Pan-Seared Salmon with Dill Sauce

Pan-Seared Salmon with Dill Sauce, Garlic Roast Potatoes and Broccoli

Well surprise, surprise. Here's another fish post, which means yet another salmon post. This is a ridiculously simple dill sauce that you can whip up while the fish is in the pan. It's great for a quick mid-week dinner. 
The sauce is made with crème fraîche, which is like regular sour cream but has a higher butterfat content. It has a more delicate and rich flavor, as well as a silkier texture. It is often used to make French sauces because it does not curdle when heated. It can also be whipped like whipping cream, or added to regular whipping cream to improve its "whippability." It has a relatively long shelf life of several weeks.  
This dill sauce is a nice alternative to tartare sauce and a lot fresher tasting in my opinion. (Though the consistency is a little thin to serve with fried fish.) 
I've run out of things to say about salmon, so let's let the one line "recipe" speak for itself...


Recipe after the jump

A Delicious Discovery: Lamb Chops with Rosemary Roast Potatoes

I think families are extremely influential on an individual's eating habits. My family enjoys a relatively large range of foods and cuisines, but up until last year, I had never tried lamb. We would never cook it at home and, with my parents' warnings of its funky, animal-y flavour ringing in my head, I would shy away from it on menus.

Then last year, at a dinner party, I finally (hesitantly) nibbled on a lamb chop and enjoyed it immensely. Sure, the meat is more strongly flavored than chicken or pork, but when marinated and roasted just so, I was sold (and frankly, a little peeved that I had been missing out on something so tasty for so many years).

Now, lamb makes the occasional appearance at home. I find lamb (rib and loin chops especially) pretty forgiving to cook and it stays juicier and more tender than other types of meat. This is my new favourite way to prepare them.

A note on shopping: I haven't had much experience shopping for lamb. However, I learned that if you are looking for the classic frenched chops (with the bone running the length of the chop), look for rib chops. I ended up buying loin chops which also have the bone in, but it does not penetrate into the meat part as deeply, making for a less sturdy lamb "lollipop".


Recipe after the jump...

'Tis the Season: Cappellini with Roasted Tomatoes and Spot Prawns

One of the best things about British Columbia in the summertime is spot prawn season, which runs for about 80 days each year starting in late May. Not only do dishes showcasing spot prawns spring up on restaurant menus all over the city, there are even spot prawn festivals at both Fisherman's Wharf and Granville Island. Visit the moored fishing boats for the freshest selection of seafood.

When I purchased mine, they were extremely fresh (read: alive and kicking), which made prep a little challenging, though I'll spare you the gory details. But it was entirely worth the mildly traumatic experience because the fresh flavour was amazing; they were sweet and delicately "ocean-y". The meat is firm, and a little like lobster meat. Spot prawns are also rated "Best Choice" according to SeaChoice, which is a Canadian sustainable seafood program. So there you have it: sustainability and deliciousness. What's not to love?

One not so great thing about British Columbia is the lack of fantastic tomatoes. You know, the ones that actually taste like tomatoes? Sure, there may be some gorgeous heirloom varities in specialty markets, but I'm referring to the common pale-skinned, blah-flavoured supermarket tomato. Luckily, I've learned that roasting will amplify the flavour significantly. By lightly caramelizing them and removing much of their excess liquid, the tomato-iness is concentrated and makes a great pasta sauce. This way you can pretend you were cooking with fresh-from-the-fields, still-warm-from-the-sun produce. Nice.

The fantastic prawns and made over tomatoes came together in a dish inspired by a delicious pasta I had at Provence restaurant in Vancouver last year during spot prawn season:

Cappellini with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic Spot Prawns

3 large roma tomatoes, quartered

1/2 onion, cut in 4 wedges

3 cloves garlic, whole

5 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

9 fresh spot prawns, cleaned

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 lb dried cappellini (angel hair) pasta

Arrange tomatoes (cut side up), onions, garlic, and thyme on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Bake at 300F for 2 hours or until tomatoes are slightly dried and wrinkled, and onions are soft and caramelized.

Cool roasted vegetables for 20 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Strain the puree through a sieve. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Boil cappellini until al dente (about 3 minutes!) and toss in roasted tomato sauce.

Saute prawns in butter and garlic (2 minutes per side). Serve over pasta with shaved parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serves 3

Images property of beetsandbites and bcprawns.com

Canada Day Special: Mojitos and Satays with Peanut Sauce

Yesterday was Canada Day. And aside from milling about with huge crowds decked out in red and white, to me, grilling is an absolute necessity. The blazing sun and cloudless skies put me in the mood for food with a Southeast Asian vibe. While the menu theme is not obviously patriotic, Canada's all about its multiculturalism, isn't it? The result was a big platter of spicy chicken satays, lemongrass shrimp skewers, grilled flatbreads, and peanut sauce.

The entire meal was pretty simple; just marinade everything and then toss it all on the grill. The shrimp were the trickiest to make and that was only because the shrimp were skewered with the lemongrass stalks. The stalks needed to be split and cut to a point in order to thread the shrimp on. The lemongrass served the dual purpose of unusual presentation and flavouring. Lemongrass is aptly named because bending or bruising the fibrous stalks releases a resiny... lemony, grassy scent.

This tropical feast was served with grilled veggies and washed down with ice cold mojitos. I'd call it a holiday well spent.

Mojito:

8 mint leaves, plus 1 mint sprig

1 ounce Simple Syrup

3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
Ice
2 ounces white rum
1 ounce chilled club soda

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves with the Simple Syrup and lime juice. Add ice and the rum and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Stir in the club soda and garnish with the mint sprig. Makes 1 drink.

Credit to Food and Wine Magazine

Chicken Satays:

Marinade:

• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Thai chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• Salt
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless chicken breast meat, cut into 1-inch thick cubes
• Wooden skewers

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, add pork and let marinate 2 to 4 hours.

Preheat the grill.

Remove the pork from the marinade and thread on skewers. Grill for 7 to 8 minutes or until cooked through.

Adapted from Bobby Flay-Tropical Grilling

Lemongrass Shrimp Skewers:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup fish sauce

3 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbs. curry powder

1 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 lemongrass stalks

Store-bought or homemade peanut sauce
for dipping

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together the coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, ginger, cilantro and curry powder. Add the shrimp and stir to coat evenly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Trim the top and root end of the lemongrass stalks, then carefully cut each stalk lengthwise into 2 pieces. Remove the shrimp from the marinade; discard the marinade. Thread the shrimp onto the lemongrass stalks.

Preheat an indoor electric grill on high heat. Spray the grill with nonstick cooking spray. Place the skewers on the grill and cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 2 minutes per side. Arrange the skewers on a warmed platter and serve immediately with peanut sauce for dipping. Serves 4.

Credit to Williams-Sonoma: Asian

Peanut Sauce:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 green onion, including tender green portion,
minced

1 piece lemongrass stalk, 3 inches long, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Juice of 1/2 lime

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili paste, or to taste

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, peanut butter, green onion, lemongrass, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, curry powder, coriander and cumin. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until well blended.

Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, thinning with water if necessary. Pour into a bowl and stir in the chili paste.

Use the sauce immediately, or cover and let stand at room temperature for up to 6 hours or refrigerate overnight. Thin with water if necessary before using. Makes about 1 cup.

Credit to Williams-Sonoma: Vegetarian For All Seasons

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"Fast Food": Penne with Chorizo, Portobello, and Spinach

When I make pasta, it's usually "tossed" rather than "sauced." For one thing, my family just prefers pasta that way. Fresh tomato sauce tends to be a bit acidic and cream sauce is a little heavy. (However, mix those two together to get a "rose" sauce and I'd eat it any day.) A good bolognese/meat sauce is delicious, but I get impatient when it comes to letting it slowly simmer for hours on the stove.

This pasta is flavourful and light enough for a summer supper. It is so easy that you really could just wing it. But the general idea is...

Penne with Chorizo, Portobello, and Spinach
-2 chorizo sausages, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
-3 portobello mushrooms, halved and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
-garlic, 2 cloves minced
-3/4 lb spinach leaves, washed and coarsely chopped
-1 lb penne pasta, cooked until al dente

-Place chorizo in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Brown sausage and remove. Reserve oil from sausage.
-Add mushrooms and garlic to pan. Brown mushrooms on both sides. (Add thyme if you've got some. Red chili flakes would also be nice.)
-Return sausages to the pan and add the spinach. Turn the spinach until it wilts.
-Toss ingredients with cooked penne.
-Finish with shaved parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
Serves 4

Image property of beets and bites

Chicken Pot Pie Goes to India

Last night's dinner turned out to be one of those happy flukes. I had leftover butter chicken and no basmati rice to eat it with, so I decided to make this chicken pot pie with a twist.

Considering the fact that the curry is fairly rich (how could it not be, given its name), the usual pie crust pastry seemed a little over-the-top. Topping it with some phyllo pastry instead makes a lighter crust. The thing I love about phyllo is that it bakes really light and crispy, and contrary to what is written in many recipes, you don't have to brush each layer with melted butter to get flakiness. It is a little more work to layer each paper thin sheet, but the end result is delicate layers without the heaviness of shortcrust/pie pastry, or the grease of puff pastry.

There's no actual recipe for this, but the general idea is:
-Fill an oven-proof dish with curry chicken
-Tear a sheet of thawed phyllo pastry so that it extends about 1" over the sides of the dish
-Lightly scrunch and place on top of curry
-Repeat with 3 more layers of phyllo dough. Brush between the layers with melted butter if desired.
-Brush top layer of phyllo with melted butter (for browning)
-Bake in a 375F oven for 20 minutes

Served with some sauteed spinach and naan bread, this experiment was a success. Not entirely surprising though because what wouldn't taste good with a pastry crust on top?

Image: Property of beets and bites