My diet mainly consists of fish, shrimp and chicken so I am always looking for ways to keep it new and exciting.
Salmon is one of my favorites and is so versatile–grilled, broiled, poached, as salmon cakes, on my salad, in dips... I typically refrain from searing foods because of the intense amount of smoke that it creates in the kitchen. But I decided to sear the salmon this time around and finish it in the oven. Boy was that an adventure!
Salmon is high in protein and a 4 oz serving of wild salmon provides a full day’s requirement of vitamin D. Salmon is also a good source of B12, niacin, and selenium, is an excellent source B6 and magnesium and contains omega-3 fatty acids. Benefits of omega 3 fats include controlling blood pressure, reducing bad cholesterol levels in the body, preventing and curing arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, and preventing cancer, particularly prostate and breast cancer.
The process of searing converts the natural sugars of the meat and any dry seasonings into a crispy outer layer, while preserving the juiciness of the meat’s interior. To sear a piece of meat you have to make sure the pan is extremely hot, between 300-500 degrees. The idea is for the dry meat and the hot pan to meet briefly until the surface of the meat is a solid dark brown, though not charred or blackened. For best results, bring the meat to room temperature, before searing, to allow the meat to relax. It is recommended that you do not use marinades with searing.
So I have my salmon and my extremely hot pan and I am tickled at the prospect of my dinner of salmon, lentils, a baked sweet potato and braised kale. I toss my salmon into the saucepan and the very instant that salmon hits the pan it looks like I have a 2-alarm fire at my house. I’m trying to resist the urge to pull the pan from the heat because there is smoke billowing all through the kitchen. But you should not take it off of the heat for at least 2 minutes so the bottom can get brown and crispy. After letting the salmon sear for the appropriate time, I placed the oven-safe sauté pan in the oven for another 5-7 minutes until the salmon was medium.
I am running through the kitchen fanning the smoke with the dish towel, trying to keep the alarm from going off. I am opening windows and doors. I am running the exhaust fan. I am trying to keep the rest of my dinner from burning, as I am focused on the smoke. If I had a video camera, I surely would have won $10k on America’s Funniest Home Videos.
But all that being said, that was the best salmon I ever ate…well, at my house anyway. So I would say that this is probably one of those treats only to be enjoyed on a rare occasion. Trust me, your poor kitchen, family, and the neighbors will thank you.
Salmon with Lentils
LENTILS:
1⁄2 pound lentils
1⁄4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 c chopped yellow onions
2 c chopped leeks, white and light green parts only
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp kosher salt
3⁄4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
1 1⁄2 c chopped celery
1 1⁄2 c chicken stock
Place the lentils in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes, then drain.
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the onions, leeks, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Place the lentils in the sauté pan, along with the celery and chicken stock. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
SALMON:
4-6 oz Salmon fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a dry sauté pan over high heat for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, rub both sides of the salmon fillets with olive oil and season the top with salt and pepper. Place the salmon fillets, skin-side down, in the pan and cook over heat without moving them for 2 to 3 minutes, or until very brown.
Turn the fillets and place the pan in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until the salmon is cooked to medium. Serve.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
I am coming off of my birthday weekend high and feeling like the national holiday ended way too soon. This year my birthday fell on Mother's Day so I've been feeling extra special and somewhat entitled to the royal treatment. However, since no one else likely shares my thoughts on that (particularly now that the national holiday is over) I'm planning to treat myself for a few more days, though I am not quite sure what that will look like.
Over the last week, I've been out to eat at many places in celebration of my special day; but one of the best things I enjoyed most was this mini crab cake at the Ritz Carlton Charlotte. Two of my other girlfriends had birthdays in the same week so we had a small celebration there and invited a few friends. Well, actually one of the birthdays girls invited half of Charlotte...but thankfully they did not all show!
All day Sunday I could not get the crab cakes out of my head and when I got up this morning I was still thinking about them. So I decided I wanted to create my own for lunch when I realized I did not have lump crab meat just sitting around in the fridge. But I do have salmon. Ha! So I am hoping that will satisfy my craving.
For this recipe, you can purchase Bumble Bee's Wild Alaska Pink Salmon or you can simply poach or broil two salmon fillets. Or you can substitute lump crab meat for crab cakes.
Salmon Cakes
1 pound salmon
1 c Panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp plain fat-free yogurt
½ c yellow onions
½ c red pepper
½ c green pepper
¼ c yellow pepper
½ c Celery
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground mustard
Chop salmon into fine pieces and set aside.
In a saucepan, sautee' onions, peppers, and celery for about 4 minutes until tender. Cool slightly.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Cover and chill for 10 minutes.
Divide salmon into equal portions and make patties. Heat butter or olive oil in non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add patties and reduce heat slightly. Cook for 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
If you like a sauce for your salmon cakes you can use a remoulade or red pepper sauce.
Rémoulade Sauce
3/4 c mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp whole-grain mustard
1 tsp tarragon vinegar
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
2 tsp capers (drained), chopped
1 tbsp parsley
1 scallion, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine ingredients in bowl and mix well.
Red Pepper Sauce
1 garlic clove, diced
8 oz plain Greek yogurt
4 oz roasted red peppers
1 tsp lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine everything in a blender and puree until desired consistency is reached.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
I absolutely have no excuse for sneaking this dip recipe into my dessert blog so I am not going to make one up. I just felt like it. We're doing more of that in the new year. It was just so darn good that I thought it warranted some recognition.
You can almost always find a good dip at a holiday, birthday or sports gathering. My favorite dip is the spinach dip, which I go to Cheddar's to get and eat two or three of by my lonesome...it is so addictive. But I decided to try this salmon dip after having a similar dip at a birthday party recently.
This is a hectic week with projects to finish up with work, people to entertain for the holiday and loads of cooking and baking to do! Why didn't I think to shut business down for the rest of the year so I could be off like everyone else? Since I didn't, I am trying to keep things really simple. Otherwise I will be so tired that I won't be able to enjoy the festivities.
It doesn't get much simpler than this. Poach the salmon and dump everything else in. This dip turned out wonderfully! So much so that I have gone to the fridge to eat some on...well, I don't have to tell everything. It's really good...you gotta try it!
Salmon Dip
2 c salmon, finely chopped
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp minced onion
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
If you use fresh salmon, poach salmon in 2 cups of white wine for 10 minutes. Then finely chop the salmon after it has cooled.
Bring cream cheese to room temperature or microwave at a medium setting for 2 minutes or until softened. Stir until the cream cheese is smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Dip can be served hot or cold. If you prefer warm dip, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place dip in oven for about 15 minutes. Serve with melba toast, crackers, tostada chips or on a baguette.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Virtually Everything Sweet, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
