Salmon Poke

I was at a neighborhood sushi spot recently and one of the rolls was absolutely amazing: spicy and sweet and a bit crunchy.  It wasn't because of the roll though, it was the hawaiian-style salmon poke on top of the roll.  After chatting with the sushi chef and getting some tips on the ingredients, I think I nailed it pretty well with this recipe.  The key is to start with a very fresh, fatty piece of salmon.  My absolute favorite is Scottish Salmon.  If you live in Colorado you can get it at Tony's Meat Market or Marczyk's. If you live outside of Colorado you can order fresh Scottish Salmon fillet by the pound from Chef's Fresh Fish - an online seafood market. It will be delivered to your door the next day. It's the best salmon on earth...I promise.  Sushi-grade. Fatty. Clean-tasting. Buttery. Perfect!

Ingredients: 

-1/2 lb. fresh Scottish Salmon fillet

-2 Tbsp light mayo

-2 tsp sriracha (or more or less, depending on your heat tolerance)

-2 Tbsp unagi / eel sauce

-1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

-2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

-salt and pepper to taste

optional: 2-3 Tbsp panko breadcrumbs for crunch

Pesto Glazed Corvina Sea Bass

An easy but really good fish recipe can be hard to find.  This one can be done in a matter of minutes but is fancy enough for guests.  You can use a jar of pesto you have in the fridge, but of course homemade pesto is always the best.  You can garnish with a sweet pepper relish or olive-oil tossed tomatoes as pictured above. The red and green color contrast is quite stunning on a platter.  Not sure where to get fresh Corvina Sea Bass? My favorite spot is ordering from Chef's Fresh Fish.com. 

Ingredients: 

2 lbs of fresh Corvina Sea Bass fillet

1/4 cup pesto - freshly made is the best, but pre-made will work

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Tomato, Basil, and Balsamic Salmon

The inspiration for this recipe came from my little kitchen garden I started this spring.  I finally have an abundance of bright, delicate, warm-hued tomatoes taking over the garden. I couldn't be happier.  My first thought on how to use these little gems is the famous Italian trio: tomato, basil and balsamic vinegar, which is often paired with fresh mozzarella in the classic caprese salad.  I took these three base ingredients — and a little red onion — and steamed them in parchment paper with a fresh salmon filet.  The preparation is the easy Fish en Papillote technique as I described in this recipe using cod and other fresh vegetables. Served with some wild rice, this recipe makes a balanced and healthy meal. If you aren't growing your own tomatoes, you can always grab a variety of cherry and grape tomatoes this time of year at your local farmers market or grocery store.  If you're interested in growing these specific tomatoes next year, Botanical Interest's Rainbow Blend Seeds.

My favorite type of salmon is Scottish Salmon that can be ordered online by the pound on Chef's Fresh Fish. It has a high fat content so the texture is like butter and it's hard to over-cook and dry out.

Ingredients:

-1 Scottish Salmon fillet portion - about 6-8 ounces
-1 handful cherry or grape tomatoes
-2 Tbsp thinly sliced red onion (or halved red pearl onions)
-5-6 fresh basil leaves
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
-salt and pepper

Also needed:

-parchment paper

Seared Ahi Tuna on a Bed of Zucchini Ribbons and Whole Wheat Pasta with Spicy Sauce

I'm a carb craver.  I've been trying to eat healthier but can't kick my pasta desires.  Long, delicate strips of zucchini twirled with whole wheat pasta makes this a lighter, yet still filling, substantial dish.  It's tossed in a sesame dressing and paired with sesame and wasabi crusted ahi tuna for a fresh and healthy dose of protein. If you want a bit of a heat drizzled on top, stir together greek yogurt and Sriracha for a leaner Asian "spicy mayo".  The blend of wonderful textures and fresh fish make this the perfect summer meal.  The only utensil you may not have is a "zester" to create the thin strips of vegetables.  I purchased mine from Crate and Barrel for only a few dollars but I assume it can also be found at Target, Sur La Table or William Sonoma.  You can see mine in a picture below. 

Where to buy fresh, sushi-grade ahi tuna? My favorite seafood spot is Chef's Fresh Fish... overnight delivered to your door. 

Ingredients:

-1/2 lb fresh ahi (yellowfin) tuna 

-3-4 Tbsp sesame seeds, white and/or black

-2 tsp powdered wasabi

-1/2 package whole wheat spaghetti  

-1 zucchini

-3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

-1 Tbsp rice vinegar

-1 Tbsp coconut or vegetable oil for searing

Light Asian Spicy Sauce:

-1/8 cup greek yogurt

-1-3 Tbsp Sriracha, depending on your palate

Pan Seared Snapper with Citrus Saffron Vegetables over Arugula Orzo

My dad overnighted me multiple pounds of fresh snapper from Florida the other week, but pretty much any white fish would work for this recipe.  The orange juice and saffron simmered vegetables add a great Spanish flare.  The orzo is simple and tossed with fresh baby arugula for a peppery and light side dish.  This dinner is very easy and the only special ingredient is the saffron that can be found at any specialty spice store.  It's a must for the pantry and even though it is expensive, a little goes a long way.  

Ingredients: 

-2 snapper filets (or other white fish)

-salt and pepper

-2 Tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil

-1/4 cup Wondra flour (or all purpose flour)

-1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

-1 zucchini, diced

-1/2 white onion, chopped

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-zest and juice from 1 orange

-2 large handfuls baby arugula

-1.5 cups orzo

-1/4 cup white wine

-pinch of saffron threads

Pan Seared Tofu and Sushi in Ponzu

This post has two recipes, which I rarely — if ever —do, but they are both so easy that it seemed silly to do one for each.  Blake and I had this as basically our meal one night...with a little Asian Marinated Cucumbers...oh and a Fresh Tuna Tower.  We were stuffed.  It's all so fresh, which is great, especially if you're trying to beat this summer heat.

Sushi-grade fish is best purchased from a trusted source.  If you don't have a local fishmonger you love, order from Chef's Fresh Fish - they have a variety of sushi-grade fish that can be delivered to your door. For this recipe, order the Ahi Tuna Loin and Scottish Salmon, which are both sushi-grade and very high quality.

Ingredients for Tofu:

-2 Tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
-1 pkg. tofu in water
-3 green onions, chopped

Ingredients for Sushi (for 2 people as an appetizer):

-1/4 lb sushi-grade ahi (yellowfin) tuna
-1/4 lb sushi-grade salmon
-1 Tbsp Ponzu sauce (citrus soy sauce, can usually be found at Whole Foods or Asian Market)
-1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
-1 Tbsp wasabi powder, rehydrated or wasabi paste

Quick Tip: Freezing Salmon for Quick Meals

Salmon (or any fish) thaws pretty quickly making it a great weeknight meal option.  Freezing salmon in serving sizes has become my lifesaver for a meal in a rush.  I'm hungry and want something good for me.  Salmon is so versatile as well.  I've listed a few of my favorite recipes below.  If you pull it out of the freezer it will thaw in less than 20 minutes! That means you can having a filling, fresh dinner in less than 30 minutes.  To thaw, just place 1-2 salmon fillets (still in the baggy) in a medium bowl of lukewarm water.  Swap the water every 5-10 minutes. Viola! Thawed, ready-to-broil salmon, already sliced in serving sizes.  My absolute favorite salmon is Scottish Salmon.  You can order it online to be delivered to your door the next day at Chef's Fresh Fish.

Needed:

-1 large salmon fillet (3-4 lbs) (skinned removed or not, your choice)
-1 large sharp knife
-freezer quart plastic bags

Salmon Recipes: 

Salmon with Apricot and Pesto Glaze
Smoked Salmon
Smoked Salmon Spread
Smoked Salmon Bruschetta
Salmon Pho
Stuffed Salmon with Spicy Mayo Sauce

Fresh Tuna Tower

So when I lived in Dallas we would search out our favorite sushi spots based on our favorite "tuna towers".  They are basically an appetizer of tuna tar tar (raw tuna), avocado, sushi rice and sometimes roe and crab salad.  It's embarrassing to say the all of us girls would go to sushi sometimes 3-4 times a week and order a tuna tower EVERY TIME.  This is super easy, just a few fresh ingredients.  

More specifically, sushi grade tuna is the key.  Don't use anything that is of less quality.  My favorite place to get sushi-grade fish is Chef's Fresh Fish...they deliver fish to my door. 

Ingredients:

-1/4 lb. sushi-grade yellowfin tuna

-1 cup sushi rice

-1 avocado

-1/8 cup soy sauce

-1 Tbsp powdered wasabi

-1 Tbsp sesame seeds

-1/2 tsp ginger paste or grated fresh ginger

-juice 1/2 lemon

-1 Tbsp rice vinegar

-1 sheet roasted nori snacks (optional)

Spicy Crab Sushi Rolls

I've made sushi a couple of times and made a complete mess.  Once in college I tried to tempura fry anything I could get my hands on.  No joke, there was batter splattered on the ceiling of our rental house.  Oops.  This was a little cleaner and easier, especially since I had the help of Blake, master sushi-chef.  Well, maybe not master, but he has taken a class in sushi rolling and got a sushi knife out of the deal!  One of my best friends has been asking for months for a post on rolling sushi.  Sorry it has taken me so long, Allison! Here you go.  Also, get creative with your ingredients...Blake added peanut butter to one. It was actually good!

Ingredients:


-1 cups dry sushi rice (makes about 2 1/2 cups cooked)
-2 Tbsp rice vinegar
-nori wrapper paper
-avacado
-cucumber
-1 pkg refrigerated crab pieces
-2 Tbsp mayo
-1 tsp - 1 Tbsp sriracha (depending on how spicy you want it)
-Wasabi paste or powder
-3 green onions, thinly sliced
-juice 1/2 lemon
-a few slices of pickled ginger to serve with the sushi
-sesame seeds for garnish

Other things needed:


-1 bamboo rolling mat
-plastic/saran wrap (don't use press and seal)
-sharp knife
-wet kitchen towel...helps slice the rolled sushi without smashing it

Cod en Papillote (Parchment Paper) with Fresh Vegetables and Lemon

Have you ever cooked fish in parchment paper?  If not, it is one of the simplest and healthiest ways to prepare fish.  The technique is called "en papillote" which translates to in parchment.  The pouch holds in moisture to steam the food...in this case fish. The moisture could be a number of things: water, wine, stock or broth. In this recipe I use white wine and the juice from the lemon slices.  I made this for the girls the other  night during our second "Cooking with Rachel" class and they loved it!  I used a variety of vegetables I had on hand, but you can basically use any veggies you like. See a list of suggestions below.

Ingredients:


-Parchment paper (or foil)
-6-8 ounces of white fish per person (I used Cod)
-1 lemon, thinly sliced
-1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
-2-3 Tbsp white wine per fish packet
-1/2 Tbsp butter or olive oil per fish packet (optional)
-fresh sprigs of thyme
-1 yellow squash, sliced into sticks
-2-3 carrots, sliced into sticks
-cooking spray
-salt and pepper to taste

Smoked Salmon Spread

I've been on a Smoked Salmon kick recently. I have a Cameron's Stove-Top Smoker and smoked a couple fillets with Alder Chips for this recipe.  Don't have a smoker?  Did you know you can smoke fish using a Wok and some foil.  Genius! I was looking for an appetizer to bring to a party, but didn't want some typical cheese dip.  I loved it even more the next morning spread on a bagel for breakfast.  It's hard to beat with thinly sliced red onions and capers.

My favorite salmon to smoke at home is Scottish Salmon. You can order it online at Chef's Fresh Fish.

Ingredients: 

-12 ounces smoked salmon, roughly torn into pieces
-8 ounces light cream cheese
-3 Tbsp light sour cream
-2 Tbsp light mayo
-2 dashes Tabasco sauce
-2 cloves garlic
-1 bunch green onions, chopped
-1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-juice from 1/2 lemon
-1 tsp horseradish
-1 Tbsp tomato paste

Serve with sliced English cucumber or crackers

Stuffed Salmon with Spicy Mayo Sauce

This is my new favorite Salmon recipe.  It tastes like those specialty sushi rolls minus the rice and seaweed! The fish is marinated in a Teriyaki sauce and topped with a spicy Sriracha mayo.  It's quite filling so if you have side dishes make sure they're on the lighter side.  My new love and destination for recipes is Pinterest which is where I stumbled upon the recipe including the homemade marinade.  I'm sure you could use a good bottled Teriyaki marinade and still have a fabulous dish in the end!

My favorite salmon to use for this, is Scottish Salmon.  It's fatty and buttery tasting; it's hard to overcook and dry-out. You can order it online from Chef's Fresh Fish which can be delivered right to your door. 

Ingredients:

-2 salmon portions (about 6-8 oz each), skin removed

-1-2 Tbsp reduced fat cream cheese

-3-4 green onions, chopped

-1 Tbsp sesame seeds

-1/2 cup light mayo

-2-3 Tbsp Sriracha hot sauce

-2 Tbsp condensed milk

Marinade Ingredients: (optional, you could just use a bottled Teriyaki Marinade)

-1 Tbsp cornstarch

-1/4 cup cold water

-1/4 soy sauce

-1 additional cup of water 

-5 Tbsp brown sugar

-1/2 tsp ground ginger

-1/4 tsp garlic powder

-2 Tbsp honey

Salmon Pho

What the heck is Pho? Well it's my new obsession.  More specifically it is a Vietnamese Noodle Soup...Mmm.  I've usually had chicken, steak or meatballs in my Pho so I was intrigued when I stumbled upon this recipe in Cuisine at Home. Salmon? Why not? This recipe makes two large servings.  Perfect for two people or just one and another bowl for leftovers!

My favorite salmon to smoke at home is Scottish Salmon. You can order it online at Chef's Fresh Fish. It has a buttery texture...clean (not fishy!) taste and it's super fatty. High in Omega-3's. Even better? Sushi-grade.

Ingredients:

-1 1/4 thinly sliced white onion

-1 Tbsp minced ginger

-1 Tbsp minced garlic

-1 Tbsp vegetable oil

-2 cups water

-3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

-2 Tbsp fish sauce

-1 Tbsp sugar + additional 1 tsp

-1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

-3 whole cloves

-1 bunch fresh cilantro

-Fresh or dried Shiitake mushrooms

-6 oz of fresh Scottish Salmon fillet, thinly sliced

-1/2 tsp ground coriander 

-1/2 cup shredded carrots

-1/4 cup chopped green onions

-1 cup cooked rice-stick noodles

Optional for garnish:

-fresh bean sprouts

-additional chopped green onions

-torn fresh mint leaves

-torn fresh basil leaves

-sliced jalapeño pepper

-lime wedges

-Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce aka "Cock" Sauce

-Hoisin Sauce

Salmon with Apricot and Pesto Glaze

This is another great recipe from my Aunt Teresa.  She's the aunt that gave me the Caribbean Salad recipe. I hope I can grow up cooking like her! This is an easy and quick way to make salmon in the oven. It has a great flavor from the herbs and garlic in the pesto and then a wonderful sweetness from the apricot preserves. If you don't know where to start with fish, this is your recipe.  If you're sick of your go-to salmon recipe and want to mix it up, again, this is your recipe.

My favorite salmon? Scottish Salmon. It's has a buttery-texture, clean (not fish!) taste and is super fatty so it has a lot of Omega-3's.  Even better? It's sushi grade. You can eat it raw dipped in soy sauce.

Ingredients:

-Salmon Fillet(s) (you can do a whole fish fillet or just a small portion, depending on how many you're serving)

-2 Tbsp jarred pesto

-2 Tbsp apricot preserves (found near the jelly at the store)

-1 Tbsp of jarred roasted garlic

Miso-Glazed Sea Bass

This was a daring recipe for me.  I love miso-glazed fish and my roommate asked me to do it with Chilean Sea Bass.  I knew it was inevitable she was going to compare it to Dallas restaurant Steel's dish.  It was easier than I thought and she said it measured right up there with Steel! Phew.  This will now be one of my staple fish recipes.  I just have to try it with Cod, Salmon, what else?!?  Truly, if fish tasted like butter, this would be it.  Melt-in-your-mouth heaven. There's something about the salty miso blended with the sweet brown sugar. The marinade recipe came from Bon Appetite's recipe although I baked it instead of broiling.

Ingredients: 

-2 6-ounce sea bass fillets (I purchased Chilean Sea Bass...you can also get 4 fillets, the marinade makes enough)

-1/3 cup of sake

-1/3 cup of mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)

-1/3 cup of shiro miso paste (make sure it is light yellow/blonde)

-3 Tbsp. of brown sugar

-2 Tbsp of soy sauce

Seared Ahi Tuna

I haven't made seared tuna in forever...high school to be exact.  I used to absolutely love it and somehow just forgot about it and stopped making it.  My roommate, Lee, loves it as well.  While wandering around Central Market together we decided on tuna.  Although not the cheapest fish at the counter, it's definitely worth it.  Make sure to get sushi-grade if you want it seared and pink in the middle (not sure why you would want it any other way).  I think we got about 1.5 lbs for 3 people...it definitely could have fed 4.  We all went back for seconds and still had some leftover.  Just ask your fishmonger (that's what he's called) how much you need for the number of people you're serving.  

Ingredients:

-1.5 lbs. of sushi-grade Tuna

-1 lemon

-Black and/or White Sesame Seeds (we used Eden Shake seasoning blend)

-salt and pepper

-2 Tbsp olive oil

Smoked Salmon Bruschetta

I make this quite a bit with packaged smoked salmon for a quick appetizer but this past week I smoked my own salmon (recipe here).  It's a great spin on regular bruschetta with a kick of flavor from the salmon, red onion and burst of citrus.  These little bites are great for a light lunch or appetizer for the guests...if you don't eat them all before they get there...

Ingredients:

Loaf of French Bread

Olive Oil

Chive and Onion cream cheese

smoked salmon

a few Tbsps of capers

a few Tbsps of thinly sliced red onion

dried (or fresh) dill weed

lemon juice

Smoked Salmon

For Christmas I asked for a stove-top smoker since I live in an apartment and the complex strictly prohibits outdoor smokers on our little patio (wimps).  Sure enough Santa delivered my culinary desires (how does she he always know!?!) Don't be intimidated if you don't have a smoker....you can use a wok, large pot or pan! Instructions found here.

The stove-top smoker I own and use in this recipe is Cameron's Mini Stove-Top Smoker.  It's fabulous and comes with a couple wood chip flavors.  For this recipe I used Alder Wood Chips made specifically for a stove-top smoker.  You can buy a variety pack from Cameron's here.  Note: you can NOT use large wood chips that go in a regular smoker...it just won't work...they need to be more finely ground.

Ingredients:

8 oz. of Salmon

1 lemon

pepper

Gadgets Needed:

Stove-top smoker or other wok/pot/pan listed here

Alder Wood Chips (or other mild flavor)

Aluminum Foil (optional: helps with clean-up)