by Noah Sebourn
Signature Northwest Dishes
These are the meals you’ll see in restaurants, home kitchens, and chef-driven farm-to-table menus. Many represent local ingredients found fresh at Pike Place Market but are also available in farmers markets all around the Pacific Northwest. Often the freshest foods and ingredients are available straight from regional farms.
| Dish / Food | What Makes It Northwest |
| Cedar-plank salmon | Grilled on a piece of cedar wood for smoky flavor |
| Dungeness crab melt | Like a tuna melt but sweeter and richer, often served on sourdough bread |
| Smoked salmon chowder | Creamy, using smoked salmon instead of clams |
| Salmon poke or crudo | Seattle’s Pacific Rim influence but seafood |
| Razor clam fritters | Common on the Washington coast, crisp and salty |
| Chanterelle pasta | Creamy, simple, and built around the foraged mushroom season |
| Huckleberry pie or huckleberry glaze on game | Wild berry flavor that is tart and floral |
| Grilled oysters with brown butter or garlic | A central coastal ingredient |
Recipes Featuring Northwest Cuisine
Sitting down over drinks with my friend and retired Seattle chef Jason Reeves inspired me to ask him to not just explain his take on Northwest cuisine but also discuss how it has changed.
“As the culture continues to change and welcome new influences, so do the practices in which we cook,” he said. “It is important to look at cooking as part of the experience. The Northwest has so many new and interesting influences, which changes the flavors of even the most classic recipes. Don’t fear different, fear the basic,” he quipped over an espresso martini.
These are the recipes he wanted to share:
Cedar-Plank Salmon with Herb and Lemon Glaze
1 untreated cedar grilling plank (soaked in water for at least one hour)
1 pound wild Pacific salmon fillet (king or sockeye preferred)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and cracked black pepper
Preheat grill to medium.
Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk the oil, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives, and thyme.
Place the soaked cedar plank directly on the grill grates and heat for two minutes, until it starts to lightly smoke.
Set the salmon on top of the cedar plank. Brush with half of the glaze.
Close the grill lid and cook 12–18 minutes, depending on thickness.
Brush with the remaining glaze just before removing.
Serve with roasted carrots or a simple green salad.
Note: The cedar adds aroma without overpowering the salmon. Very Northwest.
Chanterelle and Hazelnut Cream Pasta
8 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms, brushed clean and torn
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
8 ounces fresh pasta (tagliatelle or pappardelle)
1 handful toasted Oregon hazelnuts, rough chopped
Salt and pepper
Fresh thyme or chives for garnish
Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve half a cup of pasta water.
In a large pan, melt the butter and add the shallot. Sauté until soft.
Add the garlic and chanterelles. Cook until the mushrooms release moisture and caramelize slightly.
Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened.
Add the drained pasta to the pan. Toss to coat. Add the pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve topped with toasted hazelnuts and fresh herbs.
Note: The butter and cream highlight the earthiness of the chanterelles without masking them.
Dungeness Crab Melt on Sourdough
8 ounces fresh Dungeness crab meat
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Pinch of Old Bay or smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
2 slices good sourdough bread
2 slices Tillamook white cheddar or Beecher’s Flagship
Mix the crab, mayo, mustard, lemon juice, chives, and seasoning. Taste and adjust.
Lightly toast the sourdough.
Top each slice with the crab mixture, then the cheddar.
Broil until the cheese melts and edges are crisp.
Serve warm with a simple green salad or apple slices.
Note: Bright, rich, and deeply coastal.
Grilled Oysters with Brown Butter and Herbs
8 fresh Pacific oysters (Hama Hama, Shigoku, Kumamoto)
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped parsley or chives
Squeeze of lemon
Salt and pepper
Carefully shuck the oysters, leaving them in the bottom shell.
Heat the butter in a small pan until it turns golden and nutty.
Stir in the herbs, lemon, salt, and pepper.
Heat the grill on high. Place the oysters shell-side down.
Cook for 3–4 minutes until they just begin to firm.
Spoon the brown butter over each oyster and serve immediately.
Note: The simple preparation allows the oyster flavor to shine without masking its natural brine.
