Portsmouth man finds any excuse to be in the kitchen

PORTSMOUTH

Russell Wetherbee looks comfortable in jeans, a t-shirt and black-and- white herringbone socks as he stands at the stove in the tiny yet efficient kitchen of his 1949 vintage home. He should be.

He cooked breakfasts of waffles and peanut butter here at age 10 and watched his mother serve Hamburger Helper and canned tomato soup meals for him and his six siblings while growing up.

At age 19 – five years after he began his restaurant career as a dishwasher at Portsmouth’s German-themed Bier Garden – he bought the home where he grew up from his father.

Fast-forward eight years, and neither Hamburger Helper nor canned tomato soup has since crossed his threshold. The walls have been painted appetizing poppy reds and soft, earthy greens. The decor is a stylish combination of thrift-shop saves, antique rejuvenations and Ikea cool. A high-tech sound system plays soothing lounge music.

The appliances are all shiny and new, and so is his way of eating. He’s now a proud pescatarian, or seafood-eating vegetarian. An intuitive cook, he prefers to grocery shop without a recipe in mind and then create something around the fresh produce or protein he finds.

Tonight’s feast revolves around avocados, cabbage, mahi-mahi, fresh berries and the Cafe Bustelo instant espresso from Food Lion’s inspiring Mexican section that he uses in his divine dessert flan.

He entertains often – whether it’s casual cooking with a few friends or full-blown dinner parties for 10. He looks for any excuse to be in the kitchen, actually any kitchen, which is why he also prepares the apple strudel, the chocolate praline cake and the flourless hazelnut torte for the Bier Garden’s dessert menu.

“I don’t make them all. Just the best ones!” Wetherbee brags with a grin.

“His knowledge of the basics give him his confidence in the kitchen,” says in-law and neighbor Gwynne Wells. “He’s never intimidated by a complicated recipe or a challenge. I call him whenever I need help, which seems to be a lot.”

Wells explains that she was assigned to bring a salad for a family function. She called Wetherbee, who came over and looked at the food in her fridge. He came up with a salad featuring roasted mushrooms, corn, carrots and pineapple, served over fresh spinach, and a dressing of buttermilk, cottage cheese, garlic and parmesan.

“And no,” Wells notes, “I didn’t take the credit!”

RECIPES

Broiled Mahi-Mahi

2 pounds mahi-mahi
Juice from one lime
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup garlic-infused olive oil

Slice fish into four fillets. If the skin is still on, leave it, and cut two or three slits into the skin so the fish will cook more evenly. Place fillets skin side down in a baking dish, and squeeze lime juice over them. Spread chopped garlic over fillets.

In a small bowl, mix together coriander, cumin, paprika and salt. Sprinkle over fillets. Drizzle fillets with olive oil. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Put baking rack of oven next to the highest position, and turn broiler on high.

Place fillets skin side up on a cast-iron griddle, or baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, and place under broiler.

Flip fillets after about 3 minutes, and cook for about 4 or 5 more minutes. Fish should be slightly opaque and brown around the edges. Remove skin if necessary.

Top with a dollop of Mexican sour cream (regular sour cream will work), mixed with zest of one lime, a little salt and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice.

Serve over Jalapeno and Roasted Pepper Slaw and a little bit of the Smokey Pico (recipes follow).

Source: Russell Wetherbee of Portsmouth

Jalapeno & Roasted Pepper Slaw

Juice of one lime
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 medium peppers, red sweet peppers preferred – roasted, skins removed, seeded and diced
1/2 head of napa cabbage (green or savoy also work), shredded
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh jalapeno, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Salt

In a large bowl, combine lime juice, honey and cumin, and mix until honey dissolves. Add peppers, cabbage, onion, jalapeno and cilantro and mix well. Salt to taste. Marinate for at least an hour.

Smokey Pico de Gallo

5 large roma tomatoes, seeds removed, diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Juice of one lime
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
Healthy dash of cayenne pepper
Key lime salt (can substitute with kosher)

Combine all ingredients, except salt, in large bowl and mix well. Salt to taste.

Source: Russell Wetherbee of Portsmouth

Vanilla Bean and
Espresso Cheese Flan

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise to open)
3 teaspoons instant espresso
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
5 eggs (room temperature)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¹/8 teaspoon salt

Heat sugar and water in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Cook, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally to cook evenly. If sugar crystals form on side, brush with pastry brush dipped in cold water. Cook until caramel becomes a deep amber.

Immediately – and carefully – pour mixture evenly into eight ramekins and swirl to coat bottoms and part of the sides. Place ramekins in large roasting pan.

Heat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the middle.

In a saucepan, heat milk to a simmer with vanilla bean and instant espresso. Remove from heat.

Remove vanilla bean and lay flat on cutting board. Use a blunt knife to scrape all the seeds from the bean. Mix seeds with warm milk and discard bean. Set milk aside.

Blend condensed milk with cream cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, vanilla extract and salt. Mix well and scrape into large bowl. Whisk in hot milk.

Divide mixture among the ramekins. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of ramekins.

Cover loosely with foil and bake for about 55 minutes. Center of flan should wobble slightly when touched.

Remove ramekins from water bath and let stand at least 15 minutes. Use knife to run around the edges of flan to loosen, then invert onto plate.

Serve warm by itself, or with Mixed Berry Compote (recipe follows).

Source: Russell Wetherbee of Portsmouth

Mixed Berry Compote

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 large strips lemon zest
2 cups fresh berries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Boil water, sugar, honey and lemon zest in a medium saucepan for five minutes.

Discard zest and stir in berries. Allow to simmer until berries begin to burst.

Stir in lemon juice.

Source: Russell Wetherbee of Portsmouth

Judy Cowling,
jcowling3@cox.net