Food Revolution: Salmon with Chickpea Ragu

A couple weeks ago my husband and I tuned in for the premiere of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. A show about food and nutrition? Of course I was interested! The images of five and six-year-old’s being served pizza for breakfast hasn’t left my mind. I’ll admit to enjoying a slice of leftover pizza occasionally on a Saturday morning, however I never follow it up with a lunch comprised of mystery meat, French fries, and flavored milk. I admire Mr. Oliver’s passion to change this community and am hopeful that we’ll see some results.

If you haven’t seen an episode yet, I’d encourage you to check it out. The show may raise your eyebrows about what children are being served to eat in the public school system, and what kind of food is being consumed at dinner tables across America.

On that note, I’d like to share with you a new salmon recipe I tried a few weeks ago. This is a healthy recipe that combines your protein and veggies in a one-plate presentation. We really enjoyed it, and it is definitely a dinner you can feel good about eating!

I'd like to send a huge congratulations to my friend, Sunny, who, at 38.5 weeks, delivered two healthy, beautiful baby boys on Wednesday!

Salmon with Chickpea Ragu
(From Ellie Krieger’s So Easy)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 (15.5 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons, plus more for garnish
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
(Kate added a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes)
4 (6 oz.) skinless salmon fillets

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion, and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrot, zucchini, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the carrots are firm-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring to incorporate completely. Add the chicken broth and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the liquid thickens slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat, and add 1 cup of the basil and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper (and crushed red pepper flakes, if using), and stir to incorporate. Cover to keep warm while you cook the salmon.

Preheat the broiler. Season the salmon with the remaining ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Broil the salmon for 8 to 10 minutes per inch thickness, turning once.

To serve, spoon 1 ½ cups of the chickpea ragu into a shallow bowl or rimmed plate. Top with a fillet of salmon and garnish with the ribbons of basil.

Sweet, Spicy & Simple: Sweet-Spicy Glazed Salmon

Salmon is one of my favorite fish, and I always keep some frozen fillets in my freezer. I have two go-to recipes for salmon that are quick and use ingredients that I always have in my kitchen.

One recipe is a rub with Cajun seasoning. The other is a sweet and spicy glaze that comes together so quickly (and with very few ingredients!) and always has a great taste. I’ll interchangeably use Chinese-style hot mustard and wasabi (and since I like my food on the spicy side, sometimes I’ll double up and use both!).

Sweet-Spicy Glazed Salmon
(From Cooking Light, August 2003)
Ingredients
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
4 teaspoons Chinese-style hot mustard
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Place fish on a foil-lined jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake at 425°F for 12 minutes. Remove from oven.

Preheat broiler.

Brush sugar mixture evenly over salmon; broil 3 inches from heat 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink: Honey Barbecued Salmon

I’m in the middle of another busy week and am still recovering from my baking mishap last week. While my newest batch of chocolate crunch granola bakes in the oven, I’m going to take a few minutes to type up a lengthy recipe that I tried a few weeks ago.

The Main Street Ventures restaurants have their own cookbook on display in a number of restaurants we’ve been frequenting for many years. It is a collection of gourmet recipes from their prized restaurants across the country. I’ve been eyeing the cookbook for quite sometime, but for some reason I never purchased it.

In December my husband and I joined our very good friends (and their darling baby girl) for a fabulous birthday dinner where they generously gave me this cookbook (along and a lovely bottle of wine). Some of our favorite dishes from the restaurants are in this cookbook, and the photographs of the food are beautiful. I’ve already attempted a couple recipes from the book, and the first one that I tried was their Honey Barbecued Salmon.

The ingredient list is lengthy and the recipe has you throwing everything but the kitchen sink into the barbecue sauce. At first it seems like overkill, but all of these ingredients meld into a deliciously sweet and spicy glaze. Mine was particularly spicy, as I used the entire jalapeño. (I recommend only using the jalapeño flesh and discarding the membrane and seeds if you don’t want it too spicy. If you are sensitive to hot peppers, you should also use rubber gloves when handling them). Since it is the middle of winter and our ground outside is still white, I followed their instructions to bake then broil the salmon. As soon as it warms up we’re going to try this on the grill! If you don’t like salmon, try the sauce with with chicken!

Honey Barbecued Salmon
(From Mainstreet Ventures Distinctive Recipes)
For Salmon:
Ingredients
1 ½ lb. Salmon filet, boneless and skinless
1 ½ cup Honey Barbeque Sauce (recipe follows)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.

Cut salmon filet into 4 equal pieces. Place parchment paper on a 9x12 inch baking sheet pan. Brush both sides of each salmon piece with barbecue sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 6 minutes, then switch oven dial to broil and cook salmon for 3 more minutes until salmon just flakes.

Brush lightly with sauce prior to serving. Transfer the salmon onto plates and serve with more sauce, if desire.

For Honey Barbecue Sauce:
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1 cup honey
¼ cup coarse-grained mustard
¼ cup Jalapeño pepper, minced
2/ Tbs. rice vinegar
½ tsp. Tabasco
3 Tbs. light brown sugar
1 Tbs. curry powder
1 tsp. sweet paprika
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. ground black pepper

Directions
In a heavy saucepan, stir together sauce and dry ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve. Sauce will keep for one week covered and chilled.

Dipping Food: Parmesan Fish Sticks

My nephew was born two and one-half years ago. My husband and I received the call late one Friday night that he was finally here, and we rushed ourselves to the hospital as fast as we possibly could (stopping for some cigars and blue onsies along the way). After nine months of anticipation of his arrival (well, eight months for us), it was astonishing to finally meet him, and hold him in our arms when he was just a couple hours old.

We have had the privilege to be involved in his life over these past couple years, and to see him at least every two weeks. It has been a blessing to be able to be so close to him, and now to his little sister as well. He has become quite the talker lately, and has always been quite the eater!

My sister gave him homemade baby food from the start, and at such a young age, he has quite an impressive palate! (He has also since discovered chocolate, and I’ll blame his mother’s Nutella pregnancy cravings for his chocoholism!) Despite his sweet tooth, he enjoys healthy foods like vegetables and fruits. He also really enjoys dipping foods in sauces. He can be mesmerized for over an hour dipping his food into ketchup.

This first time I had Parmesan Fish Sticks was at my sister’s house. This was another fun food for my nephew to dip. I had seen Giada make these on Everyday Italian, but hadn’t tried them yet myself. My sister makes them rather frequently, and she just reminded me about them a couple weeks ago. I always have salmon fillets in my freezer, eggs and Parmigiano Reggiano in my refrigerator, and bread crumbs in my pantry – this is a no-brainer!

There is a little bit of prep involved, with slicing and coating the salmon, but baking the salmon gives it a healthy preparation while have the textural crunch of a fried fish. (And I actually sprayed the salmon with cooking spray instead of drizzling with olive oil, to make it even healthier.) Well this recipe not only impresses my little nephew, but also his “Unc” – my husband loved them too. I made the dipping sauce in the recipe, but I don’t think it was worth it. I actually enjoyed them plain, and also grabbed a little Hidden Valley Ranch dressing from my refrigerator, which I found to be a better pairing. Next time I may try pesto and/or marinara with them.

Parmesan Fish Sticks
(From Giada's Kitchen)
Ingredients
Fish Sticks:
* 1 (18-ounce) center-cut salmon fillet, about 9 by 4 inches, skinned
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 egg whites
* 1 cup grated Parmesan
* 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* Olive oil, for drizzling

Dipping Sauce:
* 1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
* 1/3 cup lowfat plain yogurt
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Rinse the salmon fillet and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the fish in half to make 2 fillets each about 4 by 4 ½ inches in size. Starting on the longest edge, slice the fillets into ½ inch pieces. Lay the widest pieces, from the center, cut side down, and slice in half lengthways so all the pieces are equally about ½ by 1/2 by 4 ½ inches in size.

Place the flour in a medium bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Place the egg whites in another bowl and beat until frothy, about 30 seconds. Combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a third bowl.

Coat the salmon pieces in the seasoned flour and pat to remove any excess flour. Dip the floured salmon in the egg whites and then into the Parmesan mixture, gently pressing the mixture into the fish. Place the breaded salmon pieces on a liberally oiled baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

For the Dipping Sauce:
Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and parsley (or chives, if using) in a small dipping bowl.

Arrange the fish sticks on a serving platter and serve with the dipping sauce.

Cook's Note: The fish sticks can also be dipped in ketchup, marinara sauce, pesto, ranch dressing or vinaigrette.

Easy Any Night: Apple Cider Salmon with Israeli Couscous

Salmon is one of my favorite foods and this is one of my stand-by recipes. My husband and I really enjoy this, and it is a recipe that I go to when I have nothing planned or nothing on hand to make. I always keep frozen salmon fillets in my freezer, couscous in my pantry, and if I have a jar of American Spoon Apple Cider Grilling sauce (along with only 15 minutes of prep and cooking time), we have a great dinner! It always makes enough for leftovers, too. I’ve made this recipe with chicken breasts in lieu of salmon, when I served it for company who was not preferential to seafood.

I mentioned previously that I was a fan of the American Spoon products, and their Apple Cider Grilling Sauce happens to be my favorite and most-used product. You may be able to find their products in your local specialty store. (In New York City I was able to purchase them at Williams-Sonoma.) I like to serve this salmon over couscous. This time I used Israeli Couscous (which is not actually made from semolina like North African Couscous, but made from wheat and is more similar to Italian orzo). I have used Israeli Couscous and North African Couscous interchangeably in this dish.

Kate’s Apple Cider Salmon with Israeli Couscous
Ingredients
* American Spoon Apple Cider Grilling Sauce (you will use about ½ jar)
* 4 skinless salmon fillets
* Kosher salt, to taste
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 2 cups Israeli Couscous
* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 2 ½ cups vegetable broth

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450° F.

Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add couscous and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until toasted. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once broth is boiling, remove from heat and cover. Let couscous stand for approximately 12 minutes, until broth is absorbed and you can fluff couscous with a fork.

Meanwhile, place salmon fillets on a foil-lined broiling pan. Season with salt, pepper, and brush with Apple Cider Grilling Sauce (about 1 tablespoon per fillet). Bake in 450° F oven for approximately 6 minutes. Turn broiler on high, and move pan to top rack in oven. Broil for 2-4 minutes, until sauce on salmon has caramelized on top.

Serve salmon fillets over couscous and drizzle ¼ cup Apple Cider Grilling sauce on top.

Fall Fare: Kate’s Pumpkin Chipotle Salmon & Spaghetti Squash

In the middle of the summer I was at a local food specialty store that carries the American Spoon products. I am a fan of a lot of their products (one in particular, which I’ll write about soon), and picked up a new jar that caught my eye. The Pumpkin Chipotle Roasting Sauce that I purchased has been burning a hole in my pantry since then. I kept prolonging opening it up as I waited for autumn to come. On Sunday, however, I was running errands and saw Christmas decorations and supplies at several stores. The vision of Christmas cards and wrapping paper triggered me into running home to open up my special fall sauce at an attempt to savor autumn as much as possible before is it actually time to purchase Christmas cards and wrapping paper.

I decided to try out my sauce with salmon and spaghetti squash. My husband and I both love spaghetti squash. If you haven’t tried it before, I encourage you to do so. It’s a versatile vegetable that is not typically utilized widely. It’s not common to see it on a restaurant menu, however last summer we were dining at Burke’s Chophouse in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and much to our surprise, spaghetti squash (not green beans, broccoli, or something else more typical) was the vegetable of the day! Spaghetti squash tastes delicious simply roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper, and nothing more. Seriously, that’s it. It also works well as a pasta substitute – top it with your favorite marinara sauce, toss it with some sautéed vegetables, or throw in some chopped fresh herbs. The squash, salmon, and Pumpkin Chipotle were the perfect trifecta. The Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale was a nice compliment!

Kate’s Pumpkin Chipotle Salmon & Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
* 1 whole spaghetti squash
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* American Spoon Pumpkin Chipotle Roasting Sauce (you will use about ½ jar)
* 4 skinless salmon fillets
* Kosher salt, to taste
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450° F.

Split the squash in half and scrape out seeds. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Season the spaghetti squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place flesh side down and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and turn squash so flesh side is facing up. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When squash are cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape against flesh to pull out the strands of the squash.

Meanwhile, place salmon fillets on a foil-lined broiling pan. Season with salt, pepper, and brush with Pumpkin Chipotle sauce (about 1 tablespoon per fillet). Bake in 450° F oven for approximately 6 minutes. Turn broiler on high, and move pan to top rack in oven. Broil for 2-4 minutes, until sauce on salmon has caramelized on top.

Toss squash in a large bowl with about ¼ cup Pumpkin Chipotle sauce, season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Place squash on plates, top with salmon fillet, and garnish with Italian parsley. (And serve with a chilled pumpkin beer!)

Favorite Salmon Salad - Summer Salad with Cumin-Crusted Salmon

My mother found this recipe several years ago in the USA Weekend Magazine, and it became an instant family favorite. It comes together easily and is quite healthy. There are so many ingredients in this salad that I love, and that are so good for you. What’s also nice about serving this salad as an entrée, is that it while it is light, it is actually quite filling.

Summer Salad with Cumin-Crusted Salmon
Salad:
2 ounces pine nuts
5 cups mixed greens
15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup scallions, sliced
1 large orange, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup cilantro, chopped

Dressing:
2 Tbs. orange juice concentrate
4 Tbs. olive oil
½ tsp. cumin
1 ½ Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 garlic gloves, crushed
¼ tsp. salt

Cumin-Crusted Salmon:
1 ½ Tbs. cumin
2 tsps. Paprika
¼ tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound salmon fillet, skin removed

Heat a non-stick skillet, add pine nuts and stir until toasty, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, place all salad ingredients (reserve half of the cilantro and half of the pine nut for garnish).

In a separate bowl, stir dressing ingredients together.

In a bowl, combine cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Cut salmon into 8 strips and coat with spices. Grill (or sear in a non-stick skillet brushed with canola oil) until crusty.

Toss salad and dressing; divide on plates. Top with salmon and reserved cilantro and pine nuts.

Note – I discard of the whole crushed garlic cloves before serving the dressing. I would like to warn against mincing the garlic and serving it in the dressing – you’ll be tasting it still the next morning!