Potato and Dill Crusted Salmon

Timing is everything.  This may take a few attempts to master, but once you do, you will be crusting everything you can get your hands on!  Use a good non-stick pan, a sturdy spatula, and a sharp potato peeler or mandoline.

Recipe:  Potato and Dill Crusted Salmon

1 large Russet potato
1.5 lb wild, fresh Sockeye
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely diced
1/2 cup grated cheese (any medium to hard - asiago, parmesan, or bellavitano, as below)
2 Tablespoons non-fat Greek yogurt
Salt & Pepper

Peel the potato and discard skin.  Continue peeling the meat of the potato in paper thin strips.  Rinse well in a colander, then soak in cold water.  While soaking, dice shallot, chop dill, and grate the cheese.  Rinse the potatoes again several times, dry with paper towels, then place in a bowl with dill, shallot, cheese, yogurt, salt and pepper.  Mix thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Skin salmon (or better yet, have the butcher do it!), and slice into 4 fillets.

Place pan over high heat and let it get hot before adding the oil.  Add olive oil and coat bottom of pan.  Place 1/8 of he potato mixture in a thin layer, the size of one fillet.  (Careful, they will splatter).  Repeat until you have four beds of potatoes on which to lay each piece of salmon.

Place each piece of salmon onto the potatoes.  Once browned on the bottom, and you can see that the salmon has just begun to cook on the bottom, carefully removed each piece of salmon with the crusted potato on the bottom and place on a plate. 

Next, put the remaining 1/2 of the potato mixture in the same configuration, or four thin beds.  Flip each piece of salmon, naked side down, onto the potatoes.  Cook a few minutes until the bottom layer is brown, and then remove from heat.

Finish cooking in the oven.  Center of the should be cool to slightly warm.

Things I Like in a Jar...

Yes, sometimes I'm in a pinch and reach for a jar...  I admit it.  However, I stick to preparations that have no chemicals, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, flavours, or colours.

One brand that I am particularly fond of is Patak's.  I use the curries as marinades (as below), or in slow cooked lamb or chicken stews.  They range in temperature from mild to hot, and have a really nice balance of tangy flavour and spice.

Perfect for a quick, post-vacation BBQ...

Quinoa Salad with Veggies

Quinoa is such a versatile grain.  With 8g of protein per cup, 20% of your daily fibre, and a bunch of B6, Magnesium and Iron, it is super healthy.  Oh, and delicious!  It will go with anything - from quinoa pancakes to this type of fantastic salad.

Cooking quinoa is really simple.  The ratio is 1:2, quinoa to water.  Boil the water, add the quinoa, give it a stir, bring to a boil again, give it a stir, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed (about 10 - 12 minutes). Fluff it up with a fork and it's done.

For this salad, I mixed some raw and some slightly cooked/blanched veggies.  I first mixed in some ribboned spinach while the quinoa was warm to wilt it.  I blanched some asparagus tips, and the rest of the ingredients were added raw.

I included: diced red pepper; halved grape tomatoes; chopped spring onion; chopped cilantro; grated garlic; chopped avocado; a squeeze of lime juice; and some salt and pepper.  Chill for about an hour.

Really, anything can potentially go in this salad.  Take a look in your fridge and use up some odds and ends of veggies and/or sauces.  Easy and chock-a-block full of nutrition.  (p.s.  I just looked up the term chock-a-block... very interesting origin!)

Bourbon & Brown Sugar Salmon

I struggled with what to name this, "Drunken Salmon," "Bourbon Soaked Salmon..."  Personally, I don't think you can go wrong by marinating anything in Bourbon...  Of course, when you cook with alcohol, it gets cooked out and you are just left with the essence of the liquor.

For this, I simply made a paste out of a few tablespoons of Kentucky Bourbon and brown sugar.  I added a little salt and pepper, and cooked it in parchment.  I set it in a roasting pan and left it on the BBQ for about 15 -20 minutes.  Be careful not to over cook this, or it will dry out very quickly.

If you were to grill directly on the BBQ, beware that the sugar will likely cause it to flame up.

You will have to just imagine the final product, as everyone was simply to hungry to let me take any pictures!

Grilled Cheese

But not like you think.  Whilst grilling vegetables, (or fruit), look for a firm cheese that will stand up to grilling.  I found this one, 'Halloumi,' at a local fresh food market.  It only requires seconds of grilling on each side, before it starts to melt.

Finish with a balsamic drizzle and salt and pepper, or dice and throw it in a salad.

Perfect Grilled Corn with Cilantro Lime Butter

This method of cooking corn will keep it from drying out or burning on the grill.  The butter is, well, something that you may want to bathe in...

First remove most of the out layers of the husk, keeping only two or three layers on the corn.  Carefully peel those layers halfway back and remove the silk.  Replace the husk and tie with one of the discarded long strings of husk.

Grill on high for a few minutes on each quarter side.

For the butter, finely chop about about a quarter cup of loosely packed cilantro and place in a microwavable dish or saucepan. Add the juice of one small lime.  Place 4 tablespoons of butter and melt in the microwave or over low heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Spread on the corn with a pastry brush and then you totally avoid the debate over whether or not it is polite to roll your corn in the butter...

Gazpacho!

It's summer!  Summertime screams Gazpacho.  This recipe is very simple and can be served as an appetizer (in a shot glass), as a side, or even a light main course.  I roasted the vegetables in the oven, but you could roast them on the BBQ.

Recipe:  Gazpacho

7 tomatoes - 5 to roast, 2 fresh
3 tomatillos
1 red pepper
1 shallot
1 head garlic
2 green onions - 1 to roast, 1 fresh
4 pieces celery - 2 to roast, 2 fresh
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
pinch of sugar
2 teaspoons of rice vinegar
1 serrano pepper (optional)

The key to this soup is the layers of flavours.  I find that if you layer the roasted vegetables & fruit with the fresh, it gives the dish some dimension.  Start by roasting 4 tomatoes, the pepper, the tomatillos, the shallot, the whole head of garlic, 1 green onion, 2 pieces of celery, the serrano pepper (if desired - gives quite a kick).  Before roasting, toss with the olive oil and some of the salt, pepper and all of the cumin seeds.  Roast at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Place all of the roasted ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Squeeze out the roasted garlic and discard the skin.  Add the remaining 2 tomatoes, 1 green onion, 2 pieces of celery, the rest of the salt, the cilantro, sugar, and rice vinegar.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Process until all the large pieces have been cut.  Chill for at least an hour, but preferably 2 or 3.

Garnish with grilled shrimp and/or a balsamic reduction.  You can thank me now, in advance ;)

Herb & Dijon Lamb Chops

Make this an hour or two ahead and let it marinate in the fridge.  The marinade requires no oil, so if you get a nice, lean sirloin lamb chop, you will cut down on the overall fat.

I have a very small herb garden, but it is just right for adding a little bit of fresh flavour every day or two in the summer. Today I used thyme, rosemary and basil.  Finely chop them and add a shallot, 4 cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of dijon mustard and salt and pepper.  Combine and rub on each side of the chop.  Cover and let rest for at least an hour, or up to eight.

Grill on high heat, 4-6 minutes per side and let rest before serving.

Watermelon, Basil and Goat Cheese Salad

I love when I come across something that is a little unexpected, yet very delightful.  This is perfect for summer because it is so easy and very refreshing.

Cube 1/2 of a small watermelon, add a couple of tablespoons of fresh basil, cut in ribbons.  Right before serving, add a tablespoon of olive oil; 4 or 5 tablespoons of goat cheese, crumbled; a pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper. Toss it gently so the goat cheese stays relatively intact.

I used blueberry-vanilla goat cheese because it was the only thing I had.  It worked.  A few fresh blueberries would not have been a bad idea, either...