Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Seared Salmon on a Bed of Lemon Feta Quinoa

After a one and a half hour drive home I arrived to a beautifully cooked dinner by my hubby. I know --lucky girl. And what was even better, it was DELICIOUS. But...there is always a but...I don't take kindly to my sous chef trying to climb the ranks to head chef. That's my territory! So I got a little competitive.

Enter: my daydreamed dinner. People might dream of the beach, I dream of what to cook next. This meal needed to be more delicious than the last.

Ingredients:
Salmon
Lemon
1/4 cup Baby Zucchini
3 Tbsp Red Onion
3 Tbsp Red Pepper
1 Garlic Clove
1 cup Non-fat Yogurt (or whatever plain yogurt you have on hand)
Fresh or Dried Dill
1/2 cup White Quinoa
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
White Pepper
2 oz Feta
Fresh Parsley

After that list...do you still want to make it? :) And as always, these measurements aren't exact science because I just don't measure.

1. Rise (well) your quinoa to remove the bitterness. You can also soak it, but it's not necessary. Put it in a pot over medium heat with a cup of water, pinch of salt, and half the garlic clove. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook covered for 15 minutes.

2. While your quinoa is cooking it's time to chop your onion, peppers, and zucchini. Chop it fairly small...think about a chunky salsa. Heat up a stainless steel pan to medium-low a little closer to the low side if you have a gas stove. Add about a teaspoon or two of extra virgin olive oil so that it will lightly coat the veggies. When you start to see color on your zucchini, add the other half of your garlic clove, but make sure that it is minced. You want to get your veggies soft, but not mushy. They need to hold their shape.

3. If you're a superstar, while all of that is on the stove, go ahead with your yogurt sauce. This one is simple. Grab a bowl, toss in your yogurt, add a TON of dill (so it makes your sauce look almost green), add a dash of white pepper, and a little more than a dash of garlic powder, and finish with a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

4. Your quinoa should now be cooked. Remove from heat and set aside still covered for 5 minutes. Take your veggies out of the pan too and put them in a bowl. Set aside.

5. Take the same stainless steel pan and heat it up -- this time to medium (gas) or medium-high heat (electric). Add in your olive oil (not extra virgin!!! we need a higher smoke temp). Salt and pepper the rinsed and patted dry salmon. I used coarsely ground pink himalayan salt from TJs and coarsely ground pepper. When your oil is shimmering, put your fish down flesh first. Cook until the fish releases naturally, then flip to the skin side to finish. When you take it out of the pan, let it cool slightly and the skin should be crisp and peel right off.

6. Remove the garlic clove from your quinoa and fluff it. Add some ground black pepper, lemon, feta, and fresh chopped parsley.

7. Time to plate! Put a dollop of your yogurt on the plate and swirl with a spoon until you get a nice circle. Add a mound of quinoa, gently place your salmon on top, and spoon over your "salsa."



Monday, June 17, 2013

Here Fishy Fishy...Cake

Burgers are extra popular in the summer, but not everyone wants to eat meat. So instead, how about a tasty fish cake?

Ingredients:

  • 3 tsp unsalted butter, divided 
  • 1 tsp olive oil 
  • 1 medium uncooked onion(s), minced 
  • 2/3 cups panko 
  • 1lb (rinsed) white fish such as tilapia, swai, hake, sole (don't use expensive stuff here) 
  • 2 large eggs, beaten 
  • 1 Tbsp sherry (dry or sweet) 
  • 1 tsp salt 
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard 
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise 
  • 1/4 cup(s) fresh parsley, fresh, minced (or a mix of parsley and dill) 

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in skillet. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until onion turns translucent and start to caramelize, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in panko; cook, stirring frequently, until toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a food processor, grind up fish. Place fish in a large bowl. Add onion mixture, eggs, sherry, salt and mustard; mix well.

Add mayonnaise and parsley; mix well again.

Working with wet hands, form eight 3-inch cakes, about 3/4-inch thick; place on a metal baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to help cakes stick together while cooking.


Coat a very large skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. When skillet is heated, melt half of the remaining butter and add 1/2 tsp of olive oil. Place a batch of cakes in skillet in a single layer and cook until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side; remove to a serving plate and cover to keep warm (or place in a 200°F oven to keep warm). Repeat with remaining ingredients.