JBug's Kitchen Antics

Imitation Is...

You know what they say about imitation being the finest form of flattery. Well, I channeled Wilko, a "gastro-pub" close to Big Guy's office at the University of Arizona in Tucson where he took me for brunch a while ago and made this fabulous potato cake aka giant latke for breakfast this morning. The only thing missing was the fresh frisee in a light caper flavored vinaigrette they serve on top, but no matter. It was delish anyway!

You see, my regular shopping stomping grounds in Newport had lox on sale yesterday at their meat counter and I absolutely had to have it. The moist, tender little morsels of salmony goodness made for a perfect lunch yesterday with cream cheese and sweet onion on a toasted ciabatta roll 

...and it was the reason you're looking at what I had for dinner last night. By the way, the frost all over the gin bottle's because we keep our gin in the freezer, ready to go into an extra dry, dusty martini Big Guy's partial to. 

But you know what? The salmon was even better this morning on the crisp outside creamy inside potato pancake with sour cream, onion and dill. Now, it could have been dinner last night, or lunch tomorrow or done in a mini version as appetizers with friends later in the week, or salmon on a blini like we've had before or even just fished straight out of the container because when you've a particular craving for something, it's kind of hard to put it off for very long if you know what I mean. 

Incidentally, for any of you that are confused about lox versus smoked salmon, either wet or dry smoked, take a gander at this article from Jewish Woman Magazine and I guarantee it'll be clear as mud. To tell you the truth, the "lox" I purchased yesterday while extremely moist and tender and almost transparent looking which means it had to have been brined, also had a distinct smokey flavor and wasn't salty in the least. That being said, I'm not sure if it was lox or Nova or what but I do know it is absolutely awesome and I plan to have more of it later today. Just sayin'. 

Here's a link for the how to's on the potato latkes. TTFN (ta ta for now).

Two year's ago - Braised Chicken with White Wine and Pancetta

Three year's ago - Southern Illinois BBQ Sandwich

Potato Latkes with Smoked Salmon

Big Guy smoked more salmon yesterday - two beautiful big sides of wild Alaskan sockeye cured in a dry rub of salt, brown sugar, pepper and dill seed for 24 hours then smoked in the Big Chief using apple wood chips. Such a beautiful thing!

He did that along with the majority of things on our weekend honey do list and consequently we both kinda' ran out of steam in the dinner department. I had no energy left to give and didn't have the heart to ask him to rotisserie a chicken I had thawing in the refrigerator so we moved on to plan "B" and teamed up to produce a "munchie" dinner. 

There's nothing much better with freshly smoked salmon than a pile of potato latkes, hot from the pan and super crisp. Simply one Idaho potato, peeled and grated into a bowl of cold water then squeezed using my trusty OXO potato ricer so no moisture remained in the lovely snow white shreds. Combined with an egg, a little flour, finely chopped red onion and a touch of salt and pepper, the little cakes took but a couple of minutes to crisp up in a quarter inch of hot canola. 

While I handled the latke cookin', Big Guy arranged all the "withs" on our dinner plates and the resulting feast left two people entirely satisfied. The moral of the story...think outside the box every once in a while and come up with a light, fun dinner instead of the usual.

By the way, seeing as the holiday season's right around the corner, think outside the box when it comes to hors d'oeuvres too and cook up some latkes. They can be made in advance and reheated in the oven just before serving and go exceedingly well with an unlimited number of toppings including but not limited to deviled ham, egg salad, sour cream and caviar and/or smoked salmon of course, never mind the red pepper aioli we had the other night. Awesome! 

A year ago - Pumpkin Scones with Candied Ginger

Two year's ago -  Pork Stew with Cider

 

Smoked Salmon Pasta

Without question I have to be the luckiest lady in the whole wide world. I have a husband that not only likes to eat, he loves to cook too including but not limited to barbecuing darn near anything you can think of. He's also a master when it comes to the smoker ...jerky, turkey, bacon or fish - whatever he touches turns to gold. I swear!

We picked up a side of gorgeous sockeye salmon a few weeks ago because I had a yen for the stuff and he cured then smoked it for a few hours in the Big Chief we have in our back yard. I can't tell you any more than that mostly because I didn't ask. I was too anxious for the results and now you can see why. It's a work of art, isn't it?

We enjoyed some of it fresh off the smoker along with crackers and cheese and put the rest in the freezer for other things... like last night's bowl of pasta.

A creamy sauce made of sauteed onion, garlic, a touch of vermouth, a lemon off our tree and freshly chopped parsley accompanied by a pound of fresh asparagus and chunk of that incredible smoked salmon made for what is without doubt our best meal of the week during a week of some plum good eatin' I might add. 

Next time you're in the mood for smoked salmon remember there's a lot more you can do it with than simply sliced onto a bagel slathered in cream cheese. Make a little go a long way by adding it to a bowl of pasta.  

Creamy Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Sable & Rosenfeld, Elegant Entertaining)

8 ounces pasta, cooked per package directions

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup onions, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 pound asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry vermouth

1 cup heavy cream

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

5 ounces smoked salmon, broken into pieces

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile in a sauté pan melt butter and olive oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened – about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, season with salt and pepper then add vermouth. Cook stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until asparagus is bright green color and vermouth has reduced by half. Add cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil mixture for 2 minutes until cream is slightly reduced. Stir in cooked pasta and toss to allow pasta to absorb sauce. Add lemon juice and zest and parsley. Toss then add smoked salmon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 3 to 4 servings. 

A year ago - Peachy Ham Steak

Two year's ago - Bacon and Tomato Risotto

Herb Crusted Salmon with Dill Sauce

Every once in a while I worry about running out of recipes to try, but then Big Guy goes on another trip and brings me back a new cookbook and my worries are gone. Last night's gorgeous salmon is courtesy of Taste of the Territory, a fabulous addition to my collection from the Service League of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Covered in a layer of mixed fresh herbs including rosemary, tarragon, parsley and oregano, I simply pulsed the herbs in my mini chopper along with garlic cloves and olive oil and slathered the mixture on top of a couple of pieces of salmon. The sockeye fillets were placed skin side down in a hot cast iron pan in a combination of butter and olive oil and cooked for 5 minutes, then finished in the oven for 7 minutes more - just the amount of time it took to steam the broccoli. 

The bonus - incredibly crisp skin on the bottom, covered by perfectly cooked moist flakey flesh that's far from boring in all its herbie splendor. In fact, I changed up the recipe a bit and added lemon pepper seasoning with the herbs along with a top coat of buttered panko crumbs which meant the moist fish was sandwiched between two crispy glorious layers of goodness. There's nothing like a little crunch is there? 

The unsung hero of the dish is the sauce, and you all know how I love me some of that! This one's very easy to put together - a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream, along with a touch of honey, a little dijon, finely chopped onion along with dill, tarragon and basil - oh and garlic too. Jazzed up with worcestershire sauce, it hits the microwave to heat slowly for a minute before it hits the plate.

The result was almost total silence, if you don't count the blissful moans and groans coming from the audience. Try this one next time you find fresh and beautiful wild caught salmon at your local market. It's more than worthy of top billing at any 5 star restaurant, and so simple and quick to put together. It is a super week night dinner that tastes really special. I betcha it'll make you famous. Just sayin!

Herb Crusted Salmon with Dill Sauce (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Taste of the Territory Cookbook)

2 – 6 ounce salmon fillets

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

1 tablespoon melted butter

3 tablespoons panko crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Wash and dry salmon fillets. Check carefully for bones and remove them with pliers or tweezers. In a mini chopper or food processor, combine rosemary, tarragon, oregano, parsley, garlic and lemon pepper seasoning. Pulse briefly then add 2 tablespoons olive oil and pulse until combined. Divide herb mixture between the 2 salmon fillets, slathering on top of the fillets. Combine melted butter and panko crumbs and sprinkle on top of each fillet.

Place remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large heavy oven proof pan (I used cast iron) and heat over medium high until very hot. Place salmon fillets in pan, skin side down and cook for 5 minutes without touching the fillets, so the skin has a chance to brown. Move pan to the oven and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes or until salmon is just cooked through but flesh is slightly opaque. Remove from oven and place on warmed plates. Serve with dill sauce. Makes 2 servings.

Dill Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon liquid honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients together in a small microwaveable bowl and heat on low power for 1 minute, or until sauce is warmed through. Stir every 30 seconds.  

A year ago - Chicken in Cranberry Mustard Sauce 

Two year's ago - Chicken Pasta Salad with Pesto

Salmon Piccata Style

I've never thought about cooking salmon any other way but grilled, poached or roasted until I saw this recipe in Northwest Best Places Cookbook and then I thought "why not". 

A take on veal piccata, a fillet of gorgeous Copper River salmon is relieved of skin and checked for bones (there were a lot of 'em), then sliced cross wise into half inch thick pieces. Seasoned and coated in flour it is then fried for mere minutes. Once removed from the pan, that's where the fun begins. White wine and lemon juice get a quick reduction followed by cubed very cold butter and capers for a very fast lemon caper flavored beurre blanc. It's a breeze! A mighty delicious one too. 

Perched on a nest of lemon flavored tagliatelle, it was an incredibly quick and rather gourmet way to serve one of our favorite fish choices, but a bed of sauteed spinach garnished with pine nuts would be pretty darn awesome too. To steal a phrase from my friend Mary - it'll make your socks go up and down!

Salmon Piccata Style (adapted from Northwest Best Places Cookbook)

3/4 pound good quality salmon, (a thick piece)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Course ground black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine

Juice of half a lemon

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes and kept very cold

2 tablespoons drained capers

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon wedges for garnish

Remove skin from salmon and remove any bones. Using a very sharp knife, slice salmon crosswise into 2 pieces. Season with coarse ground black pepper and coat both sides in flour, shaking off excess.

Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high and when hot, cook salmon until lightly browned and barely cooked through – about 1 minute 30 seconds each side (3 minutes total). Remove from pan and discard pan drippings. Return pan to heat, adding wine and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and reduce slightly stirring to gather any fond from the bottom of the pan. Lower heat, and stir in butter and capers, moving sauce around until butter is melted. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Return salmon fillets to pan and coat with sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.  Makes 2 servings. 

A year ago - Life is Cool - On the road

Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

I happen to have a tremendous affinity for pasta which is a shame really because it isn't particularly good for an over fifty female with a waist line trying to win a girth contest with her hips. Yup, it ain't pretty.

I also happen to love asparagus and smoked salmon too, so imagine combining three of your most favorite things into one fabulous dish. That's what I did last night for dinner.

I originally had every intention of making a hot pasta dish, but with triple digit temperatures and still without a blind on my south facing kitchen window, standing over a hot stove held absolutely zero appeal.

Consequently I boiled pasta, blanched asparagus and cooled the whole lot off before adding skinny little slices of orange mini bell peppers, and chopped sweet onion to the mix. Combined with a lemon, Dijon, mayonnaise and sour cream dressing flavored with a touch of tarragon and lots of pepper, the bowl hit the fridge to chill out for a couple of hours.

Just prior to serving about 10 ounces of incredible lemon/mustard seed smoked sockeye salmon courtesy of Trader Joe's joined the party along with a couple of handfuls of mini-pearl tomatoes. Plated and served with a side of flaky home made buttermilk biscuits and a big ice filled glass of sparkling water, it was a delightful Monday night repast. I figured it couldn't possibly be too bad in the calorie department because after all, the veggies outweighed the pasta. Oh, and it really was just one little iddy biddy moist butter filled biscuit, so that couldn't count much either. Right?

Trouble is Big Guy cut and served a humongous slice of caramel apple pie for dessert and try as I might, I couldn't leave nary a crumb. Oh well - there's always another day to be good and it should be easier today. The pie's all gone; however, there's still a bunch of salad left...oh and biscuits too. MMMM Darn.

Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus (Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 1996)

3 cups medium sized pasta (penne, radiatore, or shells)

1-1/2 pounds asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 large sweet onion, chopped

4 or 5 mini sweet bell peppers, seeded and sliced

1 cup mini pearl tomatoes

10 ounces smoked salmon, broken into large pieces

2 tablespoons drained capers (optional)

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise (Lite is fine)

1/4 cup lite sour cream

1-1/2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Salt & pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Two minutes before it’s done, add asparagus to pot to blanche. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled. Drain well. Place in a bowl along with onion, and peppers. Mix all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and fold into pasta. Chill for a minimum 2 hours. Just before serving, add tomatoes and smoked salmon pieces. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary. Garnish with capers if you wish. Makes 6 main course servings. 

A year ago - Spicy Bean Snackin' Cake 

Two year's ago - Roasted Corn Chowder

Grilled Salmon with Potlatch Seasoning and Potato Latkes

Isn't it funny how we all crave different things during different times of the year. Comfort food takes on a whole new meaning when you live in Arizona or other parts of the south where temperatures soar. We stretched it a bit yesterday with the chicken and dumplings, because it's more salad weather here than stew appropriate so grilling is really the answer at least until it gets too hot to do even that.

We picked up some gorgeous Copper River salmon at the market and while I had every intention of smoking it, to be honest I was just too darn impatient. I mean waiting for it to cure for 24 hours, then drying it before smoking seemed like too much effort when we could have almost instant gratification on the grill. I had some potlatch seasoning left over from another dinner and it was the perfect solution. 

A good rub in it, an 8 hour nap in the refrigerator and 10 minutes on the gas grill on low meant perfect results. What can I say except we're just lucky that way ...no actually, it's Big Guy on the grill that does the trick but I'm not loaning him out.

Placed on top of a bed of fresh greens along with a perfectly ripe avocado, it could have been absolutely perfect but some kind of crunch seemed like a great idea. Enter the lowly potato in a latke form. 

This particular version is more like an Irish potato cake (see here) in texture as the potatoes and some of the onions are pureed in the food processor rather than grated. It's certainly a lot easier and quicker too.

While the recipe on epicurious.com suggested draining the potato/onion mixture in a towel lined colander and squeezing out the excess moisture, I happen to hate the mess that creates, so I used my trusty little OXO potato ricer instead. It really does the trick in getting rid of the excess moisture; in fact, if anything, you can squeeze out too much of it. Finished with an egg, a mere tablespoon of flour, a little baking powder and salt and pepper, the latkes are super light, incredibly moist and really crisp on the outside. 

Who needs boring old croutons when you can have latkes on your salad instead? Incidentally, we had our salad dressed in a purchased Vidalia Onion dressing courtesy of Sam's Club and it was just perfect, but a vinaigrette, or even ranch dressing would be A-OK too. 

Potlatch Seasoning  (adapted from Foodnetwork.com)

4 teaspoons kosher salt

3 teaspoons chili powder

3 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Combine ingredients together in a small jar and seal tightly.

Quick and Easy Potato Latkes (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from epicurious.com)

1 large russet potato, peeled and diced

1 medium onion, finely chopped and divided

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Vegetable oil for frying

In a food process, combine potato chunks and all but a quarter cup of chopped onion. Pulse until potatoes are very finely chopped. Working in batches, put the potato mixture through a potato ricer to squeeze out the excess moisture. Scrape into a bowl. (Alternately move the potato mixture into a towel line colander and squeeze out as much moisture as possible by wringing the towel). 

Add the reserved chopped onion to the bowl along with egg, salt, black pepper, flour and baking powder. Mix well to combine.

Heat approximately a quarter inch of oil in the bottom of a heavy pan and heat over medium high. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop quarter cupful’s of potato mixture into hot oil and press slightly to make a flat cake. Cook for approximately 3 to 4 minutes a side until golden brown and crisp. Remove to a cooling rack placed on top of a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 425 and just before serving, heat latkes until crisp and deep brown – about 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 6 latkes.

A year ago - Thai Style Grilled Chicken on Noodle Salad

Two year's ago - Santa Fe Corn Pie

Buffalo Salmon

Big Guy tried out the new kitchen again last night and cooked us up a lovely salmon fillet. I have to admit he spoiled me over the weekend by relieving me of the dinner cooking chores and I enjoyed every second of it. As you may know, we've enjoyed this salmon before but after 3 years worth of blogging, we just have to repeat some things and this one is well worth enjoying again.

Simply a salmon fillet brushed with a butter/hot sauce combination and topped with panko crumbs and baked for approximately 15 minutes, it comes out of the oven ready to perch on top of caesar or tossed salad or on a bed of sauteed vegetables. It really is a delicious way to enjoy what's quickly becoming our favorite fish. 

A few notes on how to select good salmon:

• look for bright pink color, firm flesh and a non fishy smell
• if you're buying a whole fish, the skin should be shiny, the eyes bright and clear (not cloudy) and the gills a deep red color
• when possible, buy fresh rather than frozen and for heaven's sake, look for wild not farmed. According  to Eating Well, while most Atlantic salmon is farmed, wild salmon comes from the U.S. Pacific Northwest, British Columbia Canada and Alaska.  There's a huge difference in flavor never mind that " In Alaska, the wild-salmon fishery is one of the world’s best-managed and populations are robust" so don't worry overly much about the supply running out.

Here's a few of our other favorite salmon recipes on this site, should you get a craving for this oh so good for you special protein.  

      Asian Glazed          Pesto Topped Plank Grilled    Maple Soy Glazed

    

with Red Pepper Salsa     Salmon Wellington       Salmon Club Sandwich

   

Buffalo Salmon  Adapted from Gourmet.com

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup hot sauce such as Frank’s Redhot

Salt & pepper

1/3 cup panko crumbs

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 – 2 lb. salmon fillet with skin

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Combine butter, hot sauce and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Microwave until the butter is melted. Whisk together to emulsify butter and hot sauce. Set aside.

Toss panko crumbs in oil. Place salmon on baking pan, skin side down and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Brush with half the sauce. Sprinkle panko evenly over top of fish then bake until fish is just cooked through and panko is golden brown. (About 15 minutes).

Serve with reserved sauce on the side.

 

Salmon with Bacon and Mustard

When they say that bacon's good with everything, they're not kidding. I mean who'da thunk that it would be so great with salmon, but believe me it is.

A recipe from Legal Seafoods Cookbook, I did what they didn't say to do and par cooked the bacon first. I mean 12 minutes in the oven isn't going to do it because I like my bacon crisp! By the way I tried to make it pretty by weaving it into a cross hatch style blanket but it didn't quite turn out the way I'd planned but who cares really (other than moi). 

While the bacon cooked I prepped the salmon by removing a couple of pin bones, then slathered it in a mixture of Dijon mustard and soy sauce. Topped with the bacon it hit a 400 oven for a mere 12 minutes and came out looking like this.

Perfectly cooked, incredibly moist and really delicious. I was afraid the bacon would take over the flavor profile, but I could taste everything - salmon, the spicy tart flavor of the Dijon, the salty soy and of course the BACON. 

Served along with some TJ's polenta from their freezer section, it was a quick dinner that got Big Guy's vote for the third great meal of the week. Isn't he something for keeping track?

As for an update on the renovations, the fur kids and I survived although I'm thinking it would have made sense for all of us to vacate the premises ...like maybe head to Oregon until the job is done. I'm sure the neighbors would have appreciated it too since I can't keep the boys from yapping their disapproval of all the doin's. Anyway, the AC guys will vacate the premises approximately noon today and the Kitchen guys have pushed their arrival off until tomorrow morning which works out just lovely. As for me, I'll be renting a u-haul to make a wine run later today. 

Salmon with Bacon and Mustard (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Legal Sea Foods Cookbook)

1 small salmon fillet (approximately 1 pound)

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

5 slices lean bacon

In a large skillet, partially cook the bacon until just barely crisp in over medium low heat. (Pressing the bacon down with a heavy pan on top while it’s cooking will keep the bacon from curling up.) Drain bacon on a paper towel, reserving 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 400. Wash and dry salmon fillet leaving skin on. Check for bones and remove as necessary. Combine mustard and soy sauce and coat flesh side of the salmon fillet. Coat an oven proof pan with reserved bacon fat and place salmon in pan, skin side down. Top salmon with bacon, place into preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through.  Serves 2.

A year ago - Cajun Shrimp with Foccacia

Two year's ago - Salmon with Double Horseradish

 

Salmon with Bacon and Lentils

I find it very hard to resist a perfect sockeye salmon fillet so yesterday's purchase became last night's dinner. Simply cooked in the bacon leavings in a hot cast iron pan, and brushed with some Kicky Kumquat Marmalade before hitting the broiler the real story of the evening is the bed of lentils.

Simmered with onion, carrot and orange peel, they can be prepped in advance and finished just prior to plating which is what I did just to make life a little easier - plus I had no idea exactly how long the darn things would take to cook. Anyway, after they're cooked, the lentils are spiced up with lots of salt and pepper, chopped fresh parsley and chives along with dried tarragon, finished with a touch of cream and garnished with crispy bacon.

A word to the wise - watch your lentils to make sure you don't over or under cook them because undercooked they're like pellets and overcooked they're mush. Dah - now that's a profound statement isn't it?

If you're interested in the real source, check out the recipe on epicurious.com; however, I made some changes to suit our tastebuds. I'm not a fan of rubbery undercooked bacon, so I cooked it until crisp, crumbled it up and used it as a garnish rather than wrapping the salmon fillets with the rashers. Also, heeding the advice of some of the comments, I ramped up the flavor of the salmon by glazing it with our homemade habanero kumquat marmalade but you could achieve almost the same thing by mixing minced hot peppers into store bought orange marmalade. 

Give this one a try next time you've a yen for salmon. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Salmon with Bacon and Lentils (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from epicurious.com)

Lentils:

1 cup lentils

1 onion, minced

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

4 – 2 inch long orange peel strips (pith removed)

2-1/2 cups water

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

In a medium sized pot, combine lentils, onion, carrot, orange peel and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until lentils are just cooked. Drain well reserving liquid. Remove and discard orange peel. (May be made to this point, covered and cooled). Just before serving reheat lentils over medium heat. Stir in whipping cream, parsley, chives, and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add reserved liquid if lentils are dry.

Salmon:

3 slices bacon

1 – 12 ounce sockeye salmon fillet skin on

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

3 tablespoons Kicky Kumquat Marmalade or 1/2 habanero pepper minced and mixed into 3 tablespoons purchased orange marmalade

 

Cook bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels, then cut into small pieces. Set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat and return pan to heat and increase to medium high.

Preheat broiler. Cut salmon fillet into 2 serving pieces and season well with salt and pepper. Place into hot skillet, skin side down and cook for 2 minutes. Top salmon with marmalade and place under broiler for additional 2 to 3 minutes or until salmon is cooked. Serve on a bed of lentils garnished with bacon.

Two year's ago - Fried Eggplant with Sausage Ragu 

Maple Glazed Cedar Planked Salmon with Dijon Mashed Spuds

Boy sometimes I even surprise myself with my stupidity. Yesterday's shopping trip yielded some beautiful salmon steaks, all plump and glistening. The problem is I forgot how bony the darn things are even though the flavor's great. I really should have listened to the "look" I got from the Big Guy when I picked them up and bought fillets instead - but oh no. Sometimes I think I need to exert my independence but it's no surprise that I should have saved it for another time.

No problemo though because I'm thinking we'll be making this one again. Notice I use the term "we" - which is meant as a collective "we" since the Big Guy did all the work yesterday and cooked up the salmon. A recipe from Gourmet via Epicurious.com, the glaze is a combination of reduced maple syrup, lemon juice, soy sauce, fresh ginger and garlic. It's really simple enough but in combination with cedar smoke the end result is absolutely not to be believed.

The Mustard Mashed Potatoes, also from Gourmet via Epicurious are really the icing on the plate - creamy yet chunky unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes, mashed along with butter, milk and Dijon mustard and paired with the salmon, it is without a doubt a match made in heaven. Who knew?

We changed not one single thing other than the Big Guy cooked the salmon outside on the Weber, so I'm sending you directly to the source of this blissful more than company worthy dinner. Hit the button here and you're on your way to Epicurious!

A year ago -  Chicken Paillards Cordon Bleu  Two year's ago - Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Bacon

Asian Glazed Salmon

Some things are worth having over and over and over. Such is the case with the Asian Glazed Salmon we had last night.  The glaze is made up of brown sugar, soy and hoisin sauces, fresh ginger and lots of garlic and it's sweet, salty gingery flavor is a perfect topping for a lovely salmon fillet.

The Big Guy cooked the salmon on a gas barbecue, but one could certainly achieve the same results using a broiler - particularly for those of you that would need to dig your barby out of a snow bank. Actually the glaze would be great on almost any kind of fish, and lovely on pork or chicken too so be adventurous and use your imagination.

We had our salmon on a bed of soba noodles topped with some Asian flavored veggies courtesy of Trader Joe's freezer, but it would be absolutely delicious on salad greens or a bed of fluffy rice or even some couscous.

So what's in store for today? The Big Guy has the day off work and is heading out shortly for a little fun at the shooting range. As for me, I'm going to give our little Maxer dog major cuddles because speaking of bullets, he dodged a bunch yesterday but seems to be recovering from his latest medical crisis - pancreatitus. He was one very sick puppy.

Asian Glazed Salmon (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Legal Seafood’s Cookbook)

Glaze:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Dash of dried red pepper flakes (optional)

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients together in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened to a thick syrupy consistency – about 9 minutes. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn.

1-1/2 pound salmon fillet

Check salmon for pin bones and remove as necessary. Wash and dry fillet well. Baste with half the glaze and let sit for 15 minutes. Preheat broiler. Broil fillet for 4 minutes, remove and coat with more glaze, then return to broiler for additional 4 minutes or until cooked through. Baste with remaining glaze before serving.  Serves 4.

A year ago - Cod a la Cajun

Pesto Topped Salmon Grilled on a Plank

Cooking food on a hunka' wood is a common practice in First Nation and Native American cultures on both the East and West coasts of North America and provides moist, tender and flavorful results.

Last night the Big Guy coated a lovely piece of wild sockeye salmon with pesto, slapped it on a hunk of alder on the charcoal grill and voilà dinner was served. I know I made it sound really easy and believe me it isn't rocket science providing the plank of wood has been prepped properly. If it hasn't been you'll have a fire of gargantuan proportions and be heading off to Sonic for dinner when you could have been dining fine at home.

We're lucky enough to have been "regifted" with a good supply of alder, apple, cedar and maple all of which has been cut, planed, sanded and kiln dried. Soaked for a while in water then slapped on the barbecue, it imparts a nutty woodsy flavor to any food and thanks to inspiration and instructions from "Plank Cooking - The Essence of Natural Wood" by Scott and Tiffany Haugen, the Big Guy's got the method down pat.

We had our pesto topped fish along with assorted steamed vegetables (mini potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and pearl onions) in a creamy tarragon flavored sauce. It was a great combination, ready in about 40 minutes total prep and cooking time, and definitely company worthy.  Note - for more instructions in the art of plank cooking, see link below.

Plank Grilled Pesto Topped Salmon (adapted from Plank Cooking)

1 – 1 pound salmon filet with skin on

Pesto:

1-1/2 cups loosely packed basil

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Place basil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan in a blender or food processor and process until coarsely chopped. With motor running add olive oil and process until a paste forms. Season with salt and pepper.

Wash and dry fish leaving skin intact. Check for pin bones and remove as required. Season fish with salt and pepper and top with a liberal amount of pesto. Grill on prepared plank for 15 to 20 minutes.  Note – may substitute cod, sea bass or halibut for the salmon.

Serves 2 to 3.

See - Plank Grilled Cod here

 

 

 

Roasted Salmon with Tomatoes, Basil Relish

Sprouts Market had some lovely wild sockeye salmon on sale this week and I just couldn't pass it up. I never can when it's a good price. My only issue was that we really like one particular recipe here, but since I've shared it with you on a couple of occasions I thought I'd better come up with something different.

This particular method of cooking salmon is adapted from Robin Miller at Food Network and it's really quick, simple and absolutely no fuss. In fact, the woman could give Rachel a run for her money in the 30 minute meal category.

I simply washed, dried the side of beautiful fish, felt for pinbones but there weren't any to remove, then slatered it in a touch of olive oil and coated it liberally with lemon pepper and Italian seasoning. While I was doing that I had cauliflower dusted with parmesan and some of those lovely little Trader Joe mini potatoes getting a five minute head start in a hot oven.

The fish joined the party and the whole thing took another 15 minutes to cook. Topped with a fresh tomato relish including chopped mini pearl tomatoes, fresh basil slivers, capers and some coarse ground pepper that was it. Dinner done and really good for us too. Not a cream sauce in sight. What's with that I wonder.

Roasted Wild Salmon with Tomato Basil Relish (adapted from Robin Miller, foodnetwork.com)

1 – 1&1/2 pound salmon fillet, skin left on

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Salt to taste

1 cup chopped mini pearl tomatoes

1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons drained capers

Coarse ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray well with cooking spray. Wash and dry salmon fillet leaving skin intact. Remove any pin bones. Slather olive oil on salmon, then season evenly with salt, lemon pepper and dried Italian seasoning. Roast at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish is firm to the touch and just cooked. Meanwhile combine pearl tomatoes, basil, capers and black pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Slice salmon into serving pieces and top with relish. Serves 4. Download Roasted Wild Salmon with Tomato Basil Relish

A year ago

Clams Casino with Lemon Spaghetti

Peach Glazed Salmon with Orange Pasta Salad

If salmon's on your menu and you're looking to kick it up a notch, give your jam cupboard a look see before you reach for the usual standby. Our good neighbor Judi brought us a lovely jar of Peach and Jalapeno Jam at Christmas and other than the fact that it is absolutely incredible on just about anything, it made a lovely glaze on our wild Sockeye Salmon last night.

I washed and dried the salmon, removed a few pin bones then dusted the filets with lemon pepper and salt and coated them in a couple of spoonfuls of that treasured spicy sweet jam. Shoved under a preheated broiler for 8 minutes, the fish was perfectly cooked with its crunchy little bits of caramelized jam and lovely on top of a light and refreshing pasta salad.

Adapted from the famous Best of Bridge Ladies, this salad made good use of some fresh Minneola's from our tree along with asparagus, celery, sweet onion and a few chives. Seasoned with salt and pepper and dressed with a light orange and dill vinaigrette it was a great foil for the salmon and rather good for us in the calorie department.

Course it would have been even better without the glasses of wine and the ice cream for dessert. Oh well - an extra 15 minutes on the elliptical will help take care of that! Thank you Judi for the wonderful jam and your kindness in giving it to us. Would you consider sharing the recipe with all of us?

Fresh Orange & Pasta Salad (adapted from Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks)

2 cups pasta, cooked according to package directions and well drained

2 oranges, peeled and cut into segments

2 cups asparagus pieces, blanched

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Salt & pepper to taste

Vinaigrette:

Grated peel & juice of 1 orange

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt

1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed

In a large salad bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients until well combined. Add drained pasta, oranges, asparagus, celery, onion and chives. Toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Cover and chill. Makes 6 servings.

Note: - I tossed the fresh asparagus pieces in with the pasta during the last minute of cooking to blanch them before adding them to the salad.  Download Fresh Orange Pasta Salad

 

 

Smoked Salmon Pasta

I had a little 4 ounce package of smoked salmon hiding in the freezer and debated making blini to go with it, but figured we'd be happier with something a little more substantial. You see the big guy doesn't do finger in the air prissy stuff very well and that goes for almost everything in the food department. That's also the reason our pasta choice was cavatappi instead of angel hair because it has a lot more tooth.

Modelled on a recipe from Simply Recipes (you know you can't go wrong with a recipe from Elise) like many pasta dishes, this one cooks up in a flash with about 5 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes to cook. Flavored with chopped shallots, garlic, parsley, lemon zest and juice, a touch of white wine, pine nuts for crunch and cream because it's the only way to go, it's a great way to stretch a small amount of smoked fish into a satisfying and delicious dinner. I added some asparagus because I had it in the refrigerator, but peas or even snow peas would be a great addition too - just not in our house. We're pea free. Download Smoked Salmon Pasta

Smoked Salmon Pasta (adapted from simplyrecipes.com)

8 ounces cavatappi pasta, cooked to al dente and well drained

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup dry white wine

Grated rind from 1 lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

4 ounces smoked salmon in bite sized pieces

1 cup asparagus, lightly blanched

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Fresh ground black pepper

Pasta water as needed

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add shallots and garlic. Cook until shallots are soft and translucent – about 3 or 4 minutes. Add white wine and lemon juice and reduce to half. Add heavy cream bring to a simmer and cook until cream has thickened slightly. Add pasta and toss well to coat, adding pasta water as needed to keep the pasta from becoming too dry. Toss for about 30 seconds to allow pasta to soak up some of the sauce. Toss in parsley, lemon rind, and salmon, pine nuts and asparagus. Garnish with black pepper. Makes 4 servings

(Note – Add asparagus to the pasta cooking pot with a minute left on your pasta and it will be blanched perfectly. You can then drain it along with the cooked pasta.)

 

 

Sockeye Salmon Club Sandwich

There are some things that deserve repeating and since the last time I made this Salmon Club Sandwich the big guy was away in New Jersey visiting Sophia, I thought it deserved a second showing. The bonus is that I didn't even have to make it - the big guy did.

Loaded with gorgeous grilled wild sockeye salmon on a soft  panini roll slathered with basil pesto mayonnaise and topped with bacon, tomatoes, and butter lettuce, it was a mouth watering explosion of flavor. The only thing he forgot was paper thin slivers of sweet onion, but hey - no matter. He grilled one of our meyer lemons to serve on the side and it was amazing. Do you have any idea what a little heat and caramelization does to a lemon. Oh baby!

Visit my previous post here and take a gander at the recipes if you wish. Something tells me we'll be enjoying this one again - it certainly gives a whole new meaning to the old standard club sandwich.

By the way, speaking of our darling Sophia - I'm not sure if I've told you all this before, but she will be riding in the Mongol Derby in August 2011. Did I just hear a collective "so what the heck is that"? Well picture a mere whisp of a lady - all 100 pounds of her, riding wild Mongolian ponies across 630 miles aka 1,000 kms of desolate land in Mongolia's version of the pony express. Oh, if your closest contact with this country is Mongolian Barbecue, then to clue you in Mongolia is a sparsley populated country tucked in between Russia to the north and China on its other three sides.  The Derby is the longest horse race in the world over truly wild, wonderful and barren country, during most of which she'll be riding all by her lonesome.

Now my first reaction when I heard about Sophia's latest adventure was to call her Mother, Father and Husband and ask them to forbid it. I mean were she my daughter I'd be a frantic mess with the thought of this whole thing, but alas the big guy and I are only related to this brave adventurous woman by a connection of the heart. Sophia's one of the first of the big guy's students that I got to know, love and cook for from time to time, and I'll tell you if I'd had a daughter, I would have wanted her to be just like Sophia. Sweet, kind, and generous to a fault, with tremendous integrity, intelligence and a truly adventurous spirit, she's the whole package. Smart as a whip, sharp as a tack - she's no wuss, meaning she doesn't suffer fools, at least none that I know. How I ask you can one hold someone like that back by saying "oh no don't go"?  She's been working hard to make her dream come true and had several newspaper articles written about her, and even a interview by NBC.

Check out Sophia's blog here and follow along as she prepares for this incredible adventure!

Maple Soy Glazed Salmon

We noticed some gorgeous wild sockeye salmon during our weekly shopping trip yesterday and just couldn't pass it up. Fish as beautiful as this requires a simple preparation and simple it was.

Marinated briefly in maple syrup, soy sauce and a little chopped chipotles in adobe, then cooked quickly in a very hot cast iron skillet, there was just enough sweet spicy heat to satisfy our ecclectic tastebuds. While the fish cooked to a charred perfection, the glaze was reduced and coated the cooked fish with  subtle maple flavor. It was definitely worth doing again!

As for what the day holds - who knows. We've the rest of the usual weekend chores to accomplish and of course we'll be getting ready to host the neighborhood ghouls and goblins as they make their Halloween rounds  during the early evening. Yesterday the big guy fashioned a "light box" out of a cardboard carton and some tissue paper, then spent the afternoon practicing his photography. As you can see the results are much better! Now, I just have to get my act together and clean up the plate before he takes the pics - blame it on hunger and too much wine, OK?

Maple Soy Glazed Salmon (adapted from epicurious.com)

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped

4 – 6 ounce skinless salmon fillets

Wash and dry salmon fillets, remove skin and check for and remove any pin bones. Whisk together syrup, soy sauce and chopped chipotles. Place salmon in zip bag, add marinade and refrigerate, turning occasionally for a maximum of 1 hour.

Drain marinade into a small pot. Spray heavy skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high until very hot. Add salmon and cook for 3 minutes a side until slightly charred on the outside. Meanwhile place marinade over medium heat and boil for 4 minutes until reduced to a thick syrup. Place salmon on plate and drizzle with sauce.  Serves 4

 Hint - for a lower carb version, try using a low calorie maple flavored syrup instead of the real thing.

Teriyaki Salmon on a Spicy Thai Noodle Salad

Quick and cool were the prerequisites for last night's dinner as it's hot and muggy here in hell these days. Will this monsoon season ever end so I can find something else to whine about? I mean, it's so miserable that even Georgie the cat has had enough. I caught her cooling off in the fountain yesterday - course she could have been there because she was outfoxed by the bird she was after.

The temperature outside also made me want to test the theory that eating something spicy makes you feel cooler. While I'm not one hundred percent sold on the theory, for sure the gorgeous fillet of wild sockeye sitting pretty on a bed of pasta spiced up with soy sauce, garlic, lime and jalapeno met the necessary criteria and satisfied two hungry souls. As for being cooler - not so much, but isn't that the AC's job anyway?

By the way it's too darn hot to fire up the barbecue at our house, particularly since it involves charcoal and dealing with flying creepy crawlies and slithering snakes all of which make me run as fast as possible in another direction; however, for those of you who are so inclined feel free to cook the salmon fillet outside instead of in the oven.

Teriyaki Salmon on Thai Noodle Salad

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon grated lime zest

1 large jalapeno pepper, minced

Place ingredients in a small jar and shake well to combine.

 

Salad:

6 to 8 ounces spaghetti noodles

1 cup peeled and shredded carrots

1 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup slivered red pepper (optional)

1/2 pound green beans, blanched and drained (optional)

Cook noodles per package directions and drain well. Toss hot noodles with vinaigrette. Add vegetables and toss well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Serves 4.

Salmon:

2 – 6 to 8 ounce salmon fillets, pin bones and skin removed

3 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce

2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 Tablespoon minced ginger

1/4 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

1 teaspoon honey

Preheat oven to 475. Place prepared salmon fillets on a foil lined greased baking sheet. Combine teriyaki, hoisin, ginger, Sriracha and honey in a small bowl. Brush salmon fillets with half of mixture and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Bake salmon for 10 to 12 minutes or until done. Top fillets with remaining sauce and serve over noodles.   Download Teriyaki Salmon on Thai Noodle Salad

Salmon Club Sandwich with Pesto Mayo

Amazing as it may seem, life as we know it did not grind to a screeching halt when we left Tucson for our month on the Oregon coast. Not only did Georgie the cat wreck havoc in the back yard but all other living things kept doing just that...LIVING while we were away. Our basil went ballistic!

So what does one do with a bouquet of basil, excluding the blossoms of course. The flavor of this fabulous herb is really synonymous with "summer". I mean there's salads galore like Panzanella  or a simple Caprese of fresh tomato, mozarella and basil; however, the main event in my opinion and one that we'll appreciate throughout the year is pesto. Not only does it whip up and freeze well - I put it into ice cube trays and transfer it into zip bags after it's frozen, there's a b'zillion or so ways you can make use of it.

When I make pesto I add a mix of toasted pine nuts and walnuts just because I like it that way, but a note of caution - watch those darn pine nuts when you're toasting them because they burn awful quickly. Also be careful with the garlic as you can always add more but you can't take it away and for heaven's sake, let the pesto "bloom" for about 30 minutes before you taste it, because it can be mighty bitter otherwise. Is that enough advice? 

For dinner last night I mixed pesto in with a light mayo and used it to dress up a Salmon Club Sandwich and let me tell you people, this is a heck of a wonderful sandwich.

A piece of sockeye salmon grilled, along with some thinly sliced sweet onion, sliced tomato, lettuce and crispy bacon on top of lightly toasted bun slathered in pesto mayonnaise was about as decadent as you can get.

Pesto

2 cups basil leaves, firmly packed (remove stems)

3 Tablespoons pine nuts

2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Toast pine nuts and walnuts in a small sauté pan over medium heat, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Cool to room temperature.  Place basil in a food processor along with toasted nuts, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice and mix until well chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil in a very thin stream until a paste has formed and all ingredients are pureed. Add parmesan cheese and mix lightly.

Transfer to a bowl and let sit covered at room temperature for half an hour so flavors can mellow. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.  May be frozen in ice cube trays. When solid remove to zip bags and store in freezer. Keeps well for several months.

 

Salmon Club Sandwich

1 Tablespoon pesto

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3-4 ounce piece of sockeye salmon (approximately half inch thick)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt & pepper (or lemon pepper)

2 slices bacon, cooked until crisp

sliced tomato

thinly sliced sweet onion

lettuce leaves

Large soft white bun (I used a Panini from Trader Joe’s)

Mix together pesto and mayonnaise and set aside.Remove skin from salmon and check for pin bones, removing them with tweezers. Sprinkle with lemon juice then coat with oil. Add salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan till very hot and cook salmon for 2 minutes on one side and 1 on the other, or until just cooked. Remove from pan.  Toast bun in grill pan. Remove and slather one half of bun with some pesto mayonnaise. Place salmon on top and add lettuce, tomato, onion and bacon. Top with more pesto mayonnaise and cap with top of the bun. Enjoy!  Serves 1

Pan Grilled Salmon with Red Pepper Salsa

We have Cooking Light magazine to thank for last night's dinner inspiration and oh boy, was it ever good. I think I've finally convinced the big guy that Salmon in almost any form is a very good thing.

I picked up some gorgeous wild caught sockeye yesterday at Sprouts and the ironic thing is the price was less than any we saw in Oregon. I mentioned that fact to the guy behind the counter and was overheard by a very sweet older man who happened to be from Oregon. He said he'd "taken a wrong turn and ended up here" and while he'd go back to Oregon in a second, his wife doesn't want to leave. He really tugged on my heart strings because he was so emotional and of course I couldn't leave the conversation at that. I asked him if during their wedding vows, his wife had promised to obey. He nodded yes, at which point I suggested it might be a good time to call in the marker. Everybody laughed but I'm not sure he didn't go home and do just that. Yikes!

I made some subtle changes to the recipe so I'm going to take the liberty of posting the recipe for you, but here's the link to Cooking Light's version. It's a real keeper so be sure to give it a try.

 

Pan Grilled Salmon with Red Pepper Salsa

12 ounces skinless salmon fillets, pin bones removed

1 tablespoon pureed chipotle (from can)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon salt

Vegetable Oil

1 Tablespoon liquid honey

Package of Mixed Greens

Croutons (optional)

Oil grill pan well and heat over medium high heat until very hot. Combine chili powder, cumin, coriander and salt. Set aside. Coat salmon fillets on one side with pureed chipotle, then sprinkle spice mixture on both sides of salmon. Place salmon on grill pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until salmon cooked to your preference. Place on a bed of greens. Top salmon with drizzle of liquid honey.  Serve with Red Pepper Salsa. Garnish with croutons.

Salsa:

1 medium red pepper, fine dice

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Juice of half a lime

Dash salt & pepper

Combine ingredients and set aside.

  For your convenience, here's a downloadable version of the recipe Download Pan Grilled Salmon

 

 

Buffalo Salmon

Well I think we've finally done it. Salmon's becoming a regular fixture around here and only because I've been persistent in my attempts to spice it up and make it interesting. We like it, we really like it.

Last night's version was oh so easy and brilliant I must say. Thanks to Gourmet Magazine, buffalo wings have morphed into buffalo salmon and I've gotta say I'm not sure why I didn't think of this myself. Ticks me off when that happens! The typical ingredients for making buffalo wings adorn the salmon fillet along with a sprinkle of panko crumbs for crunch. It hits the oven for 18 minutes and low and behold, salmon with an Eastern attitude. Download Buffalo Salmon  

 

If you like buffalo wings, you're going to absolutely love this. It is delicious - wonderfully delicious with some of the sauce on the side...moist, flavorful, spicy, crunchy from the crisped up panko crumbs and generally just a huge surprise to the tastebuds. Who knew? We enjoyed it on top of some pan grilled baby broccoli with a few toasted walnuts and a cool throw in everything but the kitchen sink kinda' pasta salad.

Seafood Pie with a Phyllo Crust

The story goes something like this. Take the bounty from the sea as in gorgeous sockeye salmon, all glistening sunset colored  fresh and wonderful; add large, pink and lovely shrimp, perfectly cooked with a little squeaky bite to them, and translucent pearl like bay scallops; cover it with a wine flavored rose' sauce smoothed with a touch of cream; top it with a pillow of crisp, light paper thin golden phyllo pastry... What have you got? An absolute show stopper of an entree' both in taste and appearance.

I'm sure you must all get rather sick of hearing me yank my own chain, but as you'll see if you're a regular visitor, I absolutely thrive on trying new recipes, particularly it seems when the pressure's on and we're entertaining for dinner. That's what I did last night when I was out to impress. Download Seafood Pie with Phyllo Crust

I served the best fruits of the sea, smothered them in a to die for sauce, topped it with the easiest, papery thin pastry there is known in the universe and darn near impressed the heck outa' myself. Good - you bet. Easy - uhhh ya! Perfect dinner party food...you otta' believe it. Served with a frosty glass of cold Pinot Grigio Piave from Villa Sonia (Italy) and a light salad of mixed greens in a creamy dill flavored dressing - oh, man...what a dinner fit for a visiting dignitary.

Unfortunately, there was only one problem...said visiting dignitary's flight was delayed and he ate dinner with the peons in Denver last night, so it was just the big guy and I moaning over this masterpiece. Poor, poor, deprived Larry - you snooze you lose...big time! Guess I'll have to make up for it tonight, huh.

Salmon with Double Horseradish

By gosh I think I've done it. In my quest for agreement, I've finally got the big guy admitting that salmon isn't so bad after all. I mean it's so darn good for us, I'm determined we'll eat it more often. Last nights dinner was a cheater's version of the Potato Crusted fish we had some time ago, but with the addition of a flavorful horseradish, wasabi and Dijon mustard concoction.

Adapted from Cooking Light, this dish is a real keeper in our books, as long as you don't skimp on the mustard horseradish sauce. Download Salmon w Double Horseradish Sauce It certainly keeps the salmon moist and takes about 15 minutes to put on the table, from start to finish. Since the Sockeye filets were rather thin, I doubled them up putting a layer of the horseradish sauce between them as well as on the outsides before they were coated with potato flakes. It was a good call! Course I had to make a couple of "withs" that caused some groaning from the kitchen when the big guy did clean up duty last night.  It seems when the side dishes are fairly last minute, I create a heck of a mess getting them prepped and ready. Oh well. The results were pretty darn good if I do say so myself.

The salmon sat on a puddle of spinach cooked with garlic and onions and finished with sour cream, lemon and pine nuts. Download Spinach w Sour Cream and Toasted Pine Nuts To be honest it kind of made the dish as it really took the place of a sauce, making each combination bite of spinach and salmon a moist and wonderful thing. We also had little potato/parsnip gratins cooked to a creamy consistency, flavored with a hint of nutmeg and a dash of Asiago cheese.

Num yum it was. Definitely num yum.

 

Salmon Wellington with Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes

OK, so here's the thing. Last night's dinner was another attempt to change the big guy's mind on salmon. You see he's not much of a fan, but what I've found is that if there's lots of flavor and other textures included with the fish, he's more likely to enjoy eating it.

Salmon Wellington is another one of those easy to make but impressive to serve menu items that would be great for entertaining because most of the work has to be done in advance so the bundle of yum can get good and cold before it goes into the oven. One of the secrets of making this work without overcooking the fish, is to make sure your piece of salmon fillet is more than an inch thick. I covered this particular skinned piece of fish flesh with a layer of cream cheese combined with herbs and garlic, followed by slivers of sun dried tomatoes, all topped with spinach that had been sauteed with onion and lemon zest, then cooled. I was going to use herbed goat's cheese but unfortunately we'd had the last of it the night before on a spinach salad. Darn! All of the toppings act as a buffer between the pastry and fish to help keep it moist, while the pastry bakes. Download Salmon Wellington JBug Style

The result, a crisp bottom crust topped with layers of flavor and a semi impressed big guy. Had I been thinking I would have added a butter and white wine sauce on the plate under the Wellington, because quite honestly even with all the moisture on top it still needed more. The sauce would have made the big guy plum happy, but since he's been teetering on the edge of the doghouse for the past few days, why on earth would I want to take the pressure off just yet. Right?

Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus

I'm exhausted, but very proudly exhausted. Oh and I've got very puffy red eyes from crying and carrying on. It's a good thing the big guy wasn't home last night or I'd never the hear end of it, although he did call around 7 and I had to find a way around the huge lump in my throat so I could talk to him. I watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics last night - all 5 plus hours and I'm so flippin' proud to be Canadian I could bust.

Our pride in our country is not something that we Canadian's talk about a lot. It's kind of like religion - you don't need to let your neighbors and the rest of the world know you're a Christian and believe in God. You LIVE it....or try to. Everyday. Quietly. Oh, and don't get me going on politics. As a newcomer to the United States in 2000, the country was just gearing up for an election and I couldn't believe that a perfect stranger would have the nerve to ask another soul who they were voting for...and that people would actually get into arguments over the answer never mind that it would make a difference in their relationships. I mean what party you vote for is personal to a Canadian and nobody's business unless you choose to make it that way. It's just another one of those things you keep to yourself. Quietly. I mean, isn't that why you go into a cubical to vote - in PRIVATE? Enough already though - this is a food blog after all, so we'd best get to it. vive la différence Right?

Put your hands together and clap people. I actually did cook last night - although it was so darn easy to put this pasta salad together, it kind of wasn't cooking. Download Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus

 

Pasta, in this case radiatore, snuggles up in a bowl along with blanched asparagus, a touch of red onion, and some wonderful wild sockeye Nova Scotia smoked salmon I found at Trader Joe's. Dressed with a creamy coating of mayo, Dijon mustard, sour cream and tarragon, it's got some crunch thanks to the poppy seeds and some tang courtesy of lemon. The flavor speaks softly of salmon and is wonderful with the tarragon but if you're not a fan, just substitute dill. As you'll see in the index, there's several pasta salad's on this site but this is a PASTA SALAD if you get my drift. The big guy'd hate it thanks to the smoked salmon, but honestly I think you could replace that with smoked turkey or even duck if you're not into salmon. Oh, as for the poppy seeds, the big guy won't touch 'em either because it's a fact that eating poppy seeds can cause a positive result on a drug screening test, and as a former regulator he's not about to do anything that could be perceived as "illegal"; therefore you'll never see a poppy seed bagel in this house (unless the master isn't home). LOL

Salmon Fillets with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

I promised that I'd catch you up on the dinner's we had while the computer was on hiatus, so this post is all about last Sunday's main meal of the day. Now I think I've mentioned before that the big guy is not crazy about salmon. He was raised in the Pacific Northwest and while fresh salmon may be a super duper treat to most of us, it was too everyday in his life. He kind of feels about salmon the way I do about beef - too much of a good thing is just too much!

In order to appeal to his flavor buds during what turned out to be a week of wickedly spicy food, I chose this grilled salmon with horseradish sauce. I just knew he'd love it and I was right. He did! From Bon Appetit, this particular recipe didn't start out as a calorie conscious meal but by the time I finished it kind of worked out that way. The sauce speaks for itself - a combination of sour cream (lite), mayo (lite), horseradish, lemon juice and soy sauce along with some fresh basil from our garden (I'm bragging again), this sauce beats the heck out of that store bought variety. 

As for the salmon fillet, I left the oil out of the equation entirely and mixed the horseradish, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper together, coated the fish then started it in a hot grill pan, skin side down and finished it under the broiler rather than grilling it. Topped with horseradish sauce and served with gorgeous fresh asparagus and a Meyer lemon from our tree, Sunday night dinner was truly a special way to start the new week. There was tons of flavor, and while you could certainly taste the salmon, the horseradish wasn't overpowering in any way. In fact, it was quite subtle and fabulous with the asparagus dipped into it.

What was the caloric damage you ask?  The salmon including sauce totaled 359 calories and 8 spears of asparagus came in at 26, for a grand total of 385. Not bad eh? Now if I could just have talked the big guy into a nice glass of "whine"!

An Asian Trinity

An Asian Trinity - there is one you know and it's ginger, soy sauce and garlic. All three combined in two of our dinner choices last night to produce a plate of epic proportions! That's about it in this house - heaven forbid we actually go small!

The big guy was in charge of cooking the Steelhead that was on the menu - we couldn't resist having it again after seeing it this morning during our visit to Fry's. Honestly Tucson, if you're anywhere in the neighborhood of Fry's Tangerine Crossing, you've got to check it out. What a beautiful store and the seafood and meat counter is just incredible. Why not only did the butcher on duty yesterday select absolutely the best fillet of steelhead for us, he also found the chicken gizzards the big guy's been craving - don't ask! It's not going to be me cooking them up as he'll be doing that for himself. I draw the line at some things and that's one of them!

 

The big guy used the same Asian Glaze we had last time on the Steelhead, but he cooked it over charcoal and alder instead of under the broiler. Course it was the same glaze with the exception of the tip of one of his fingers - kitchen accidents are a beast, aren't they? I always know when there's been a knife mishap cause it gets real quiet in the kitchen, then I hear the cupboards banging in the bathroom as he searches for band aids. Should just keep the darn things in the kitchen where we need them! He's much quieter than I am though - when I cut or burn myself which is often, the air automatically turns blue. Anyway, the steelhead was lovely, perfectly cooked, moist and very flavorful. This glaze is a real keeper and would be great on chicken or pork skewers too.

My contribution was a bowl of Soba Noodles, once again showcasing the Asian trinity along with a vegetable stir fry courtesy of Trader Joe's freezer section. I can't believe it's taken this long for me to share the Soba  recipe with you, but here you go. Download Soba Noodle Salad I often combine the noodles with assorted julienned vegetables and top it off with this dressing too, or sometimes I add cooked shrimp, chicken or pork but last night's were plain. They were so plain, I even forgot to add chopped green onions! If you're unable to find Soba noodles at your local store, try an Asian supermarket or alternatively just use whole wheat spaghettini. We love them around here!

Today will be a busy one as we're celebrating my Father In Law's birthday with an early dinner tonight so I gotta get my tail in gear. There's a birthday cake to make, rolls to get in the oven, and all the other trimmings to fuss over. See ya' later with details!

Asian Glazed Steelhead

As you're no doubt aware, we've been overindulging for far too long and loving the comfort food, so I figured it was high time for a change of venue. Last night's main event was broiled steelhead trout, covered in an Asian flavored glaze. It was my first experience with a fish that at first glance looks an awful lot like salmon. That's where the similarity ends though in my book.

Steelhead trout are naturally indigenous to the Pacific Northwest, though some can be found farther south in California too. Reaching up to 55 pounds in weight though the average size is smaller, they are a rather unique species in that they develop differently depending on their environment. Some spend their whole lives in fresh water while others migrate for hundreds of miles from the ocean to spawn in fresh water. The interesting thing is that unlike salmon they can spawn more than one time, and may make that migration many times in their average lifespan of 11 years. Imagine swimming upstream from the Pacific Ocean all the way in to Idaho to drop some eggs. Kinda' gives a whole new meaning to "labor" doesn't it?

 

 
 
Anyway, enough of the educatin' - now for the cookin' and the eatin'. I was kind of swimming in the dark on this one, never having cooked Steelhead before, so I wasn't sure whether to treat it like trout or treat it like salmon. I went by the KISS rule and made a glaze that's from the Legal Seafood's Cookbook the big guy brought back for me from a trip to Boston in 2006. (Yes, he spoils me like that on a regular basis!). Download Asian Glazed Steelhead

I'm really ticked with myself for not doubling the glaze recipe to store some leftovers in the fridge, cause it would be incredible on broiled chicken wings too - actually it would be good on almost anything! It's sweet from brown sugar and hoisin sauce, and spicy from garlic and ginger, and oh there's a touch of heat with some chile flakes too of course! The garlic and ginger got crunchy under the broiler, and the glaze caramelized and coated the Steelhead beautifully, as you can see. Served on a bed of mixed greens and herbs, it was absolutely a feast for the eyes. The flavor was amazing and while this fish may look like salmon, it doesn't have any of the oily fatty texture that salmon has. It was tender, moist, succulent and totally boneless! I'd pick it over salmon anytime and you're talking to a salmon lover! Can't wait to try it smoked, or in a taco, or in pasta. Mmm - Actually, I can't wait to send the big guy out fishing for it...in Oregon! 

Asian Glazed Salmon- guess I'm not tired of seafood afterall

Cooking for one isn't all it's cracked up to be. Personally I think you need an audience to be at your best in the kitchen, but hey a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. Being alone for dinner is not a viable excuse to raid the cupboard for PBJ, though heavens knows in my single years I did just that. For all that I love to spend time in the kitchen, I spent many years living on yogurt and Lean Cuisine's. Course the jeans fit a heck of a lot better then, but that's neither here nor there.

Last night's dinner was a beautiful fillet of wild sockeye salmon - something I don't get to cook very often because the big guy's not a fan. I used a recipe from a cookbook by Legal Sea Foods that GMan brought back from Boston for me in 2006. He spent several days there and ate at Legal every single night so that's got to tell you something.

I was looking for a recipe that would mimic the salmon we had at Paul and Lynn's in Lincoln City, although I don't do charcoal (too many hibachi nightmares) so had to use the broiler instead of the barbecue. The salmon is glazed with a mixture of sugar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger and garlic then broiled until just cooked. I cooked the asparagus in the same broiler pan as the salmon to save a step, and honestly it was all ready in about 25 minutes, including making the glaze. That's the same amount of time it would take you to put KD on the table and so much tastier.   Download Asian Glazed Salmon 

It turned out quite well if I do say so myself. I could have cooked the salmon a little less because I like it just barely opague, but you've got to be careful about that. I became quite familiar with the great white telephone once when I didn't cook salmon long enough. Also I think there's a huge difference between the taste of farmed salmon and the wild variety. Wild is just so much better and worth the extra cost. By the way I made half the glaze recipe and saved the rest in the fridge for chicky wings later. The salmon was a 6 oz fillet and I ate the whole darn thing.

So listen people. Cooking for one is no excuse to avoid the kitchen. Do yourself a favor - pour a glass of wine and whip up something yummy for dinner. You're worth it!