Salmon with Ginger Chutney & Blueberries

This recipe was born from Things Whole Foods Had On Sale This Week. No restaurant replica, no convoluted tale of inspiration, just a girl trying to save a few bucks on sustainable seafood and produce that wasn’t sprayed with Big Ag’s latest science fair project.

Salmon with Ginger Chutney & Blueberries

¼ c. ginger chutney
1 cup water
4 4-oz portions wild salmon fillet
1 cup organic blueberries

Cooked basmati rice, to serve
Braised Escarole, to serve (recipe below)
Nigella seeds, for garnish

Blend the ginger chutney and the water together in a shallow baking dish, whisking with a fork to remove any lumps from the chutney. Place the salmon fillets in the baking dish, skin side up, and marinate for 30 minutes up to 4 hours. 

Preheat the oven’s broiler to high. Line another large, shallow baking dish with foil and place the salmon fillets skin side up, with plenty of room between each fillet and room between the salmon and the edges of the dish. Pour the ginger chutney marinade into the dish alongside the salmon. Add the blueberries.

Broil for 4-6 minutes, or until the salmon skin starts becomes crispy and develops a slight char. Remove from heat.

Place about ½ c. cooked basmati rice in the center of a dinner plate, creating a round bed. Place braised escarole around the rice like a ring, and place one of the cooked salmon fillets, skin side down, on top of the basmati rice. Spoon some of the cooking liquid and the blueberries on top of the salmon, and sprinkle with the nigella seeds. Prepare three additional plates in the same manner and serve piping hot.


Braised Escarole

2 heads escarole, chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
1 allspice berry, smashed with the side of a knife
Pinch salt

Escarole grows best in sandy soil, so it must be thoroughly washed before using or you may end up with gritty greens. To wash the escarole, place the chopped leaves in a large bowl and cover with water. Using your hands, slosh the escarole around in the bowl for a minute or so, wiggling the leaves through your fingers so that any sand falls to the bottom of the bowl.

Place the crushed garlic clove and allspice berry in a large pot with a lid. Without draining, lift the escarole out of the water-filled bowl and place directly into the pot. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, place the lid on the pot, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the escarole has wilted but still retains a firm texture. Pay close attention during cooking—the water that clings to the leaves after washing isn’t always enough; the pot should never be dry, so you may need to add a tablespoon or two of extra water while cooking.

Remove the garlic clove and serve with a slotted spoon to drain away any excess moisture.

* Nutritional info: serves four. 537 calories, 11.5 g fat, 63 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein.

Marinated Salmon with Lemongrass & Mint

I’ve really slacked on posting lately, and I've mentally exhausted every conceivable excuse to sit on my ass and watch the replay of this weekend's NHL All Star Game.  I can't justify going another day without sharing with my readers, so I’ll give you a simple, quick recipe - no backstory, no history, no flowery description, just a wonderful, health-conscious recipe that requires under 10 minutes of prep time. Enjoy!


Marinated Salmon with Lemongrass & Mint

1 lb. wild salmon fillet, skin removed, sliced ¼” thick across the grain
¼ c. thinly sliced red onion
¼ c. Boston Olive Oil Company Lemongrass Mint White Balsamic Vinegar
1 t. coarse kosher salt
1 t. cracked black peppercorns


Combine all the ingredients in a large, nonmetallic bowl with a lid. Secure the lid tightly, shake vigorously, and let marinate for 4-24 hours in the refrigerator, shaking occasionally. Serve cold, either on a dramatic black serving plate, or on a bed of looseleaf lettuce.

If you are not comfortable with the idea of eating uncooked fish, you can lightly steam or lightly broil the fish for an equally delicious dish! 

Cooking for a Cause

The food I cook, the posts I write, and the general tone of this site is intended to be a celebration, a gastronomic gala, a tip of the hat to unapologetic hedonism.  And that is fine - this isn't a newspaper, and it isn't a political forum.  However, I would be remiss if I did not mention this week's tragedy in Japan.  We can definitely put down our forks, knives, and wine goblets for a moment and acknowledge that people are suffering.  As human beings, one of our more appealing qualities is our compassion, our instinctive drive to alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters.  So I write this post today with a bit more purpose than usual.  Enjoy the photos, enjoy the recipes, but don't stop there.  Starting tonight, for every re-post or re-tweet, I will donate 50 cents to the Red Cross's relief efforts in Japan.* 

tamarind pods

When I came up with this idea, the devastation was still unfolding and nobody knew who would be affected.  Because this site has readers in at least 10 Pacific Rim countries, I decided to make this weekend's recipes using ingredients native to areas that either were, or could have been, affected by this tragedy.  My readers mean the world to me, and if I can cook for a cause and do something to help, I will gladly do so.  With that, I bring you two recipes - Marinated Salmon with Coconut, and Spiced Beef with Tamarind. 

If you live in a city with a great supermarket and/or a large Asian/Pacific Islander population, most of the ingredients I use should be fairly easy to locate.  If you cannot find tamarind pods, you can buy whole tamarind pods online, or you can substitute prepared tamarind pulp.  If you cannot find serrano chiles, 1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes is pretty close to the heat level of one serrano chile. 


Marinated Salmon with Coconut

1 lb. very fresh salmon, sliced into 1/3" strips
juice of 2 limes
1 T. fresh ginger, grated or very finely minced
1-2 shallots, sliced thin
1 serrano chile, seeded and thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
2/3 c. coconut milk
splash sesame oil
salt and cracked black peppercorns

In a glass or ceramic bowl, combine all ingredients except the coconut milk, sesame oil, salt and pepper.  Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Once the dish has chilled for at least two hours and the salmon looks "cooked" due to the lime juice, add the coconut milk, sesame oil, salt and pepper.  Toss and serve.  A few extra chile slices or a lime wedge would make a nice garnish. 


Spiced Beef with Tamarind

4 oz. tamarind pods (or substitute 2 T. tamarind paste)
1 T. coconut oil
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
2 shallots, minced
2 serrano chiles (red or green), minced
2 T. fresh ginger, minced
1 lb. beef sirloin, sliced into thin strips
1/4" light rum
1 cup coconut milk
splash sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste
cooked rice (when you cook the rice, add a cinnamon stick to the water for additional flavor)
ground cinnamon, for garnish


If you are using fresh tamarind, the pulp must first be extracted from the pods.  This is not a difficult process, but it does take a bit of time and effort and produces a product far superior to the concentrated paste you'll find in jars. 

In the photo collage below, from left to right, you'll see the result of each of the numbered steps below:

1)  Remove the papery husk from each pod.  This will give you a sticky fruit that bears the shape of what you'd see after walking a 25-35 pound dog. 
2)  Remove the fibrous veins from the pods.  These fibers look frighteningly like centipedes. 
3)  Pour boiling water over the prepared pods.  Let soak for 20-30 minutes, or until the pulp is softened and looks even more like dog crap. 
4)  Using a wide-meshed strainer, drain the soaked tamarind pods.  Discard the water.  Holding the strainer over a bowl, press the pods into the mesh using a large spoon.  The seeds should pop out; they look kind of like black chicklets.  Discard the seeds.
5)  Continue to press the pulp through the mesh until all the soft pulp has been extracted.  Any pulp that comes through the mesh but does not drop into the bowl can be scraped off the outside of the strainer with your spoon. 

Once you've extracted the tamarind pulp, set aside and continue with the recipe. 

Heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan until it has melted.  Next, add the cinnamon stick, shallots, chiles, and ginger.  Cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently, then add the beef strips.  Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the beef is mostly brown on the outside. 

Next, add the rum and the reserved tamarind pulp.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the tamarind pulp is completely blended with the rum.  Now, add the coconut milk, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and the coconut milk begins to bubble.  Remove from heat, and remove the cinnamon stick. 

To serve, fill a greased measuring cup with cooked rice.  Invert the cup in the middle of a bowl or plate.  Spoon the beef and its sauce around the inverted rice mold, then sprinkle the rice with a dusting of ground cinnamon. 

*  Because money doesn't grow on trees, this is not without limits - but I'm going to do what I can!

Farfalle with Smoked Salmon and Champagne Cream

If I have even the slightest extrasensory perception, I'm probably picking up on someone thinking, "Gee, that would have been a great New Years Eve recipe, why wait until January 10 to post it?!?!?"  Well, kiddos, there's a method behind the madness.  This was a great NYE recipe.  However, NYE meant parties, which meant waking up on January 1 and not wanting to even type the word "champagne" until December 31. 

Now that I'm feeling much, much better, it's time to post this fantastic recipe featuring farfalle ("bowties" to the lay person) bathed in a rich cream sauce laced with luxurious champagne and smoked salmon and dotted with caviar.  Sure, you can make your own cream sauce, but when I made this, I simply used Classico brand Alfredo.  If you cannot find Classico, use a top-quality brand that is not loaded with preservatives and artificial flavorings.  This dish is sure to impress! 

Farfalle with Smoked Salmon and Champagne Cream

1 lb. dried farfalle
1 jar Classico Alfredo
1/2 cup champagne
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 T. capers
dash cayenne pepper
generous amount of coarsely ground black pepper
4 oz. smoked salmon, sliced into thin strips
1 jar caviar (no need to go expensive, lumpfish works well)

Cook the pasta.  In the meantime, combine the Alfredo, champagne, peas, capers, cayenne, and pepper in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to bubble slightly. 

Add the cooked farfalle to the saucepan.  Stir to combine until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.  Now, add the smoked salmon.  Stir just until combined, then serve immediately, garnishing with a spoonful of caviar.  Enjoy!!!

Around the World in Eighty Bites - Ireland

Playing off a popular stereotype about the Irish, a popular (and somewhat offensive) joke goes, “What do you call a six-pack and a boiled potato?  An Irish seven-course meal.”  Yeah, yeah, the Irish are known for their love for potatoes, but the sadly ironic fact is that potatoes became a staple in Irish cooking mainly because Catholics who were denied property rights needed to be able to feed their families cheaply and without grazing land for livestock.  Ladies and gentlemen, meet the nutritionally-dense potato, which was introduced to the Emerald Isle by traders and explorers and which originated in South America (specifically Peru, as my Peruvian friend informed me last night). 

Trust me, friends – there’s more to Irish cuisine than potatoes.  With its extensive seashore, fish and shellfish are very popular in Irish cooking, and a St. Patty’s Day feast would be incomplete without a loaf of crusty soda bread (with or without currants).  Kale and cabbage are turned into beautiful dishes, and the superb quality of Irish dairy and beef is appreciated worldwide.  Accents notwithstanding, my favorite thing to come out of Ireland is its delicious whiskey!

For my latest installment of “Around the World in Eighty Bites,” I decided to use traditional Irish ingredients – salmon, potatoes, and kale – cooked individually, but brought together with a delicious, decadently rich sauce based on Irish Whiskey and butter.  I picked up a pound of salmon and some oysters from Mercato del Mare last night, along with some curly kale at Alba’s Produce.  Sure, both of these spots are a little out of my way on a work night, but when you’re cooking with very few ingredients, each needs to stand out and not get lost on the plate.  This is especially true when you are entertaining – don’t subject your guests to garbage! 

To time this meal correctly, put the potatoes in the oven first, then put the salmon in the oven about 15 minutes later, and start the kale right after you close the oven door on the salmon.  Make the whiskey butter while the potatoes are broiling.  And - last but not least - go ahead and sip a little whiskey while you're cooking.  It builds character. 

Baked Salmon with Whiskey and Thyme

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 pound salmon fillet, cut into 4 oz. strips

About ¼ cup Irish whiskey, such as Jameson

5 pats butter

Preheat the oven to 375.  Place the thyme sprigs crosswise in a rectangular baking dish, spaced about an inch apart.  Then, place the salmon strips, skin side up, across the thyme lengthwise, so the salmon and thyme are criss-crossed.  Splash the whiskey in the baking dish so that it evenly coats the bottom of the dish, and then place a pat of butter between each salmon strip (including between the end pieces and the walls of the dish). 

Place in the oven and bake for approximately 13-15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through.  Serve with Whiskey Butter Sauce.

Whiskey-Braised Kale

1 pound kale, ribs removed

Splash Irish whiskey

¼ c. chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

4 sprigs fresh thyme

4 pats butter

Combine all ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan with a lid.  Cook over low heat until the kale is wilted.

Whiskey Butter Sauce

½ stick butter

Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme

¼ cup Irish Whiskey

Pinch finely ground black pepper

Melt the butter and let it begin to brown slightly.  Now, add the thyme, whiskey, and pepper.  The butter will froth when the whiskey is added.  Cook over high heat until you can no longer detect a strong alcohol scent and the sauce has reduced slightly.  Whisk a few times with a fork or small whisk, and spoon over your salmon, potatoes, and kale. 

Red Potatoes with Whiskey and Thyme

1 pound red potatoes, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/3” slices

Splash whiskey

Leaves from 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt & pepper to taste

4 pats butter

Preheat the oven to 375.  Combine all ingredients except the butter in a baking dish, toss to coat the potatoes with the whiskey and spice mixture, then add the butter. 

Place in the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. 

Now, once the potatoes have cooked and the salmon is done, place the dish under the broiler and broil for about 5 minutes, or until the edges of the potatoes begin to turn golden.  Remove from the oven and serve with Whiskey Butter Sauce.

Oysters Camelot, Baked Salmon, and Truffle Fries

If the dinner I had last night sounds like something you'd see served up on a fine restaurant menu, good - that's exactly what I was going for.  However, fancy as it may sound, my meal took only 15 minutes to prepare, cost very little (although I admittedly had some of the ingredients in stock and didn't factor these into the price), and the results were delicious! 

The Island Creek oysters were $1 each.  Considering that a half-dozen oysters generally costs between $10-20 at a restaurant, that oyster shucking lesson I had last weekend paid for itself!  Oh wait - it was free.  Even better!  Any oyster lover should learn to shuck (shall I insert "go shuck yourself" joke here?).

So what is "Oysters Camelot," you may ask?  Here's the story behind the dish - while watching an episode of "Top Chef D.C." in which the contestants' challenge was to create a cold dish and serve it to the judges on the Presidential Yacht ("Think of the Kennedys," Judge Gail Simmons instructed the cheftestants), I decided that if I was a contestant, I'd serve oysters on the half shell.  But how would I make it interesting and relevant?  By serving them with an out-of-the-ordinary sauce based on our most famous political family, the Kennedys.  I used a little malt vinegar and Jameson whiskey to add a taste of Ireland and to honor Joe Kennedy's days as a bootlegger, seasoned  with finely minced shallot.

I combined the vinegar, whiskey, and shallot in a small bowl and spooned a few drops over each opened oyster, and voila!  Not only did I discover a delicious way to serve oysters, I had enough left over to use as a marinade for my salmon, which I simply baked at 425 for 10 minutes alongside my truffle fries.

Truffle fries - delicious, decadent, demystified.  A small bottle of black truffle oil and a jar of truffle salt is all you need to create these tasty treats at home.  Truffle oil usually costs between $5-15 per bottle, but since each drop contains massive blasts of flavor, you don't need much.  It will pay for itself over time, as it keeps well.  A jar of truffle salt will probably cost between $5-10, and the same principle applies.  The flavor-to-volume ratio is stacked in your favor.  The real way to make truffle fries is to slice a few russet potatoes lengthwise into thick strips, toss them with olive oil, and bake for 40 minutes in a 450-degree oven. As soon as you take them out of the oven, sprinkle them with a few drops of truffle oil and a few pinches of truffle salt, shake them up in a basket or bowl to distribute the seasonings, and serve piping hot. The time-saving way is to buy a premium brand of frozen French fries (Alexia Foods is my favorite brand - no trans fats, no artificial flavors, and no preservatives), bake according to instructions, and then season with the truffle oil and truffle salt as instructed above.

So there you have it - Dom Perignon flavors on a Franzia budget.

Croí follain agus gob fliuch!