Salmon with Artichoke Slaw

Dave and I were so busy painting and shopping this weekend that we didn't get a chance to go grocery shopping. Good thing my fridge was stocked well enough to pull something together anyway! Today's meal turned out especially delicious, so I'll share the recipes with you. We had salmon topped with artichoke slaw and rice pilaf and green beans.

Salmon with Artichoke Slaw:
four pieces of salmon steaks
2 tsp creole seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
1 can artichoke hearts
1 clove garlic
zest and juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp grated parmesan
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 a jalapeno, pitted
1 tbsp olive oil
1 loose cup cilantro leaves and stems
2 tsp capers
1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced

Sprinkle creole seasoning on your salmon and place it in a baking dish. Drizzle olive oil on and cover with aluminum foil. Bake it in the oven at 350 degrees until desired doneness (check often, and remember it will continue to cook slightly in the inside after you have taken it out.
Julliene artichoke heart with the grate blade of your food processor. Put it in a bowl. Then with the regular blade, process the garlic, lemon zest, juice, parmesan, pepper, salt, jalapeno, olive oil, and cilantro until a pesto=like consistency. Add to the artichokes. Add capers and olives and mix with a spoon. Adjust seasoning as needed. Top it on cooked salmon and enjoy!

Rice Pilaf
Follow directions in Rachel Ray's simple rice pilaf recipe. When it's almost done, toss in other goodies. I tossed in a few strips of jarred roasted peppers, and diced tomatoes.

Mom's Green Beans (courtesy of my Mom-in-law)
four handfulls of green beans, cleaned and ends snipped
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp water
1 clove garlic, minced

Put all the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl, cover, and nuke for about 4 minutes. Shake. Serve. I had a portabella mushroom lying around and about to go bad, so I sliced that up and threw it in too.

A good salmon marinade

NWA canceled my flight out of Montana last Sunday. It was hard not to gripe about it, the only alternative they could offer us was a 6 am flight out the next day, with three stops (!!!). After countless wasted hours of trying to interact with their employees who must have gone through training on how to avoid customers, not answer questions, and not understand customers, we were able to cut that into two stops. The lady on the phone suggested our taking it, for our only other option was to accept a refund for the canceled leg of our trip. I suppose that is their way of saying, "Look buddy, you better take what crappy arrangement we have for you because in case you haven't forgotten, we don't need you. YOU NEED US!"

To look on the bright side, if I had to be stranded anywhere for another day, Montana is quite a good option. I was able to stay for my Aunt and uncle's Sunday BBQ, and it was a feast! My Aunt made margaritas, potato salad, and a great guacamole salad. Then she asked me if I had any ideas for a good salmon marinade. For the BBQ, teriyaki sauce immediately came to mind, but how to tie that into the margarita and guacamole salad theme? Add a touch of tequila, lime, and spice, of course. So here is the Southwest Teriyaki sauce that I made up for the salmon. I was worried at first, but people liked, it, so it is now tried and tested. Also because it went so well with the guacamole salad, I've regurgitated the recipe for that as well as I can remember it.

Southwest Teriyaki Salmon
4 cloves garlic, minced through a press
3 tbsp Tequila
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne or chipotle pepper
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil

Whisk all the ingredients together, brushing most on the salmon for BBQing, and leaving some in a little bowl with a spoon for those who want extra topping at the table.


Guacamole Salad
cherry tomatoes, halved
half a yellow pepper, cut to 1/2 in. cubes
1/2 a red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest and juice of 2 limes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
3 ripe avocados

Mix the first three ingredients in a large serving bowl. Whisk the next six ingredients in a smaller bowl, and toss with the salad. Right before serving, scoop the avocados in and fold into the salad.

This is all so good with Margaritas!

Creamy Herbed Fish Pasta

Here is another recipe I thought up of during Stats class. I served it with a salad of procuitto and fresh mozzerella drizzled with olive oil and fresh ground pepper, and leftover Pillsbury breadsticks. I forgot to ask Dave how many stars he gives this one. Will let him comment on that.

For the herbed fish
1/2 cup fresh tarragon
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh sage
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
Dash of paprika
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Some kind of fish (I used catfish just because that’s what Safeway had on sale.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the fish into 2 inch chunks. Put all the ingredients except for the fish into a food processor and process until all chopped up and smooth. Coat the fish with the herb pesto and put in a baking pan and put in oven. Check on it frequently to make sure it does not overcook. If it looks cooked on the outside, take it out, because fish will continue to cook on the inside for several minutes after it’s been out off the oven. You don’t want it to be dry, you want it moist and tender.

Fpr the pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup some kind of dry salty meat (I used some leftover turkey breakfast sausage that I found in the fridge, but this recipe would be good with something like smoked ham, bacon, pepperoni, or leftover sausages…)
1/2 lb Fettuccine
3/4 cup vermouth
3/4 cup cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup spinach
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a saucepan with olive oil. Dice the onion and mince the garlic, and add to the oil. Dice the meat and add pan. Cook until onions are slightly brown. Boil a pot of water and add fettuccine. Add vermouth to saucepan and reduce to one half. Stir in cream, salt and pepper, and cook for five minutes. Stir in tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Stir in Spinach, and let it wilt into the sauce. Stir in the cooked and drained fettuccine immediately so that the pasta does not stick to each other. Serve with the herbed fish on top and drizzle with some lemon juice.