Poached Salmon Salad

3 Comments

A fantastic salad for the summer! It would also make a nice presentation on a buffet table.  Adapted from Lidia Bastiniach’s Celebrate Like an Italian cookbook.

 

Poached Salmon Salad

  • Servings: 6 as a main course, 8 as an appetizer
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

Salmon

  • Kosher salt
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • 1 handful sprigs fresh dill
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon back peppercorns
  • 2 pounds center-cut salmon fillets

 

Salad

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for cooking water
  • 2 bunches medium-thick asparagus, trimmed, and peeled (about 2 pounds)
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, yolks and whites separated
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons white wine
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons grated fresh horseradish
  • 1 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

 

Directions

  1. For the salmon, put 6 cups of water in a straight-sided skillet enough to hold the salmon in one layer. Season the water liberally with salt, and add wine, lemon slices, dill, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Then slide the salmon into the simmering  water. Simmer gently for about another 10 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
  2.   For the salad, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil, and add the asparagus. Simmer till tender, abut 8 minutes. Drain, cool under cold water and pat dry. Spread the asparagus on a serving platter.
  3. In a food processor, combine the egg yolks, mustard, white wine, lemon juice, teaspoon of salt and the horseradish. Combine to thick paste and and drizzle in the olive with the machine is still on for a thick dressing.
  4. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the dressing over the asparagus. Flake the salmon in large chunks  into a large bowl. Chop the egg whites and add to the bowl along with the radishes and dill.  Season with the remaining salt. Drizzle with the rest of the dressing, toss well and serve over the asparagus.

 

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Chickpeas with Chili, Garlic and Thyme

3 Comments

Part 2 of recipes by Nigella Lawson. This serves as a great healthy side dish. The chickpeas do have to be soaked overnight, otherwise it a a quick dish.

 

Chickpeas with Chili, Garlic, and Thyme

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 18 ounces dried chickpeas
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 onion, halved
  • 6 sprigs of thyme
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • seas salt
  • 1 red chili pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 2 large cloves of garlic
  • leaves from 4-5 sprigs of thyme
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil
  • extra virgin olive oil

 

Directions

  1.  Make a paste with the flour, salt and baking soda with some cold water and add to the dried chickpeas. Add enough cold water to cover generously and let it soak overnight.
  2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas under cold water. Place in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Add the halved onion, sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cover. Simmer for an hour and a half or until tender.
  3.  Uncover, salt to taste and reverse about 2 1/4 cup of cooking liquid. Drain the chickpeas and remove the onion and thyme sprigs. Set aside.
  4. Add the roughly chopped and seeded red chili pepper, onion, garlic, and thyme leaves to a food processor. Process to a pulp.
  5. Add oil and the chili pulp to a pan , sprinkle with salt and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft. Add the chickpeas and coat. Add half of the reserved liquid, cover and cook for a few minutes more. If dry add more of the reserved liquid.
  6. Place in a bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and some  thyme leaves.

 

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Salmon with Greens and Shitake Mushrooms

2 Comments

The perfect weeknight dinner! Quick, easy, healthy, and of course delicious. Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s cookbook, Nigella Bites.

 

 

Salmon with Greens and Shitake Mushrooms

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

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Ingredients

  • 2 skinned salmon fillets
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • generous 1/2 cup shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
  • 1 1/3 cup bok choy, roughly chopped, separate stems
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • pepper to taste

 

Directions

  1.  Cook the salmon fillets over a griddle or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Set aside onto warm plates.
  2.  Meanwhile, Fry the garlic in oil till warmth through, add the mushrooms with the bok choy stalks. stir for a minute, cover the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes.
  3. Uncover and add the bok choy leaves, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Cook for another few minutes or until the leaves have wilted.
  4. Pile on a plate and place the salmon on top. Add pepper to taste.

 

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