteeing in butter.

When mine was warmed through, I couldn't resist slicing it for a closer look.

The result: a delicious and unique dinner. Happy Friday!

FRIDAY FISH FINDS

As much as I like fish and seafood, I'm not sure why I don't cook them at home more often. But I'm of a mind to change that, especially now that it's Lent. Not that I observe Lent, or make a point of abstaining from meat on Friday. But there sure are a lot of fish bargains and fish specialties available this time of year. This Friday I was especially eager to leave work. Not just because the weekend was here, but because there was a lobster roll with my name on it! My real name, not Eggy. And from a legitimate business, not handed through the mailbox of the basement apartment "covert operation" of this dude. (Who I'm pretty sure was on the first episode of "Throw Down," so how covert can he be? Maybe it's a Brooklyn thing? The "speakeasy-ization" of fish? We're just not that hip here in the midwest.)

The Underground Lobster Pound: A Purist, An Apartment & The Perfect Lobster Roll - *food curated* from SkeeterNYC on Vimeo.

I ordered my lobster roll from Lobsta Bakes of Maine, a new favorite haunt since I discovered that Kevin Smith, former owner of Bounty Seafood II, has a new retail outlet in Newtown. Kevin is from Maine, where his family has the original Bounty Seafood (aka I). I figured if anyone around here could make an authentic lobster roll, he'd be the guy. At $14.99 for this puppy with a side of cole slaw, my Friday Find this week doesn't exactly fall into the bargain category. Although if you take into account that the lobster was flown in from Maine yesterday and made fresh today, it's not all that steep in my book. Chunky lobster, check. Just a tad of mayo, check. A little celery, check. White hot dog bun, check - although it was cut differently than the standard off-the-shelf variety (is that a Maine thing?). Lightly seasoned (Old Bay or just s&p?). Clearly the star of this dish was the lobster, which fell from the bun in delectable, recognizable chunks. I confess I removed the leafy greens when eating the roll. Although attractive and fresh, I preferred direct contact between the bun and its savory filling. While I was picking up my lobster roll for supper, I couldn't resist also buying this house-made smoked salmon bratwurst. Where else would you find such a thing, except from a Mainer transplanted to an old German city like Cincinnati? (Well, maybe from some hipster in Brooklyn . . .)