Cold weather ignites a
yearning for rich stews, ladles of creamy soups, and the scent of roasting meat. But, what if you want to lighten up?
One of my favorites is fresh,
pan sautéed salmon filets over a mixed green salad. See, when I say ‘lightly,’ I don’t mean oat
husks with a squeeze of lemon, washed down with low fat goat’s milk.
Food should be a pleasure,
and what the hell, if you give up wine, what’s there left to live for? Ok, there’s those other things, women and
song. Also freshly baked bread and a
study French cheese works in there somewhere.
See how you force me to lose my way and turn digression into a sad state
of befuddlement?
Let’s get back to a salad
that’s much more than mundane bits of lettuce slathered in Green-Godlessness or
Raunchy Ranch. I’m here to shower your
cooking with a bit of simple, yet sophisticated style; create a joie de vie and
arm you with enough creative spirit to entertain the love of your life, or even
your spouse.
For the Salmon:
Salmon, a pat of butter, a
tablespoon of olive oil. Don’t like
salmon or fish? Substitute any seafood
that suits you: shrimp, squid, lobster, or even mussels and clams.
For the Salad:
Iceburg or other lettuce, cut
or torn into bits
Fresh spinach
Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Fresh Cilantro, roughly
chopped
Capers, as desired (and I
desire a couple of heaping Tablespoons)
Salad dressing ingredients |
For the Salad Dressing: (Make a lot and use it as your
go-to salad dressing!)
1 portion olive oil
1 portion seasoned rice
vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Heaping tablespoon of your
favorite herb (I used Herbs de Provence, but dried coriander and others also
work well)
To Drizzle Over the Salmon: Balsamic Glaze (You’ll want to make more than
you need and keep it in a jar in the frig!)
2 Parts balsamic vinegar
½ Part brown sugar (or to
taste)
Ok, let’s start this simple
dish that will get you five star reviews!
Make the Salad Dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a glass jar and
shaking vigorously. I add the salt and
pepper to the dressing because it un-complicates things when serving my
guests. The dressing can be made days or
weeks in advance. No need to keep it in
the frig unless you want to.
Make the Balsamic Glaze: Put
both ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Taste and add more sugar if you like. Continue to cook until the mixture is reduced
enough to easily coat the back of a spoon.
Make the Salad
by tossing all ingredients in a large bowl.
Make the Salmon: Heat a frying pan on medium heat, add butter
and oil and allow them to sizzle. For an extra touch, use a small sprig or two of rosemary and add it to the pan. Drop
in the salmon, skin side down. People
often overcook fish. Don’t do it! Makes the salmon dry, with much less
flavor. When you see the sides of the
salmon begin to lose their pink color, put the salmon on one edge and then the
other. Cook each edge until just barely brown.
Now flip the salmon over, with skin side up and cook for no longer than
2 minutes, or less, depending on how thin the salmon is. Wipe the rosemary over the salmon and spoon the butter/oil mix over the fish before serving.
Testing the Salmon: After cooking, the salmon
should still be a little ‘spongy’ when you press down very lightly with your
tongs or spatula.
Ok, you’ve done all the
work. Drizzle some dressing over the
salad, toss again, lay the cooked salmon on top and drizzle a little bit of
balsamic glaze over the fish. Voila!
Oh, wait a sec….pour the
wine!
Let me prep you for some
common questions from your guests.
Guest 1: This is a wonderful salad! Which dressing did you use?
You: Just something I whipped up.
Guest 1: Oh, my god, you’re such a good cook!
Guest 2: This salmon is fabulous! I hate overcooked fish and this is perfect!
You: Thanks.
I owe it all to the course I took at the Cordon Bleu in Paris
Guest 2: You speak French?
You: Mais, oui mon cher.
Guest 3: Where did you get this heavenly sauce that’s
on the fish?
You: I just played a bit in the kitchen and came
up with it.
Guests 1,2,3: You made this?
You: (blushing appropriately)
Well, you know…it’s just a little something.
Your spouse: Everybody like the wine? I picked it out myself!
Yum! I'm going to do this. Sometimes all I want is salad! Rice wine and glaze were speaking to me to make my dressings and sauces/glazes!
ReplyDeleteBill, my wife Vilma (from Costa Rica) is crazy about salmon. She's a great cook (chef) and cooks it often. Maybe one day we'll have a chance to partake and get a chance to taste the product of your recipe, on your neck of the woods, or maybe, just maybe, if you're in north Texas, you'll all come and visit us and help us chow down her own salmon creation. Cheers.
ReplyDelete