Recipes by Glenn Ford: Campbell River Salmon; Escargot

Glenn Ford's Campbell River Salmon

Fresh salmon fillets (size depending upon your catch)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rye whiskey
3 tbsps. dark brown sugar (use more sugar if desired)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt (or a few drops pressed garlic)
Alder leaves (or hickory chips)

Filet fresh caught salmon into serving-sized pieces. Prepare marinade and blend well. Place salmon fillets in shallow glass or china dish; pour marinade over fillets. Let fish stand 6 or more hours before cooking, turning several times. (Best to refrigerate fish while it marinates.) Place fish on grill (or hibachi); cook over coals, turn. At the moment fillets are turned, place alder leaves (or hickory chips) on coals. Watch fillets carefully, and do not overcook. If desired baste with marinade during barbecuing. Serve at once. The salmon is fabulous with a cold crisp salad and a bundle of mixed vegetables (corn, tomatoes, onions, snap beans, peas or squash) also cooked on the grill with butter and your choice of seasonings.

Thoughts: Glenn's Campbell River Salmon is best made with your own catch at your campsite.

Glenn Ford's Escargot

4 dozen snails
6 cups hot water
2 tsps. salt
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, sliced
Bouquet garni: 1 small bay leaf, a good pinch of thyme, 4 sprigs of parsley tied in a cheesecloth bag
8 peppercorns, bruised

For snail butter:
1 large clove garlic, pressed
1 cup butter
1 tsp. minced shallot (or scallion)
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Carefully clean snails: cover with cold water (discard any snails that don't poke their heads out of their shells), rinse well under running water, scrub shells with stiff brush. Set aside. Place hot water in deep kettle and add salt, onion, carrot, bouquet garni and peppercorns. Bring stock to a simmer; plunge snails in simmering liquid, return to simmer, cook 1 or 2 minutes only. Drain snails. Carefully remove snails from shells
with oyster pick or toothpicks. Set snails aside; reserve shells.

Prepare snail butter by creaming butter in small bowl; add garlic, shallot (or scallion), parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Place a dab of snail butter in each shell, poke partially-cooked snail into each shell, pack
with butter to fill. Place stuffed snails on baking dish or individual snail pans. Heat in preheated 450 degrees F. oven about 10 minutes (or until butter sizzles). Serve at once with hunks of hot French or Italian bread and your choice of a well-chilled dry white wine (Chablis or Graves are happy choices). Serves 4.

Thoughts: Snails can be obtained fresh in the U.S. in limited supply (along both coasts) in specialty food shops or fish shops. The canned variety, that comes with a bag of shells attached, is available in many supermarkets in the U.S. If desired, a touch of garlic may be added to the snail stock and even more added to the snail butter. Let your palate be your guide. It's important not to overcook the snails either in the stock or in the oven!