Caviar Potato Chips

I saw this recipe in the Times ages ago and have been wanting to try it. I had some friends over for my birthday and served this as a festive appetizer. It's delicious. So salty and tasty, and goes perfectly with champagne. It's great for a special occasion. 

You just mix up some creme fraiche with lemon zest and put it on good potato chips and top with salmon roe. Easy peasy. Just be sure to only do it right before you serve them so they don't get soggy.

Balsamic Glazed Salmon on a Cedar Plank

This is awesome! Jamie and I picked up two cedar planks a while back and hadn't gotten around to using them until last night. I wasn't sure it would make a huge difference, but wow, it definitely does! It gives the salmon this amazing, smokey, camp fire flavor. It was so, so good and I can't wait to try it again. I made a balsamic glaze to put on top which complemented it perfectly. You just have to soak the plank for at least an hour beforehand and you're ready to go. 

Salmon Carpaccio and Tomato Tarte Tatin

Yes, it sounds like an odd mix, and kind of was, but both were super tasty (next time I'll use two different plates and just suck it up and wash two extra dishes). The nice thing about them is they both bring out fresh summery flavors but you can make them in the winter. The carpaccio recipe I found in the New York Times, and I'd seen tomato tarte tatin recipes and researched a few before landing on this New York Times recipe. The carpaccio was so fresh and the lemon zest and chives perfectly balanced out the richness of the fish. The tomato tarte was flavorful and rich and also looks so pretty with different colored tomatoes! I got these red and yellow grape tomatoes at the farmers market, but Trader Joe's also has great colorful grape and cherry tomato packs. Both dishes aren't terribly hard, but are impressive - good for a special at home date. Especially the individual tarte tatins.


Salmon Carpaccio (for 2)
Ingredients:
8 ounces salmon, preferably wild (if you can't find wild, I try to get the deepest orange color of the other options)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing

Maple soy glazed salmon, brown rice, and broccoli

After a week of indulging, I wanted to make a healthy dinner, and one that wouldn't have me spending a fortune on ingredients at the grocery. I settled on maple soy glazed salmon, a brown/wild rice mix, and broccolini. It was tasty, filling, and healthy and definitely a repeat.

Salmon
Ingredients:
2 skinless salmon filets
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tsp adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers

Whisk together the ingredients and marinate the salmon for 30 minutes to an hour. In a hot non stick skillet, brown the salmon for a few minutes way side. Meanwhile, reduce the marinade in a sauce pan. Serve the salmon the rice and spoon the sauce over the salmon and rice. Yum!




Rice
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup Lundberg wild blend rice
1 tbsp butter

Mix all ingredients together in a small pot, bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cover. Cook for 50 minutes. Turn of heat and let steam a few minutes. Fluff with a fork and salt to taste.






Broccolini
Ingredients:
Broccolini
water
canola oil
salt

I still think the best way to make broccoli (or broccolini) is to steam it, then toss it w/ canola oil and salt. Be careful not to oversteam - you want it crispy and bright green. It's super tasty, and steaming keeps in the nutrients.

The whole dinner was super tasty. Don't get a fancy piece of salmon, because the marinade does kind of take over the flavor, but it's a really great taste. Salty and sweet with a little kick from the adobo. The whole dinner takes about an hour (the rice and the marinating take the longest) and it looks really nice too!

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