Savory Moment Podcast | Fireweed Dinner Serv

THE SAVORY MOMENT radio podcast

Welcome to The Savory Moment, a 2 ½-minute culinary soundscape where dinner ideas come to life. From the studios of KCAW in Sitka, Alaska, I blend kitchen philosophy with simple recipes for seafood and other fresh ingredients. Each Savory Moment episode features a new recipe—browse selections below for tonight's dinner inspiration. Email us at info@savorymoment.org.

SEASON 4 Savory Moment episodes

Welcome to Season 3 of The Savory Moment. Listen to the latest episodes below or visit Season 1, Season 2, or Season 3 archives.

SEASON 4 recipes

View the latest Savory Momenr recipes below.

Or visit Season 1, Season 2, or Season 3 archives.

Sizzling Sheet Pan: SEASON 4, Episode 1, The Savory Moment

Nobu Anchorage: SEASON 4, Episode 2, The Savory Moment

Your Old Familiar: SEASON 4, Episode 3, The Savory Moment

Toast and Jelly: SEASON 4, Episode 4, The Savory Moment

Little Kitchen Notebook: SEASON 4, Episode 5, The Savory Moment

Participating stations
The Savory Moment is a free
program available for download
on PRX.

The Savory Moment is available to public radio stations for free on PRX.

Herb Garden Incentives: SEASON 4, Episode 6, The Savory Moment

Sizzling Shoestring Oven Fries

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 1

Serves 4. The trick here is to preheat a baking sheet on the bottom rack of a hot oven. Cut fries very thin (1/4 inch) for maximum surface area per pound and ensure all surfaces are well oiled.

1 ½ pounds russet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic salt

Place a large baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat to 550 degrees.

Wash potatoes, then thoroughly dry. Cut into shoestrings that are about ¼ inch thick. Toss with oil, ensuring good coverage on all surfaces. Sprinkle with garlic salt.

When the oven has preheated and the potatoes are cut, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Spread potatoes over it evenly, taking care with the hot pan.

Return the baking sheet to the bottom rack of the oven. Bake fries for 12 minutes. Toss and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until fries are golden and crisp.

Black Cod with Miso

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 2

Try Nobu Matsuhisa's iconic Black Cod with Miso recipe at home using the link below.

Any Kind of Homemade Broth

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 3

You can make broth out of just about anything—and it will likely taste better than anything you can buy at the store. Here is a template:

Gather whatever scraps of bony meat (bones have lots of flavor!) and/or vegetables you have on hand. Place in a heavy-bottomed pot (a heavy pot makes it easier to get a low simmer) and cover with water by 2 inches. Salt lightly (about 1 teaspoon per quart of water) and add a few whole peppercorns. Flavor and color boosters to add if you have them: roasted mushrooms or mushroom stems, potato peels, celery, onion skins, smoked salmon skin. Items to avoid using: lemon rinds and resinous herbs like rosemary or sage (they can make a stock bitter). Simmer low and slow, lid partway on, for 1 ½ hours, adding more hot water if necessary. Strain. Taste the stock. If it’s weak, simmer with the lid off to reduce by 25% or until the flavor is as strong as you like it. Add salt to taste, then refrigerate and use within 1 week or freeze and use within 6 months.

Spruce Tip Jelly

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 4

Check out this great Spruce Tip Jelly recipe from Creative Canning!

Little Kitchen Notebook

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 5

Here are some entries from The Savory Moment's little kitchen notebook:

Microwave lemons and limes for 30 seconds to release maximum juice

Rub citrus zest with sugar or salt (depending on the dish) to release flavor oils

Freeze stock in ice cube trays, and use in small amounts to deglaze pans and flavor sauces

Get to know the convection feature on your oven—it makes things crispier and reduces cooking time by 25%

Add caper juice to just about anything

Rest roasted peppers while still hot in a paper bag to aid with peeling (15 minutes should do it)

To speed up cooking time on a baked potato, microwave for 5 minutes first (be sure to prick with a fork)

If you’re in a time pinch when caramelizing onions, add a splash of balsamic vinegar for color and sweetness.

Bright green celery leaves make a beautiful garnish

For tangy, spreadable butter, whip at room temperature with a little buttermilk and salt

If you need a room temperature egg, place in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes

Sprinkle chopped or grated carrot with lemon juice to keep color bright

Add a tiny amount of fish sauce to a dish for a easy burst of umami

To make gluten-free breading, grind brown rice in a high power blender

If your dish lacks pizzazz, add a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of fresh pepper to carry flavor and open taste buds

To add extra flavor to pasta, sauté al dente noodles in splash of good broth until evaporated

If melon or other fruit lacks sweetness, apply a few grains of salt and a drop or two of vinegar

Add smoky flavor to a dish by cooking with a piece of smoked salmon skin (remove before serving)

When sautéing onions, sprinkle with salt to speed up cooking and promote browning

Buy canned whole tomatoes instead of diced (more flavorful and versatile)

Try toasting nuts in a skillet with a little olive oil (rather than dry, in the oven) for an added flavor boost

Wilted garden greens? Perk them up in an ice water bath, using 3 parts water to 1 part ice. Soak for at least 30 minutes or up to one hour

Herb Garden Incentives

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 6

Content coming soon!

Lemony Ribollita with a Hint of Smoke

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 7

Serves 8. This is a creamy, lemony version of ribollita that also calls for a small piece of smoked salmon skin to give deeper flavor.

¼ cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, grated
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon fennel seed or more to taste
Juice of ½ large lemon
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 3-inch piece of Parmesan rind
1 3-inch piece of smoked salmon skin
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into moons
6 cups chopped chard
3 ½ cups cooked cannellini beans (2 15-oz. cans)
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Extra salt to taste
¼ cup cream or more to taste
4 cups cubed crusty bread tossed with olive oil and salt
Optional garnish: grated parmesan cheese

Warm the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions start to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs, then sauté for an additional 2 minutes, or until the fragrant. Deglaze the pan with lemon juice. Add the stock, Parmesan rind, smoked salmon skin, zucchini, chard, and beans. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

While the soup is cooking, lightly toast the bread in a 400 degree oven until the cubes are a little crisp on the outside. When all the vegetables are tender, remove from heat and pull out the salmon skin. Stir in the lemon zest and cream. Taste and add extra salt if needed. Add the bread, pushing it gently into the liquid. Place the lid on the pot and allow the bread to soften for 15 minutes. Stir to break up the bread a little and serve with grated parmesan and a peppermill.

Crab and Pineapple Salad with Avocado

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 8

Serves 3

1 cup lump crab meat (about 5 ounces)
1 to 2 tablespoons Tabasco or other hot sauce, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup chopped fresh pineapple
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup diced red onion
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
½ jalapeno pepper, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 large avocados, halved and pitted
Fresh lime juice to taste
Salt to taste
Coconut or plain jasmine rice

In a small bowl, gently combine the crab meat with hot sauce and olive oil. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the pineapple through garlic clove. Add lime juice and salt to taste. Stir in the crab meat. Taste for lime and salt, adding more if necessary.

Using a large spoon, scoop out the flesh from avocado halves, keeping the pieces intact as much as possible. Place on a bed of rice and fill with crab salad.

A Crumb Coat for Your Cake

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 9

The experts at Wilton are here to show you how to get a smooth, crumb-free finish on your next cake.

Dynamite Sauce

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 10

Makes 1 cup. Few things could be easier or more delicious than Dynamite Sauce. Enjoy as a dip for veggies, stir into soup, or layer into a burrito. Sure, you could buy it at Trader Joe's, but making it at home is such a blast.

¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sriracha sauce

Blend well. That's it folks!

Praising the Vickie

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 11

Content coming soon

Simmer Simmer Chicken Dinner

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 12

Serves 4. This super-simple dinner yields silky, falling-apart chicken pieces with carrots and mashed potatoes. Most of the work is done by the science of simmering.

3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
Water
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 stalks celery, halved.
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
2 pounds skin-on potatoes, washed and chopped in 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons butter, divided
Additional salt as needed

Place the chicken thighs in a heavy pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Add the salt, peppercorns, and celery. Bring to the gentlest simmer over low heat—small bubbles should just barely break the surface. Cook for 1 ½ hours, until the chicken is falling off the bone. Remove the chicken from heat and set aside.

Just before the chicken is done, cook the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain, return to their pot and add 2 tablespoons butter. Cover with a lid and set aside.

Scoop out 2 cups of broth from the chicken pot and use 1 ½ cups to steam the carrots. Pour the remaining ½ cup of broth into the potato pot and mash with a fork. Add extra salt to taste. When the carrots are done, drain and dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter.

Serve the chicken thighs in the pot, allowing diners to scoop pieces out into a bowl. I like to put the carrots and potatoes into the same bowl and drizzle everything with a ladle of broth.

Skinny Fish Party

The Savory Moment
SEASON 4, Episode 12

All you need for a skinny fish party is that pile of salmon backbones from your latest fishing trip. Coat with your favorite barbecue sauce and cook on a hot grill.

Everyone gets their own skinny fish—or two. Serve with rice and a salad for a classic post-fishing feast.

Participating stations

The Savory Moment is available to public radio stations for free on PRX. Participating stations include:

KCAW in Sittka, Alaska

KSTK in Wrangell, Alaska

KTOO in Juneau, Alaska

KRBD in Ketchikan, Alaska

KSKA in Anchorage, Alaska

KSKO in McGrath, Alaska

Click here to add your station!

Your host

Beth Short-Rhoads is a chef and food writer who lives in Sitka, Alaska. Visit her on Instagram.

Technical support
Operations Director at
KCAW, Adam Lechowicz mixed and mastered

Season 2 and now

provides technical support.

The Producer

KCAW 104.7 is a community radio station in Sitka, Alaska airing public radio programming

Our theme music

The Savory Moment's theme music is "Columbine Waltz", composed by Robert

Vandall and performed by Yvette Baer. It's used with permission from Alfred Publishing and Baer Piano Studio.

Get Some Backbone: SEASON 4, Episode 13, The Savory Moment

Simmering Science: SEASON 4, Episode 12, The Savory Moment

Praising the Vickie: SEASON 4, Episode 11, The Savory Moment

Never Miss an Opportunity: SEASON 4, Episode 7, The Savory Moment

How Sweet Crab Is: SEASON 4, Episode 8, The Savory Moment

A Coat for Your Cake: SEASON 4, Episode 9, The Savory Moment

Dynamite!: SEASON 4, Episode 10, The Savory Moment

Follow on Instagram

THE SAVORY MOMENT radio podcast

SEASON 4 Savory Moment episodes

SEASON 4 recipes

Participating stations
The Savory Moment is a free
program available for download
on PRX.

The Savory Moment is available to public radio stations for free on PRX.

Participating stations

The Savory Moment is available to public radio stations for free on PRX. Participating stations include:

Our theme music

Join my mailing list for dinner ideas

Follow
on Instagram

THE SAVORY MOMENT radio podcast

SEASON 4 Savory Moment episodes

SEASON 4 recipes

Participating stations The Savory Moment is a free program available for download on PRX.

The Savory Moment is available to public radio stations for free on PRX.

Participating stations

The Savory Moment is available to public radio stations for free on PRX. Participating stations include:

Our theme music

Join my mailing list for dinner ideas

Participating stations
The Savory Moment is a free
program available for download
on PRX.