Salmon and Cherry Tomato Curry

 Credit for this lightly adapted recipe goes to Recipes by Veronica.

Salmon, tomatoes and fresh spinach in a delicious curry... Need I say more? Enjoy!

I learned something new with this dish... Apparently a "Curry" does not necessarily contain curry powder, as long as you use the right ingredients that create the flavor palette of a Curry. :-)

For the Curry:

• 4 60z salmon filets - skinless for best texture
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger - minced (powder is an option)
• 1/2 - 1 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper - adjust to your heat level
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (ground is an option)
• 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 can coconut milk use full - fat for richness
• 2 cups fresh spinach - stems removed
  

For Serving:

• 1-2 cups pearl barley cooked in chicken broth 
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs mint, basil, cilantro for garnish

Preparation:

Season your salmon fillets generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the minced garlic & ginger in the skillet for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Toast the cumin seeds in the same pan for about 15 seconds until aromatic.

Add the cherry tomatoes, ground coriander, Aleppo pepper and ground turmeric. Stir to combine.

Stir in the coconut milk and season with salt. Cook uncovered for 6-8 minutes.

Add the fresh spinach and gently place the seasoned salmon fillets into the simmering curry. Cover and simmer for 4-7 minutes until salmon is cooked through.

Serve the curry over cooked barley, garnished with fresh herbs of your choosing. Sauteed zucchini pairs very nicely with this dish.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Baked Salmon & Chef Michael's Shrimp Sauce

Experimenting with salmon is always fun. My shrimp alfredo is a wonderful sauce, but it can be a tad heavy depending on the mood of the day. I saw Cream of Shrimp condensed soup at the grocer one day and thought... Hey... worth a shot! :-) Combined with fresh tomato and some sherry etc., this turned into yet another winner. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 salmon filets - skinless ~6 oz each
• 1 can cream of shrimp condensed soup
• 1 tomato – cut up
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• fresh basil - handful
• ~1/4 cup sherry – use to rinse can and add to soup
• 12 large raw shrimp – peeled, deveined, tail off and cut in thirds

Preparation:

Season the salmon filets with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake or air fry at 390 for 8-9 minutes.

Defrost shrimp and cut into thirds. Set aside.

Add tomato, basil and garlic to a blender and liquefy. Maybe add a splash of sherry so the stuff is just pourable. Empty Cream of  Shrimp into sauce pan and blend with the tomato mix. Warm this while stirring with a whisk and add just enough sherry to make it a gravy that sticks and isn't too runny. Add fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Finally add the cut shrimp, simmer 1-2 minutes to cook the shrimp and serve over your favorite plain baked or steamed fish. We love this sauce with baked salmon, and it pairs really well with green beans or asparagus.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Soy Sauce Salmon

 Adapted from a recipe found on Cooking-Therapy.com

I had been toying with the idea of a dish combining soy sauce and salmon for some time... The original recipe's sauce really appealed to me but needed some diabetic tweaking. The end result is quite possibly the best salmon I have ever cooked. Combined with my own concoction of a bean sprout stir fry this dish turned out to be a top notch addition to my recipe collection. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 12 oz salmon cut into 2 inch squares
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup avocado oil (or pure vegetable oil in a pinch)

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup white onion - minced
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic - minced
• 2 tsp agave syrup
• 4 tsp soy sauce
• 4 tsp lemon juice

Preparation:

Season the salmon with salt and pepper.

Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bow so it’s ready to go .

Heat 1/4 cup oil over high heat in a skillet sized to fit the fish.

Add the salmon and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Remove salmon from the heat and set aside - covered

Add sauce mix to the pan and cook sauce for 1-2 minutes to reduce. 

When your reduction turns just slightly creamy, return the salmon to the pan and coat with sauce. 

Cover and let sit for a minute so fish heats through.

Serve with my Bean Sprout Stir Fry for a really lovely foodie experience. 

 Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Salmon with Lemon Butter & Dill by Chef Michael R - A Definite Favorite

There are versions to this recipe everywhere on the Net. A friend asked me what my version was, and I had to admit I had never put one together... I know, right? :-)

Needless to say... I grabbed some salmon and went to work. The end result made Carolyn smile and say: "Oh my... that's buttery!" Both of us made Yummy Noises as we ate the meal... 

Many similar recipes call for dried dill, but I think going with fresh dill was a better choice all around. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2  6 oz salmon filets
• 3 tbsp salted butter - melted
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt to taste
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 3-4 tbsp fresh dill - coarsely chopped

Preparation:

Preheat toaster oven to 350 F. Line a shallow baking dish or tray with aluminum foil, coat with cooking spray and add the salmon. Mix melted butter, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt & pepper in a small bowl and pour over fish.

Evenly spread the fresh dill on the filets.

Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on filet thickness.

Serve with a green vegetable and a tossed salad.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Salmon, White Bean & Dill Fishcakes

A big thank you goes to my friend Angela Phillips-Gow for finding this lovely recipe on Diabetes Australia. These dill fishcakes taste as good as they look. Delicate yet flavorsome, they are even more delicious when served with lemon juice-flavored yoghurt and finely chopped chives. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 500g (just over one pound) best market value skinless salmon
• 1 teaspoon tiny salted capers, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill or parsley, plus extra to serve
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 400g (one 15 oz can) tin butterbeans, drained and rinsed
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup (175g) fine burghul (bulgur)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
• Lemon wedges

Preparation:

Roughly cut the salmon into chunks, check for fine bones and put in a food processor with the capers, dill, mustard, butterbeans, salt and pepper, and pulse until just combined.

Shape the mixture into patties using about 1/3 cup of the mixture for each, and press into the burghul to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat.

Cook the fishcakes in batches, adding more oil as necessary, for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove and drain the fishcakes on paper towel.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Blackened Salmon & Dijon Sauce - A Definite Favorite

Adapted from a recipe found by Debbie Marcum  in Mediterranean for Beginners. 

Beautifully blackened salmon filets with a deliciously creamy sauce... Need I say more? :-) This adapted version of the original dish, now portioned for two with a few minor changes turned out so good that my Carolyn has requested it twice a week until further notice! LOL Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the Salmon:

• 2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For the Creamy Dijon Sauce:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp fresh dill - chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 tbsp low fat yogurt

Preparation:

Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over both sides of the salmon fillets.

Add the olive oil to the preheated skillet. Sear the salmon fillets for 3 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the yogurt, and if needed add another splash of lemon juice to thin the sauce.

Serve the blackened salmon fillets with a dollop of Creamy Dijon Sauce on top. Garnish with additional chopped fresh herbs, if desired.

Blessed be...and happy cooking!

Baked Salmon with Homemade Teriyaki

Adapted from a recipe found on Diabetes Australia.

There are many ways to cook the salmon for this dish... baked, fried, steamed or poached... The method for the fish is not all that important in this recipe, because today we are making homemade teriyaki sauce so you don't have to worry about sugar overload found in the commercial brands. For today's version I'm frying/steaming two portions of Atlantic farm raised salmon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2  6 oz  salmon filets - skin off
• black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tbsp Wondra flour
• cooking spray

Teriyaki Sauce:

• 1/2 tbsp sake
• 1/2 tbsp mirin
• 1/2 tbsp sugar - optionally use your favorite sweetener equivalent
• 1 tbsp soy sauce

Preparation:

Combine all of the sauce ingredients and mix well until sugar is dissolved. If sugar is not dissolving, microwave the sauce mixture for 30 seconds and stir until sugar dissolved.

Pepper both sides of the filets, coat with flour and fry covered, spine side up in a lightly sprayed skillet for 6-7 minutes over medium/medium low heat.

Add the sauce into the skillet and continue heat for about 6-7 minutes or until the sauce is boiling. Once sauce is boiling turn the salmon over to make sure all sides are coated with the sauce. By now the sauce should have thickened. It is ready to be served.

Mixed vegetables and a green salad pair well with this dish.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Salmon Piccata

 I'm pretty sure this recipe needs no introduction other than this photograph. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 12-24 ounces skinless salmon filets (skin on is fine, too)
• kosher salt and FreshJax Citrus Pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup Wondra flour
• 2 tbsp salted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp Wondra flour - take from dredging dish and add if needed
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 tbsp rinsed and drained capers
• 2-4 tbsp coarsely chopped parsley as final garnish - optional
• Lemon wedges for the table for an extra zing - optional

Preparation:

Season both sides of salmon fillets evenly with salt and citrus pepper. Add 1/4 cup of flour to a shallow dish; dredge the salmon in the flour to evenly coat. Shake off excess.

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large nonstick pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and swirl to mix with the butter.

Sear salmon for 4 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking. Transfer salmon to a warm plate... tent with foil and set aside.

Melt remaining 1 tbsp butter in the same pan. Saute garlic for a further minute until fragrant. Add wine... bring to a boil scraping any browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Cook until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. 

Add 3/4 cup chicken stock to the pan along with the lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Whisk 1 tbsp Wondra Flour together with the reserved 1/4 cup of stock. Pour the mixture into the pan, blending the liquids to create a sauce. Cook for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Stir capers into the sauce. Place the salmon filets back into the pan, gently spooning sauce to coat each piece of fish. 

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and extra pepper. (optional) Serve immediately with Lemon Parmesan Barley , a green vegetable of choice along with a glass of your favorite Pinot Grigio.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Sunflower Salmon & Lemony Cucumber Salad

During my exploration of mayonnaise and Panko as a base for a fish coating years ago my eye caught sunflower seeds at the grocer. I said to myself "Hey... why not?", and so this little gem was born. The final consistency lends itself to be more of a topper than an all around coating, in my opinion. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 sockeye salmon filets – about 6 oz each
• 2 tbsp plain Panko
• 2 tbsp mayo
• 2 tbsp roasted sunflower seeds
• olive oil as needed
• salt & pepper
• white wine vinegar
• lemon juice

Preparation:

The Fish:

Salt & pepper the sockeye filets. Mix together mayo, plain Panko, toasted sunflower seeds and a touch of olive oil to a thick but workable paste and coat the top of the fish. Bake at 350 degrees skin side down for about 12-13 minutes.

The Salad:

Slice the peeled cucumber to your liking on a mandolin… preferably very thin. Mix the oil, vinegar and lemon juice and add salt/pepper to taste. Have some fun with quantities, okay? Some people prefer more lemon... others lean more to the vinegar. Make this baby your own! :-) Toss with the cucumbers and serve chilled.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Maple/Dijon Baked Salmon & Zucchini

Exploring new flavor combinations is always fun. I sometimes like to combine sweet and savory into one coating and try said coating with various proteins. I originally played with the syrup and mustard to elevate some chicken tenders, and although that did work well, a chance tasting with some leftover salmon gave the coating a permanent home with the fish.

And so.... a new recipe was born. Zucchini was added because I adore that vegetable and I simply smiled as I envisioned the finished sheet pan meal.

Ingredients:

Salmon:

• 2  6oz Alaskan salmon filets - thawed

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp real maple syrup

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp favorite salmon rub

•  1 clove garlic - minced very fine

Vegetables:

• 2 medium zucchini - cut to bite size pieces

• 1 med yellow onion - cut as you like

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Toss vegetables and seasoning in large bowl, spread evenly on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes.

During that time, rinse the filets and pat dry.
Mix the ingredients for the salmon coating and cover fish on all sides.

Remove veggies from oven, toss and spread to sides of the pan. Add fish to middle of pan and return to oven for 10-12 minutes depending on thickness of filets.

Serve with a green salad and consider my Dijon Chive Vinaigrette as a dressing.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!