Roasted Salmon with Red Pepper-Hazelnut Salsa

What can I do with salmon that I haven't already done? That's a question that's sometimes hard to answer. After a long day at work, it's easy to fall back on something familiar and simple. I promise myself I'll do something more interesting next time.

Here's that "next time," a salmon recipe I adapted from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook, a wonderful work I talked about last year when I made its recipes for Beef and Lamb Meatballs Baked in Tahini and Fennel, Corn and Cherry Tomato Gratin.

The salsa is what makes this recipe great. A lot of fish salsas are made with raw ingredients, including fruit (especially mangoes). Here, the salsa is made from roasted red pepper and hazelnuts, a delicious combination that's perfect for salmon. The original recipe calls for pan-grilling the fish, which isn't a good option for my kitchen, since I don't have sufficient ventilation to deal with the smoke. So instead, I roasted the fish, which works great.

Roasted Salmon with Red Pepper-Hazelnut Salsa
Salsa adapted from Organic Salmon with Red Pepper and Hazelnut Salsa from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Serves 4

Salsa:

2 red bell pepper
2 tbsp. hazelnuts (note: although you only need 2 tbsp. for the salsa, I recommend roasting at least twice this much, so that you can get 1 tbsp. of nuts without any skin, since I find the skin difficult to get off about half the nuts I roast.)
Olive oil spray
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. minced fresh chives
1 garlic clove, minced
Zest and juice from 1lemon (Tip: remove the zest with a microplane first, then cut the lemon in half before juicing it.)

Fish:

1 1/2 lb. salmon fillet, skin removed
Olive oil spray
4 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1.Preheat oven to 400 F. Quarter the peppers (i.e., slice them into large flat strips) and discard the seeds and inner membranes. Spray both sides of the pepper strips with olive oil and set on a baking sheet (line with aluminum foil for easy clean-up). Roast for 20 minutes until the peppers are softened and lightly charred. Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

2. Spread the hazelnuts on another baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes (they can roast at the same time as the peppers, but remember they cook in half the time). Allow the nuts to cool a bit, then transfer to a clean kitchen towel. Fold the towel over the nuts and rub vigorous to remove the skins from the hazelnuts. Pick off any stray skin pieces with your fingers (note: this is why I recommend roasting twice as many nuts as needed for the recipe--save the rest for later, such as a snack or add to a salad). Chop the nuts coarsely and add to a small bowl.

3. After the peppers have cooled a bit (about 10 minutes), transfer them to a cutting board. With your fingers, remove and discard the peel (it might not all come off, which is fine). Chop the pepper into a fine dice and transfer to the small bowl with the nuts.

4. To the bowl with the chopped peppers and nuts, add olive oil, chives, garlic, lemon zest and juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

5. Increase oven temperature to 425 F.

6. Spray the salmon fillet with olive oil and place on an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven for at least 12 minutes up to about 18 minutes depending on how cooked through you like the salmon (I like mine more cooked--remove the salmon at the 12-minute mark and check it for doneness by splitting it apart a a little with a knife). When done, remove the salmon from the oven, cut in half. Serve on plates topped with a scoop of the salsa and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Related
Cooking with Ottolenghi

Mangia Dry Rub: Broiled Salmon with Sautéed Golden Zucchini

Good food needs to be seasoned. A dish untouched by salt, pepper, herbs and other spices is just a bunch of ingredients. Seasoning is what brings those ingredients together, uniting them into a cohesive whole--something that really sings.

It's appropriate then that Mangia, ostensibly a company that makes and sells tasty dry rub seasoning blends, is really much more than that.

I've gotten to know Mangia through the company's active participation in social media--first through the weekly #FoodieChats Twitter chat (Mondays, 8 p.m. Eastern) and then through Mangia's own online chat, the Mangia TV Vamp Cooking Vamp (Mondays, 7:30 p.m. Eastern), hosted by Mangia's Bob Heffernan.

Did I say Mangia calls their video chat a "vamp?" The term comes from jazz and popular music, meaning a simple introductory passage generally repeated and often improvised. Bob told me the term reminds him of his own approach in the kitchen, which I can definitely relate to. You have your go-to recipes, but you're always tweaking--often in the moment.  Dishes you make again and again are never exactly the same.

The vamp is part of Mangia's effort to be more than just the creator of a great product. Sensing the need for more community building, Mangia strives to be a lifestyle brand that helps build and strengthen connections forged around food and community. The vamps, which usually last a half hour, give Bob a chance to connect directly with an audience--a fun group of food enthusiasts he's started calling "Mangia Maniacs."

I've been an active participant in the vamps since they started late last year, and I've enjoyed the chance to connect with Bob and other food-minded friends as Bob leads us through a cornucopia of food subjects from the importance of mise en place to hosting a Game of Thrones-themed dinner party. He even hosts guests, such as Bacon & Legs writer Fontina Turner. Unlike a podcast, the vamps are live, and therefore unedited, given them a warm spontaneity lacking from many edited programs. And Bob's infectious enthusiasm for food and community permeates each program.

Mangia Fish Mojo Dry Rub up close.

And then, of course, there are the rubs. While not a focus of the vamps, they are often mentioned. Mangia's line-up includes rubs geared toward fish, shrimp and barbecue. Although branded as "Cajun" rubs, they are versatile seasoning blends with a wide array of applications. Personally, I don't do hardly any Cajun cooking (something I need to eventually rectify), but I've enjoyed using the rubs for other purposes.

The Fish Mojo Dry Rub is my favorite. It's a wonderfully balanced spicy-sweet blend with garlic, onion, paprika, black pepper, cayenne and turmeric. I've tried lots of different things with it, including mixing it with pecans and parmesan for a baked fish dish. My favorite way to use it though is to just keep it simple. In the recipes below, I've sprinkled the rub on broiled salmon with rosemary, broiled asparagus and sautéed golden zucchini. These are simple week-day recipes beautifully enhanced by the Mangia rub. As I've mentioned, we eat a lot of salmon, and my husband isn't always the biggest fish fan. But he was picking the bits of Mangia-seasoned salmon off the baking sheet last time I made the Fish Mojo Broiled Salmon. It's pretty darn good.

Living in a city apartment means I don't have a grill, but I imagine Mangia rubs would be great sprinkled on grilled steaks, ribs or vegetables. There are many more recipes for using the rubs on Mangia's website.

Mangia's rubs are available online and from a limited number of Illinois retailers. The rubs are made at Lamb Farms, a residential and vocational community for people with developmental disabilities located in Libertyville, Illinois.

A former long-time Illinois resident, Bob moved to Bend, Oregon last year. This gives Mangia connections to the Midwest and Northwest, but ultimately, Mangia is about connecting with people from all over. "We want to help people get back to gathering on a more regular basis around great food and drink," said Bob. He said they have lots of ideas for more products and are seeking partnerships with like-minded brands to build their store while also working to push the boundaries of social media and online engagement.

Just like seasoning brings the ingredients of a dish together, Mangia is striving to bring food-minded individual together to nurture a thoughtful and fun online food community. The world will certainly be a tastier place for it.

Fish Mojo Broiled Salmon

Makes 2 servings

3/4 lb. salmon fillet
Olive oil spray
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. Mangia Fish Mojo Dry Rub
1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1. Preheat oven broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with olive oil spray.

2. Place salmon fillet skin-side down on prepared baking sheet. Spray with olive oil, then spread the rosemary on top. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. Fish Mojo Dry Rub. Place salmon under broiler and broil for about 5 minutes. Turn the fish over and broil another 5 minutes. Remove and discard the skin and check the fish for doneness (broil another 1 to 2 minutes if not cooked through). Divide fillet in half and transfer to two plates. Sprinkle with chives.

Sautéed Golden Zucchini

Makes 2 servings

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3-4 golden zucchini, cut into coins about 1/8 to 1/4 thick
1 tbsp. Mangia Fish Mojo Dry Rub

1. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

2. When the pan is hot, add the zucchini and distribute in an even layer. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. Fish Mojo Dry Rub. Cook, undisturbed, about 5 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the zucchini and cook on the other side another 5 minutes until both sides are lightly browned. Remove from pan and transfer to two plates.

Simple Seasoned Broiled Asparagus

This is just my basic recipe for broiled asparagus but seasoned with Mangia Fish Mojo Dry Rub instead of the usual salt and pepper. It goes great with the salmon above.

Makes 2 servings

1 bunch of asparagus, rough ends trimmed off
extra virgin olive oil spray
1 tbsp. Mangia Fish Mojo Dry Rub

1. Preheat oven broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. Spread asparagus in an even row on the baking sheet and spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with Fish Mojo Dry Rub. Broil about 7-8 minutes, stirring asparagus after 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Broiled Arctic Char with Smoky Collard Greens

Washington Post Food columnist Ellie Krieger wrote recently about "spring swaps," substituting different ingredients for things you may be over-using in the kitchen.

Salmon certainly gets a lot of use in our home. We have it almost every Monday way as an easy way to start the week with something healthy. But yes, we do suffer "salmon fatigue" from time-to-time, so I welcomed Krieger's suggestion to change-up our salmon night by instead using Arctic char. The fish is similar to salmon in many respects with a similar but milder flavor.

I broiled the Arctic char in a similar fashion to how I cook our salmon but with slightly less time, since the fillet was thinner than I usually get for salmon. I served the fish with collard greens and bacon, a wonderfully smoky accompaniment.

Broiled Arctic Char with Smoky Collard Greens

4oz. thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips

4 garlic cloves, minced (divided)

1 bunch of collard greens, stems removed and discarded, leaves cut into 1-inch strips

1/4 cup water

1-2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Generous pinch of aleppo pepper

Olive oil spray

3/4 lb. arctic char fillet

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Generous pinch of hickory-smoked sea salt (may substitute seasoned salt or regular salt)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lemon

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook and lightly browned and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Remove grease from the pan in excess of about 2 tbsp.

2. Add 2 tsp. minced garlic to skillet and stir until fragrant, then add the greens and stir to combine with the garlic and gat. Cook about 5 minutes until the greens have wilted. Add 1/4 cup water and cover pan with lid. Decrease heat to medium-low and simmer until the greens are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and allow any excess moisture to evaporate. Stir in the cooked bacon, vinegar and aleppo pepper.

3. Preheat oven broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with olive oil spray. Place the fish with the skin-side down on the baking sheet. Combine remaining 2 tsp. minced garlic with rosemary, smoked sea salt, pepper and olive oil and spread on top of the fish. Broil about 4 minutes, then the turn the fish over and broil another 4 minutes. Remove and discard the skin. Check for doneness (broil another minute if not cooked through to desired doneness). Serve over collard greens with a squeeze of lemon.

Broiled Salmon with Fennel Salad

We enjoy trying new restaurants for the good food and experience alone, but I consider it a bonus when I also get inspired to try something new in the kitchen.

This dish was inspired by our recent dinner at Clyde Common, particularly the salmon, which had come topped with shaved fennel. I also drew inspiration from the Asian flavors and peanuts of my duck dish, adding that as a flavor component to this dish.

Although we eat broiled salmon year-round, this variation is particularly good for summer, given its cold, fresh accompaniment.

Broiled Salmon with Fennel Salad

Serves 2

Broiled Salmon:

3/4 lb. salmon fillet
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Fennel Salad:

1/2 fennel bulb, sliced 1/4-inch thick on a mandoline, plus (if desired) about 1 tbsp. of chopped fennel fronds
3 celery stalks, sliced very thin at an acute angle
2 tbsp. snipped fresh chives
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

1. Preheat oven broiler. Place salmon on a small rimmed baking sheet. Combine garlic, mustard, sesame oil, olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce and white pepper and pour mixture over salmon. Broil about 5-6 inches from the broiler for 5 minutes. Flip salmon over and broil another 5 minutes until cooked through. Cut the salmon in half.

2. Combine fennel, celery, fennel fronds and half of the chives in a large bowl. Whisk together lime juice, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and olive oil and pour over vegetables. Toss to combine.

3. Serve salad in shallow bowls topped with a piece of salmon. Sprinkle the salmon with peanuts and the remaining chives.

Smoky Tuna (Noodle) Casserole

"So what is this?" asks Chris, as I set down our dinner plates.

"It's smoky tuna...oh $#!t...I forgot the noodles."

Has this happened to you? It happens to the best of everyone. You work long and hard on a dish only to discover--when it's too late--that a star ingredient has been left out.

Sometimes the damage is irreparable, like when you forget to add the cup of sugar to your dessert and it tastes savory in an off-putting way. In those cases, you just need to start over.

In the case of this tuna noodle casserole, the disaster was quickly fixed. I'd already cooked the noodles the day before. I'd just forgotten to add them to the casserole before baking it ("this is awfully soupy," I was thinking when I dished it up, still not registering that the noodles' absence was the reason). I heated the noodles a couple minutes in the microwave, dumped the casserole into a large bowl, and mixed everything together. Voila. The lovely crumb topping was lost amid the rest of the ingredients, but the dish still tasted like it should and was thusly salvaged.

Giving you an example of a kitchen rescue wasn't the original purpose of this recipe. Instead, I was trying to come up with a more flavorful version of a classic but rather bland dish. Many versions are made with cream of mushroom soup and a noted lack of seasonings. I wanted my casserole to have better texture and flavor.

Velouté flavored with thyme sprigs.

I leaned pretty heavily on a recipe from Cook's Illustrated's The New Best Recipe, which uses velouté instead of cream of mushroom soup as the casserole's binding. Velouté is one of the five classic "mother" sauces of French cooking, so called because the sauces are the foundations for making other sauces. Velouté is simply a roux (butter and flour) with a light stock and seasoning. In this regard, it's very similar to béchamel, which is made with milk instead of stock (see it in action in bolognese lasagna and macaroni and cheese). In Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child includes a single recipe covering both sauces, noting that the stock and milk are interchangeable to make velouté or béchamel respectively.

Here's where I went wrong: there should be noodles stirred in at this point.

In addition to improving the dish's texture, I wanted to add more flavor. For all-around zip, I added a little Dijon mustard, a touch of cayenne pepper for spice and a few capers for their sour brininess. Since this is the beginning of summer grilling season, I also wanted to add a good layer of smoke, which I achieved by using smoked gouda in the sauce and smoked paprika for the bread crumb topping. Certainly this would work nicely in your backyard barbecue spread.

Despite the lack of noodles, it still looked good coming out of the oven.

Smoky Tuna Noodle Casserole
Adapted from Tuna Noodle Casserole, The New Best Recipe by The Editors of Cook's Illustrated

Crumb topping:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (to make fresh bread crumbs, pulse torn chunks of crustless bread in a food processor until they are the desired size)
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. smoked paprika

Casserole:
1 lb pasta, small shape like conchigliette (shells) or elbow macaroni
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large (or two smaller) sweet onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
12 oz. cremini mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
4 tbsp. (half stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves plus a few sprigs of fresh thyme
4 oz. (about 1 cup) shredded smoked gouda cheese
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
10 oz. albacore tuna, from pouches or cans
1 tbsp. capers
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen thawed)

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.

2. Make the crumb topping: melt butter in a medium frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the bread crumbs, season with salt and smoked paprika, and stir to coat the crumbs with butter. Cook, stirring occasionally until the crumbs are lightly toasted. Set aside.

3. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.

4. Heat olive oil a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are lightly browned, another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as you cook. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.

5. Turn heat down to medium. Melt butter in skillet, then whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly add the chicken broth until fully incorporated. Add the fresh thyme and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs. Turn heat down to medium-low. Add the shredded cheese by handfuls and whisk to combine each addition as the cheese melts into the sauce. Once all of the cheese is added, keep whisking until smooth. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cayenne pepper, Dijon mustard and fresh lemon juice.

6. Add the cooked pasta, tuna, capers and peas to the sauce and stir until the ingredients are evenly combined. Transfer to a 9 X 13 baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the cooked bread crumbs evenly on top. Bake in the oven until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Simple Grilled Salmon

Happy Memorial Day. Is it summer? Not officially until June 21--25 days from now. But unofficially, Memorial Day kicks off summer and thus summer grilling season. All week, I'll be looking at various ways to incorporate good smoky flavor into food and drink, most of which won't require a grill, since I don't have regular access to one.

When I do get a chance to grill, I like to keep it simple, and there's nothing simpler than grilled salmon. With good, wild salmon, little needs to be done besides grilling it to add a little smoke and bring out its fresh flavor. A squirt of fresh lemon is a nice touch, as is fresh chopped herbs.

Simple Grilled Salmon

Makes 4 servings

1 1/2 lb. fresh salmon fillets (cut into two pieces for easier handling)
Olive oil
Sesoning salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 lemon

1. Prepare hot coals for direct-heat grilling. Heat grill. Brush salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt (or plain salt) and pepper, to taste.

2. Place salmon fillets skin-side down on the hot grill, cover, and grill for 5 minutes. Remove lid and, using a metal grilling spatula, turn fillets over. Replace cover and grill for another 3-5 minutes (3 minutes will be a bit pinker; 5 minutes will be well-done).

3. Cut off the skin and serve on a platter with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Pistachio-Mustard Salmon with Wine-Braised Mustard Greens

Happy New Year! Time to set aside all those holiday treats and get back into the healthy eating (kudos to you, if your waistline didn't expand a bit during the season of indulgence). A good place to start: fish and greens.

I really liked combination of mustard and salmon in the Mustard-Broiled Salmon with Miso and Honey Braised Greens. I thought I'd try taking the mustard a step further by pairing the fish with mustard greens.

I found this recipe for Pistachio-Mustard Salmon, which I thought would be just the thing to pair with mustard greens. This dish is very flavorful, but not spicy.

If you can only find salted pistachios, consider reducing the salt mixed in with the nut coating.

Pistachio-Mustard Salmon
Adapted from Pistachio-Crusted Honey Mustard Salmon, The Shrinking Chef

3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
3/4 lb. salmon fillet, skin removed, cut into two pieces
1/2 cup roasted, shelled pistachios (preferably unsalted)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. In a shallow bowl, combine the honey, mustard and lemon juice. Add the salmon fillets and turn to coat.

3. Chop the pistachios to a coarse crumb. Combine with the oregano, salt and pepper and transfer to a plate. Dip each honey-mustard pieces of salmon in the pistachios, pressing down gently to coat, and transfer the salmon piece to a baking dish. Spoon any remaining pistachios over the fillets.

4. Bake salmon until fish flakes with a fork and is the desired doneness, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Wine-Braised Mustard Greens

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch mustard greens, stems removed and greens cut into 2-inch wide pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
Seasoned salt, to taste
1/3 cup dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc)
1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar

1. Heat olive in a steep-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add greens and garlic and sauté until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, stir to combine, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer greens until tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Remove lid and continue to cook if there is excess moisture in the pan (greens shouldn't be completely dry, but you don't want them swimming either). Turn off the heat, add the white balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.

Best of 2013: Main Dishes

Experiments with brined roast chicken, an amazing beef stew and a host of broiled salmon entrees were among my favorite main dishes this year.

Beef and Pork

What makes Jacques Pepin's Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce so good? Perhaps it's the combination of pearl onions, baby carrots and mushrooms with no potatoes. Or the touch of pancetta (or bacon, which I used). Or maybe that the wine cooks slowly in the oven with a whole bottle of wine. Regardless, it was my favorite beef dish this year. Truly exquisite. Other good beef dishes included the Beef Wellington with Gorgonzola, a perennial Christmas tradition in our house, and this Traditional Beef Stroganoff, which I adapted from several recipes seeking an "authentic" recipe for old-school Beef Stroganoff.

My favorite pork dish was these Sweet and Sticky Baby Back Ribs that appeared in The Washington Post, a wonderful indoor way to make flavorful summer ribs. I also enjoyed Le Pigeon (Portland) Chef Gabriel Rucker's recipe for Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Thyme and Bacon and my simple weeknight dinner recipe for Orange Pork Stir Fry with Ginger and Chard.

Chicken and Turkey

I got experimental with chicken this year. Seeking to replicate one of my favorite restaurant dishes, the roast chicken at Palena, I made Spice-Brined Roast Chicken, which turned out fairly close to what you get at the restaurant. Wanting to bring the smoky flavors of outdoor barbecue into the kitchen, another brining experiment yielded this tasty Smoked-Brined Oven BBQ Chicken. Lastly, taking advantage of seasonal sweet corn, I came up with these Roasted Corn and Chicken Enchiladas.

Apart from Thanksgiving, I didn't do much with turkey this year, although we did enjoy the Thanksgiving Leftovers Tacos I invented to use of all those great Thanksgiving dishes.

Fish

Broiled salmon is something I turn to again and again, since it's so easy to prepare quickly during the week and lends itself well to a variety of flavors. This year, I experimented more with Asian flavors, like the umami-rich Dashi-Poached Salmon, Garlic-Ginger Broiled Salmon with Miso-Braised Mustard Greens and Mustard Broiled Salmon with Miso and Honey-Braised Greens. Another salmon dish I liked served with greens was Broiled Salmon with White Bean, Kale and Bacon Ragoût. And if tacos are your thing, Salmon Tacos offered a nice variety to my usual broiled fillet.

Vegetables

Most of the pasta and grains best dishes I featured Friday are vegetarian, but there are a couple other great dishes I wanted to include here: The Vegetable Napoleons with Red Wine Sauce, which is a great dish if you want a dramatic presentation, and Yogurt Kuku, a sort of Middle Eastern frittata, that I served alongside a selection of favorite mezze dishes.

Salmon with Yogurt-Dill Sauce

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, winner of this year's James Beard Award for best food blog, is a site I find myself turning to often. What sets Hank Shaw's blog apart from the pack, besides his great writing, is how connected his cooking is to foraging. He writes mostly about food he has hunted/caught/grown/gathered himself, which is pretty remarkable.

It's also quite different from my current experience. As an apartment-dwelling urbanite, I don't have the opportunity to obtain my food so directly, at least not on a consistent basis. Like many, I rely on the grocery store and farmers market to supply my raw materials.

But as a child, I grew up a family that, although primarily sustained by the grocery store, supplemented that with a fair amount of food from our own efforts. My grandmother's rather large (by city standards) vegetable garden supplied us with freshly grown vegetables, legumes and berries. She also raised chickens, and when I stayed with her, it was my job to collect the eggs. My mother also grew (and still does) vegetables and herbs in her garden. Last year she turned out some pretty peppery arugula and her tomatoes are always amazing.

And my father went after the game, mostly elk in the winter and fish in the summer. Being close to the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean, we had access to all sorts of sea life, including fresh dungeness crab, sturgeon and, naturally, salmon.

Shaw's recipes for things like wild bullfrogs and wild bear are unlikely to ever be made in my kitchen; however, his fish recipes are more akin to something I have the tools and available ingredients to make. I've featured several in The Feed, including Salmon with Avocado Salsa and Steelhead with Sorrel Sauce and Salsify.

His recent recipe for butter-poached salmon with dill-horseradish cream inspired me to make something similar. As lusciously wonderful as butter-poached salmon sounds, I decided to a lighter route by just broiling my salmon, as I typically do, with a little bit of butter on top. I also used Greek yogurt, instead of sour cream for the sauce, which I tried before with tarragon and lemon and it worked great with the dill and horseradish in this recipe.

I mixed the butter with olive oil, which lowers its smoke point to prevent it from burning while the salmon cooks (it will still brown a bit, but browned butter is great). By spreading the butter/oil/garlic mixture on top of the fish with the flesh-side up, it melts into the fish as it starts to cook then pools on the bottom. Then, once it's time to flip the salmon, the fleshy side continues to cook in the garlicky buttery mixture.

Salmon with Yogurt-Dill Sauce
Inspired by Poached Salmon with Dill-Horseradish Cream by Hank Shaw of Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Makes 2 portions (with lots of leftover sauce)

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened but not melted
2 tsp. finely minced garlic
Salt, to taste
3/4 lb. salmon fillets, skin on
3/4 cup (6 oz.) Greek yogurt
2 tsp. prepared horseradish sauce
1-2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven broiler with rack in highest position (4-5 inches from broiler).

2. Combine olive oil, butter, garlic and salt in small bowl.

3. Place salmon skin-side down on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. (Note: I recommend using a small rimmed baking sheet or, better yet, creating a confined space for the salmon by placing it on a piece of aluminum foil with the ends folded up to make a 1/2-inch rim around it. This contains the oil and butter as the fish cooks, making it less likely to spread out and burn and also more likely to add good flavor to the fish). Spread the garlic mixture evenly on top of the salmon. Place under the broiler and broil for about 5 minutes. Turn the fish over and broil for another 5 minutes until desired doneness is achieved. Remove from oven.

4. While the salmon cooks, stir together the yogurt, horseradish and dill. If desired, add black pepper. When the salmon is finished, remove and discard the skin, divide the fish into two servings and serve it topped with the yogurt-dill sauce.

Ginger-Garlic Broiled Salmon with Miso-Braised Mustard Greens

I hope you're not getting tired of broiled salmon. When I call my mother on Monday nights, she doesn’t even have to ask. “I hope you enjoyed your fish,” she says, and then I try to convince her that this week’s preparation was unique. Yes, nothing like last time.

The bottom line is that broiled salmon is tasty, easy and good for you. As I’m discovering, it’s pretty versatile too. This preparation gives the dish a Japanese flavor, broiling the fish with a ginger-garlic paste and serving the broiled fillet above a bed of mustard greens braised with miso.

About that miso…tracking it down was a bit of a mystery. I had no idea where to look for it, or what sort of package it would come in. Finally, someone at Whole Foods directed me to the aisle with the eggs and tofu. It looks a bit like peanut butter. Even smells a bit like it too. I've already made ramen with it and hope to put it to other uses. Stay tuned.

Ginger-Garlic Broiled Salmon

Serves 2

Olive oil
1 tsp. finely minced ginger
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/2 bunch of scallions, white part thinly sliced, green part chopped
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. canola oil
3/4 lb. salmon fillets
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. water
1 tsp. sesame oil
Sesame seeds

1. Adjust oven rack to 4 inches from broiler and preheat broiler.

2. Place salmon fillet skin-side down on a rimmed baking sheet sprayed or brushed with olive oil. Crush minced ginger to a paste using a mortar and pestle (in a pinch, a cocktail muddler and a glass Pyrex measuring cup work great). Combine with garlic, white scallion slices, soy sauce, rice vinegar and canola oil. Spread ginger-garlic paste on top of fish. Broil for 5 minutes, turn over, broil another 5 minutes. Remove skin and flip over again so the side with paste is exposed. Stir together the honey, water and sesame oil and pour over fillet. Broil for another minute to cook glaze. Remove from oven and serve fish on top of braised greens topped with sesame seeds and chopped green scallions.

Ginger-Miso Braised Mustard Greens
Adapted from a recipe by Not Eating Out in New York

Serves 2

1 tbsp. white miso paste
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 tsp. finely minced ginger
1/2 bunch mustard greens, stems removed, cut into strips about 3/4-inch wide

1. Stir miso paste and water together in a small bowl.

2. Heat canola oil in a deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mustard greens and sauté a couple minutes until wilted. Add miso-water mixture, cover, reduce heat to medium-low an simmer until greens are tender, about 3 minutes.

Grouper Almondine

Yesterday I mentioned the recent Daily Meal story on 11 disappearing menu items. When I read it, I thought about why some foods lose favor with the public. Certainly I can see why French dishes with complicated cream sauces are no longer in vogue. Ever since the coming of the “nouvelle cuisine,” cooking has never been the same.

While some of the dishes look smothered by thick sauces, the trout almondine looks comparatively light. “Almondine” is actually an American misspelling of the original French “amandine,” although it’s easy to see why, since the term refers to a garnish of almonds. The fish in the article is topped with fresh green beans and almond slivers, a combination that seems like it could be very good.

Just days after reading that article, I saw Grouper Almondine on the Restaurant Week lunch menu at Poste. The fish was served with haricots vert and almonds. It didn’t look heavy, in fact, it looked quite tasty. I modeled my dish after that with some input from a Tyler Florence recipe I found on the Food Network website. Rather than slivered almonds, I used whole marcona almonds that I toasted with some honey.

Grouper Almondine
Adapted from multiple sources, including Sole Almondine by Tyler Florence for Food Network and inspired by Poste Moderne Brasserie

¼ cup marcona almonds
2 tsp. honey (plus 2 tsp. water)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. fresh green beans, rinsed and ends trimmed
Kosher salt
1 lemon, zested and juiced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk (nonfat is fine)
¾ lb. grouper
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)
½ tsp. arrowroot powder (optional)

1. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Toast marcona almonds until fragrant and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Combine honey and 2 tsp. water in a microwave safe bowl (or glass measuring cup). Warm in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir together. Pour over almonds, reduce heat to low, and stir until water has evaporated. Remove almonds from pan and spread on a parchment lined baking sheet to cool (spreading them out keeps them from sticking together as they dry).

2. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add green beans, lemon zest and kosher salt to taste and sauté until beans are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

3. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Pat fish dry with a paper towel. Combine flour with salt and pepper to taste on a plate. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the egg, then whisk together with the milk. Dredge fish in the flour, then dip it in the egg mixture, allowing excess egg to drip off. Place coated fish in pan and cook about 3 minutes. Turn over carefully (I used two spatulas, flipping from one onto the other) and cook another 3 to 5 minutes until desired doneness (I like my fish pretty well cooked). Reserve drippings in pan.

4. Add garlic to pan the fish was cooked in and sauté until softened and fragrant, a couple minutes. Add the wine to deglaze the pan and cook a few minutes, stirring constantly with a spoon or whisk to scrape up the cooked bits from the pan. If desired, sprinkle with a little arrowroot powder to thicken. Turn off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice.

5. To serve, divide the cooked fish between two plates. Top each piece of fish with half the green beans, lemon-wine sauce and honey-glazed almonds.

Salmon Tacos

I don't often get fish tacos, but they are a nice alternative to the usual chicken, beef or pork, as well as a fun way to dress up broiled salmon. My favorite memory of fish tacos involves a sandy beach cantina in Cabo San Lucas and a bucket of ice filled with bottles of Tecate. Ahhh... This isn't quite as much fun as that, but it is more fun that the usual broiled salmon over something--vegetables, lentils, beans, etc.

This is a little more involved, although not unreasonable for a weeknight. The slaw takes the most effort, just because of of the peeling and chopping, but it's not that time intensive. You could always buy corn tortillas, but homemade ones are really easy and so much better. The salmon cooks in 10 minutes. If you like tacos, this is great fun.

Unlike a more delicately flavored white fish, salmon can stand up to some zestier accompaniments, like the flavorful slaw and chipotle-lime crema that garnish the fish in these tacos. Peas and Crayons' salmon tacos recipe was an inspiration for my dish, although I broiled my salmon instead of pan-searing it because I find it to be easier and less messy (pan-searing fish tends to create smoke, which sets off my fire detector).

The slaw is particularly delicious. Since it's not practical to make slaw in small quantities, there is plenty leftover to eat as a side salad with the tacos (or save for the next day).

With this dish, I also get to show off my cool metal taco holders (above). If you want some, they are available here.

Salmon Tacos

Inspired by Seared Salmon Tacos with Honey-Lime Slaw, Peas and Crayons

Makes 4 servings (12 tacos), with extra slaw leftover

Slaw:

1/2 head of napa cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups of shredded cabbage)

1/2 sweet onion, shredded

1 carrot, peeled and shredded

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (chop a little extra for garnishing the tacos)

Salt, to taste

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp. agave nectar

Juice from 1/2 a lime

Chipotle-Lime crema:

1/2 cup sour cream

Zest from 1 lime

Juice from 1/2 a lime

1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder (omit if you don't want it spicy)

Salmon:

1 1/2 lb. salmon fillet

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. dried oregano

4 garlic cloves, minced

Juice from 1/2 a lime

Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

12 corn tortillas (see recipe for homemade)

3 oz. crumbled cotija cheese

2 ripe avocadoes, peeled, pitted and diced

Chopped fresh cilantro (garnish)

1. Make the slaw: Combined shredded cabbage, onion, carrot and chopped cilantro. Season with salt. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, agave and lime juice. Toss with vegetables. Set aside until ready to use.

2. Make the chipotle-lime crema: Combine the sour cream, lime zest, lime juice and chili powder by stirring with a fork until blended. Transfer to a squeeze bottle, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Make the salmon: Preheat the oven broiler with rack positioned about 5 inches below broiler (the highest position in my oven). Place salmon fillet on an olive oil-sprayed rimmed baking sheet, skin-side down. Combine olive oil, oregano, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl and spread mixture on the flesh side of the salmon. Broil salmon for 5 minutes. Turn over and broil another 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove skin and any gray layer. Use a fork to break fish up into chunks no larger than about an inch.

4. Assemble the tacos: Place warm corn tortillas on plate or in taco holder. Add a generous spoonful of salmon, about an equal amount of slaw and smaller amounts of cotija cheese and diced avocado. Drizzle with chipotle-lime crema and top with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Broiled Salmon with White Bean, Kale and Bacon Ragoût

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Broiled salmon is an ideal weeknight dinner. It’s fast, tasty and healthy. So here’s yet another good idea for how to prepare it: pairing the fish with kale, white beans and bacon, a recipe from Fine Cooking’s recent Winter CookFresh publication.

You may wonder why the recipe calls for cooking the bacon in olive oil, since bacon renders fat and the extra oil would seem unnecessary. The reason for doing so is that the oil speeds up cooking and therefore the bacon cooks without rendering as much fat. This makes it more tender and less crispy, which is useful sometimes and provides better texture for this dish.

Broiled Salmon with White Bean, Kale and Bacon Ragoût
Adapted from Fine Cooking

Serves 2

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ lb. thick-cut bacon, cut into thin strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups packed thinly sliced kale leaves (stems removed)

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 lb. salmon fillet
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

1. Preheat broiler with oven rack about 6 inches from broiler element.

2. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon renders much of its fat and starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Use a spoon to remove 2 Tbs. of the bacon fat from the skillet and reserve in a small bowl.

Add the garlic to the bacon in the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the garlic starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high, add the kale, and sauté, stirring, until it starts to wilt, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the skillet, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

While the beans are cooking, line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with foil and arrange the salmon, skin side down, on it. Drizzle the reserved bacon fat over the salmon and season with 1/2 tsp. salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Broil until slightly firm to the touch, 7 to 10 minutes for medium (the salmon will be dark pink in the middle). Sprinkle half of the thyme over the salmon. Stir the remaining thyme into the beans and kale and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, spoon equal portions of the beans and kale onto dinner plates and top each with a piece of salmon. Serve immediately.

Best of 2012: Main Dishes

Chicken

For midweek meals and even sometimes during weekends the meat I turn to most is chicken. It’s affordable, lean and, depending on the method, quite fast. One of my favorite dishes to make is Roasted Chicken with Greens and Bread Salad, a recipe adapted from the dish served at San Francisco’s Zuni Café, which Chris and I discovered last year when we visited the restaurant.

The most popular chicken dish among Cook In / Dine Out readers was the Updated Chicken Marbella, a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen that sought to modernize the classic Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook. Even if you love the original recipe as much as I do, this update is worth trying to experience a different take on the dish.

Although I would describe my cooking style as American with strong Italian influences, every so often I venture into Asian territory. I hope to pursue more international flavors next year (I have a stock of Asian dishes I’m planning to post soon after the New Year). When it comes to Chinese food, Kung Pao Chicken has been a personal favorite ever since I was about 9 years old. As delicious as the takeout version can be, it’s just as satisfying made at home and arguably less fattening.

Lastly, the Ricotta Tartine with Chicken, Arugula and Asparagus Salad, Honey-Cinnamon Almonds and Garlic-Sautéed Squash Blossoms (long title!) was one of the more unusual and unexpected things I made this year. It came about from the rather made idea to “mash up” two recipes I’d been planning to make over two nights but ended up with just one to do it in. This is a good dish for early summer with squash blossoms and asparagus are freshly available.

Turkey

Turkey, the other poultry, plays second fiddle to chicken most of the year but shines at Thanksgiving. This year I brined my Roasted Turkey Breast for the first time, and it was so good, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the herbs-under-the-skin method. I always make a breast, rather than a full bird, since I don’t have a large number of guests. But, if you find yourself with leftover turkey, Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza is a great way to use it up, along with stuffing and butternut squash puree.

Ground turkey, especially ground dark meat, is an effective substitute for ground beef in many dishes. I prefer it in Turkey Black Bean Chili, an old favorite in our house, and its flavor shines in the Turkey and Butternut Squash Meatloaf, really more moist and flavorful than a traditional meatloaf.

Pork

For years the pork lobby tried to sell Americans on the idea of pork as “the other white meat,” but that really does a disservice to what is a versatile and delicious meat in its own right. It’s nice to see pork enjoying a renaissance in restaurants these days. When you have the time, slow roasting pork produces excellent flavor, such as in Carnitas Tacos where the pork is cooked in a slow cooker and then finished under a broiler to give it some crispness. But when you don’t have the time, pork chops are fast and easy and benefit from a flavorful sauce, like Pork Chops with Maple-Peppercorn Glaze.

Fish

We’re not big seafood eaters in our house, but we do have fish weekly and it’s usually salmon. Broiled, it’s a fast and easy weekday meal, and even when it’s baked it doesn’t take very long. For years, I made it broiled with a paste of garlic, rosemary, olive oil and lemon. This year, I paired salmon with many different flavors to demonstrate its versatility. My favorite was the Southwestern Salmon with Black Eyed Pea Succotash and Yellow Pepper Sauce. The most unusual was the Salmon with Blueberries (it’s good, honest). Chris was particularly fond of the Salmon with Zucchini “Spaghetti,” and I also want to mention the Salmon with Corn, Pea Tendrils and Green Garlic Butter since it uses less common spring ingredients from the farmers market.

Vegetarian

We’re not vegetarians, obviously, but many of our friends are. Even meat lovers have favorite vegetarian dishes, especially during the summer, when the bounty of fresh produce makes cooking without meat inventive and interesting. Take, for example, Pasta with Roasted Garlic Scape Pesto. Garlic scapes can be rather potent, but roasting mellows them a bit to make a delicious pasta accompaniment. Blackberries, another summer delight, go great with corn—Corn Pancake with Blackberry Sauce is perfect for summer breakfast.

When the summer bounty peaks, it’s good to have dishes that can use up a lot of vegetables so they don’t go to waste. For that, I recommend Summer Vegetable Lasagna and Ratatouille.

Salmon with Tomatoes and Zucchini "Spaghetti"

Looking for something new to do with zucchini and mint, I came across this recipe for Zucchini Strands with Mint. I thought doing something like this with some grape tomatoes could make an interesting faux pasta base for broiled salmon.

To cut the zucchini very thin, I used a mandoline equipped with an 1/8-inch row of cutting blades and the slicing blade set at 1/8-inch. If you don't have a mandoline, you could try a julienne peeler or even cut it by hand, although it will take awhile and the results probably won't be as uniform.

Salmon with Tomatoes and Zucchini "Spaghetti"

2 medium zucchini, ends sliced off
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 lb. salmon fillet

1 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for spraying on salmon

Seasoned salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup grape tomatoes

pinch of red pepper flakes

3 tbsp. chopped fresh mint (plus more for garnish)

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1. Using a mandoline, slice the zucchini into 1/8-inch strips. Toss with 1/2 tsp. salt and set in a strainer over a bowl. After 20 minutes, gently squeeze to wring out additional liquid.

2. Preheat oven broiler with oven rack about 4 inches from heat. Place salmon fillet skin-side down on an oiled, rimmed baking sheet. Spray exposed flesh with olive oil and season with seasoned salt and pepper. Broil for 10 minutes, turning over after the first 5 minutes. Check doneness and broil and additional 1-2 minutes if needed. Remove salmon skin and any gray flesh.

3. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant but not browned, 1-2 minutes. Add grape tomatoes, zucchini strands and red pepper flakes and sauté for about 2 minutes. Season with fresh mint. Squeeze lemon juice over vegetables. Serve in a bowl topped with salmon and additional fresh mint.

Salmon with Blueberries

This week, I'm going to focus on a getting up a few dishes I've made recently with berries, specifically blueberries and blackberries, which are in season right now, but probably not for much longer.

This dish appeared recently in the New York Times. It strikes me as a very "Oregon" dish--salmon and blueberries are, after all, pretty abundant there.

A neighbor told me how much she liked this dish, but noted that it has a lengthy cooking time. In adapting the recipe, I was able to save some time by broiling the salmon, instead of roasting it. That I was only making half of much blueberry sauce also probably saved some time. Additionally, I brightened the dish a bit with some fresh tarragon.

Salmon with Blueberries
Adapted from Salmon with Agrodolce Blueberries, Melissa Clark, The New York Times

2 servings

2 tbsp. sweet onion, minced
3/4 cup white wine (sauvignon blanc)
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
3-4 thyme sprigs
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
Salt
3/4 cup blueberries
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. honey
3/4 lb. salmon fillet
Olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Fresh tarragon leaves

1. Preheat the broiler. Position oven racks 4 and 10 inches from broiler.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine onion, wine, vinegar, thyme, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated (about 1/4-1/3 cup liquid remains), about 15 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and cinnamon sticks. Add blueberries, butter and honey, cooking until the berries soften and the sauce turns a deep pink, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Place salmon on oiled rimmed baking sheet, skin side down. Spray exposed flesh side with olive oil. Broil 4 inches from broiler about 5 minutes. Turn fillet over and broil another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and discard skin.

4. Place broiled salmon in an oiled 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Pour blueberry sauce over salmon. Place in oven and broil 10 inches from broiler about 5 minutes. Cut fish in half and remove, placing on plates. Return baking dish with remaining blueberry sauce to oven and broil 10 inches from broiler about 5 minutes to concentrate sauce. Spoon sauce over fillet, season with fresh-ground black pepper and sprinkle with tarragon.

Tilapia with Quinoa, Sugar Snap Peas, Corn and Roasted Tomatoes

Recently,  a coworker shared a quinoa pilaf recipe that had an element I was really excited about: roasted tomatoes. By now, farmers markets have "hot house" tomatoes, a.k.a. greenhouse or indoor tomatoes. They aren't as good as ripe, outdoor grown tomatoes that will be arriving in mid-summer; however, they are still worlds better than the artificially "ripened" grocery store tomatoes from Florida.

These are greenhouse (aka "hot house") tomatoes, but can you tell? They are beautifully red inside, juicy and sweet.

Although I usually wait for the real deal to get my annual tomato fix, the farmer at my neighborhood market assured me his hot house tomatoes are worthwhile and he's right, they are awfully good.

Anyway, I'm off track. So my coworker shared this amazing quinoa recipe, from which I've adapted elements for this dish, primarily the tomatoes. A sprinkle of brown sugar augments their sweetness. They would be great spread on toasted Italian bread or tossed with pasta.

I had sugar snap peas, so I tossed those in along with some corn for color and just because I think corn goes great with fish. A sprinkle of basil pulls it all together.

Tilapia with Quinoa, Sugar Snap Peas, Corn and Roasted Tomatoes
Elements inspired by Heather's Quinoa Recipe, 101 Cookbooks

2 fresh tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 lb. sugar snap peas, strings removed and halved
1 shallot, minced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
Seasoned salt and fresh-ground black pepper

3/4 lb. tilapia fillets
2 tbsp. fresh basil ribbons

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Add tomatoes to a 9 x 9 glass baking dish (do not cook tomatoes in uncoated aluminum cookware, as their acid will dissolve the metal), toss with 1 tbsp. olive oil, brown sugar and salt. Roast for about 35-40 minutes. Set aside (can be made ahead and then reheated in the microwave).

2. Bring 1 1/4 cups water to boil. Add quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil, add snap peas and cook 3 minutes. Drain and place peas in ice water bath.

4. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan. Add shallot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn and cook another 5 minutes. Add blanched snap peas and cooked quinoa season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until heated through.

5. Preheat broiler with oven rack in highest position. Place tilapia fillets on lined, oiled baking sheet and broil 8 minutes, rotating pan every 2 minutes and flipping fillets after the first 4 minutes.

6. Serve quinoa in bowls, topped with tilapia and spoon tomatoes over fish with a sprinkle of basil on top.

Salmon with Corn, Pea Tendrils and Green Garlic Butter

I am quite thrilled that my neighborhood farmers market is open for the season. It's a really great market. While the Penn Quarter market is larger, since it has a variety of vendors, the New Morning Farm market often has better selection, since at Penn Quarter you tend to have like four or five people selling asparagus, but perhaps no one with cucumbers. New Morning Farm has a wonderful selection of vegetables, greens, herbs, fruit and berries, and a smattering of products from other vendors, including breads, eggs, cheeses and baked goods. Their outdoor-raised tomatoes, which will arrive later this summer, are amazing. As is their corn (also a coming attraction).

Green garlic

Pea tendrils

Looking to be adventurous, I deliberately picked up a couple items that I've never used before: green garlic and pea tendrils. These are the kinds of ingredients you can find at the farmers market that the grocery store never carries. Too seasonal and not shipper friendly.

The green garlic has an amazing scent: like garlic, but milder, almost buttery. The pea tendrils smell great too and even had little white flowers on them.

I decided to pair them with fish and, although I looked for some white fish options, I ended up with salmon. I'm glad I did actually, since a milder fish might have been overwhelmed with the flavors. I was able to punch things up a bit with smoked paprika and red pepper flakes. The corn was a last minute addition when I realized the salmon and pea tendrils alone probably weren't enough food.


Salmon with Green Garlic Butter
Inspired by Egg Batter Pan-Fried Flounder with Green Garlic, New York Times

.75 lb. salmon fillet, skin on one side
Olive oil spray
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup green garlic, white and tender green parts finely chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Preheat oven broiler with rack positioned about 5 inches from element.

2. Place salmon fillet skin-side down on oiled, rimmed baking sheet. Spray fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil 10 minutes, turning fish over after the first 5 minutes. Let cool and remove skin.

3. To make the green garlic butter, heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add butter and green garlic and sauté a couple minutes until soft but not brown, reducing heat if needed to prevent burning. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper (makes about 1/4 cup).

Sautéed Pea Tendrils with Green Garlic
Adapted from Sautéed Pea Tendrils, Matt Bites

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. green garlic, white and tender green parts finely chopped
Pea tendrils, about 4 cups roughly chopped (this was the amount in the bag from the farmers market)
Ground smoked sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium frying pan. Add green garlic and sauté 1 minute to let it start softening. Add pea tendrils and sauté about 2 minutes, until wilted but still a but crunchy. Season with smoked sea salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.


Smoky Corn with Green Garlic Butter

1. tbsp. green garlic butter (see above)
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp. green garlic butter. Add corn and smoked paprika and sauté until corn is cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.