Salmon Summer Fruit Salad. REALLY Tasty!

A big THANK YOU to Marcia Calvin, one of my fellow members of the Wakefield Unitarian Universalist Church, for bringing this lovely salad to our church potluck picnic last Sunday!

I love potlucks. They provide a wonderful opportunity to try new dishes and enjoy old favorites such as Mary Adele Taylor’s deviled eggs. Yum!

The only drawback is that, with so many different items, it can sometimes be a bit difficult to really appreciate a unique dish, such as this interesting combination of fruit and fish, at a potluck. Also, Marcia had thoughtfully provided the dressing on the side for those who may want to save some calories and I forgot to add the dressing when I tried the salad. But, I was very intrigued and wanted the whole experience, so I asked for the recipe.

I am thinking Marcia should do a cooking blog, too. Along with the recipe, she provided detailed notes and also included what looks to be a a great recipe for baked fish. I’ll have to try that one soon!

The ingredients gathered

So, here is the recipe, noting a few options beyond the recipe that Marcia shared with me:

Salmon Summer Fruit Salad

Dressing:
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
5 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil (one version calls for just 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons pecans (walnuts work fine) OR
1 tablespoon honey (one version has honey instead of nuts)
1/2  teaspoon lemon juice, or more, to taste

Salad:
3 cups torn leaf lettuce
2 cups torn Bibb lettuce (I used mostly  romaine and some of whatever type is in my garden)
1 (7.5-oz.) can pink salmon, drained, skin and bones removed – or buy fresh and cook it yourself.
2 medium nectarines, sliced (or equivalent of chunks of orange)
1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Directions:
1. In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; beat with wire whisk until blended.

Or:

Use a small food processor and pulse to mince the shallot and green herbs first, then add the nuts and pulse to coarsely chop, then add the vinegar, oil, and lemon juice (and honey if using instead or in addition to nuts) and pulse just until blended.

2. In large bowl, combine all salad ingredients except raspberries. Drizzle with dressing; toss gently to coat. Gently fold in raspberries.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve on individual salad plates or in Tortilla Salad Shells.

Tip: The dressing can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for several hours or overnight.

1/4 cup or so chopped shallot. This shows a scant 1/3 cup.

This makes about one tablespoon, chopped.

I made the salad a few hours before heading out to a Linden Tree Coffeehouse* volunteer appreciation party on June 18 and decided to bring it with me to get additional opinions beyond Steve’s and mine.  WELL!!!!  It was a resounding success!  So much so that Steve didn’t get a chance to try it that evening. So, I made it again the next day.

Upon arriving home with more raspberries and salmon, I realized that I had forgotten nectarines, although, the chances of getting ripe ones were small anyway.  In fact, after receiving the recipe and purchasing the ingredients mid week,  it was not until Friday that the nectarines were ripe enough to use.

So, there I was, and I didn’t want to got back to the store again, anyway.  But, since the dressing contains lemon juice, I suspected that one could substitute with an orange.  Just to make sure, I searched online for recipes with salmon and orange.  That’s when I found on very similar to the recipe Marcia sent me that had honey instead of nuts in the dressing, either one a thickening source, I am guessing.  Just use honey if you want it more sweet or don’t have pecans or walnuts on hand.

The Dressing - with nuts, not honey

And, speaking of substitutes, online research told me that walnuts are a good substitute for pecans, so, since walnuts were what I had, that is what I used.  And, I suppose you could use onion instead of shallot, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you used Vidalia or other sweet type of onion.  But, frankly, I am a huge fan of shallots and always make sure to have plenty on hand.

Bottom line is that this salad is excellent with either nectarines or fresh chunks of orange.  I saw recipes with salmon, that call for canned manderin orange pieces, also, so that would be another option.

pre - dressing

Nectarine version - with dressing

with chunks of orange, dressed

A few more notes:  I used mostly romaine lettuce, because that is what I had in my fridge.  I did supplement it with greens from my box garden, though.

Some kind of lettuce and arugula

I am pretty amazed by how prolific this lettuce is.  I picked 7 or eight leaves total two days in a row and it seems to grow back overnight.  Now I need to really leave it alone so it has a chance to really get going!

And, the final note:  Rather than used canned salmon, Marcia bought fresh salmon and cooked it herself, which was an excellent touch to her version.  And, I’d recommend doing that if you have the time and can find some good fresh salmon.  But, I do think, flavor-wise, the canned works quite well, since there are so many other flavors going on in this dish.

But, whatever you do, I recommend trying this recipe.  It is especially good for potlucks because, along with tasting great, the unexpected mix of ingredients is a great conversation starter.

* Along with a fun jam session later in the evening at the Linden Tree Coffeehouse party, we were treated to excellent music by Gail Rundlett and her son Julian. Gail really liked the salad, by the way. 

Pan Seared Shrimp, Roasted Red Potato Slices, and Mixed Greens

Globe Fish Co had Gulf shrimp at the Farmer’s Market.  Pricy, but I could not resist.  And it was delicious! I found an easy recipe on recipezarr.com that is basically the same as the one I found on the Cook’s Illustrated site. Here it is:

The complete meal

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoo lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined (21/25 count)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar

1. Beat butter with a fork in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in garlic, lemon juice, parsley and 1/8 tsp salt until combined. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbs oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking. Meanwhile toss shrimp, salt, pepper and sugar in a medium bowl. Add half of shrimp to pan in a single layer and cook until spotty brown and edges turn pink, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; using tongs, flip each shrimp and let stand until all but very center is opaque, about 30 seconds. Transfer shrimp to a large plate.
3. Repeat with remaining oil and shrimp; after second batch has stood off heat, return first batch to skillet along with flavored butter and toss to combine. Cover skillet and let stand until shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Here is a close-up of the meal:

The combination worked well – even with the bits of ham flavoring the collard greens.  I will post that recipe separately and date it so it appears below this post, after the mozzarella post. And, you’ll find the potato recipe in the 7/19/09 Halibut post.

This meal was easy to create.  I started the collard greens first.  Once there were allin the pot and simmering, they needed no more attention.  And, once they simmered for 45 minutes to and hour, I put them on low and could have left them for hours.  Very handy recipe for when you are trying out a new entree!  The potatoes are also easy and forgiving as to timing.  I prepared and roasted them for 15 miutes at 350 and then left them until giving them a final 5 minute blast at 400 when it was time to serve.  Of course, you need a toaster oven or a quick heating convection oven to do it this way.  You can always roast them and then turn the oven to warm until serving time.

I then peeled and deveined the shrimp.  Very easy to do.  I just used my kitchen scissors to ship the shell and my finger to get the vein out, patted them dry, and put them in the fridge until I was ready to cook them. I also made  the garlic butter ahead of time.  Note on that: it says to “beat” the butter.  the word “mashed up” better describes the process I used.  I wonder if they recipe meant to instruct us to melt, rather than soften the butter?  In any case, mashing worked just fine.  <grin>

Then the time came to fire up the frying pan.  The process went by so quickly that I forgot to take pictures!  All the shrimp (14 of them to one pound) fit at one time, so I could skip transfer any to another plate.  I reduced amounts of ingredients a bit, to, since the recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 pounds of shrimp.

I’ll certainly make shrimp this way again!  I bet good quality shimp from the grocery store would be fine in the recipe, too.  I’ve heard that Trader Joes has great shrimp.  Not sure of the environmental and/or health safety of their source, but then again, I am not sure of that of these Gulf Shrimp, either.  If anyone knows, let me know!

Pan-fried halibut, sauteed pea tendrils, and roasted red potatoes from the Farmer’s Market

First, go check out the Wakefield Farmer’s Market Web site if you have not done so before!  If you live in or near Wakefield MA or plan to visit before the middle of October, be sure to check out the Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  See the Web site for directions, etc.

Globe Fish Co. had Gulf shrimp last week, and I was planning to purchase some this week.  Unfortunately, they didn’t  have any this time around, so I got halibut instead and, at my husband’s request, agreed to prepare it fried.  I also bought a variety of produce from Farmer Dave and Flats Mentor Farm, which specializes in Asian produce, and decided on potatoes and pea tendrils to accompany.

The Ingredients: red potatoes, halibut, and pea tendrils

I do not having a lot of experience preparing fish.  I am now pretty comfortable baking it, and was successful my recent and first try at blackened salmon, but this would be my first time frying it.  And, I was up against some stiff competition:  Fried fish was apparently one of Steve’s Mom’s specialties and I was hoping to create at least a satisfying, if not perfect match to his memories. I am pleased to report that I was successful!  Here is the recipe I followed:

##

PAN-FRIED FISH FILLETS
Source: http://teriskitchen.com/seafood/fried-a.html

This is basic and can be used with any firm, white-fleshed fish, as well as shrimp, scallops and oysters. After trying many different types of coatings and methods, this is my preference. The resulting crust is always crispy and not too thick. In a pinch, you could use finely crushed low-salt saltines in place of the homemade breadcrumbs. I think that is a better choice than store-bought breadcrumbs which, in my experience, never yield a crispy crust and taste a little like cardboard.

* 2 pounds firm, white-fleshed fish fillets, such as flounder or catfish
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 2 eggs, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
* 1-1/2 cups homemade dried breadcrumbs
* Oil for frying, such as vegetable or canola
* Lemon wedges
* Tartar sauce (see recipe)

1. Place flour on plate or wax paper. Season with salt and pepper; mix well. Place breadcrumbs on large plate or wax paper. Coat fish lightly with flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg wash and let excess drip off. Coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs, again shaking off excess. Place on wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to help ensure that the coating will adhere to the fish when frying.

2. Meanwhile, heat large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil, about 1/2-inch thick, or thick enough to come about half-way up the sides of the fish. Heat oil until hot. Remove fish from refrigerator and fry, in batches as needed, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove to a clean wire rack to drain. Season with additional salt, if desired. Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.

Servings: 4

##

Ready to dip the fish.

fish with coating and ready for a 30 minute chill in the fridge

[Note:  I purchase two packs of the fish totaling just about 1.5 pounds, WAY more than needed for a meal for two.  I actually held back a few pieces to freeze after breading and a few pieces to freeze after frying, just to see if this could be a viable "cook ahead/meal from the freezer" recipe.  I'll let you know later!]

Next, I made some tartar sauce – just a mix of sweet relish and mayo, with just enough prepared horseradish to add a bite, and put it in the fridge until dinner time.

While the coated fish was in the fridge chilling, as per the recipe, I sliced up the potatoes – a bit under 1/2 ” thick – seasoned them with a salt and a liberal amount of freshly ground black pepper, added a light coating of olive oil, and spread them out on a pan that I had sprayed with canola oil.

prepped potatoes

I put them in my toaster oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes to start – or, at least, I thought to start because recipes usually call for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.  However, these were done in the 15 minutes – probable because they were freshly dug (higher water content is my guess) and also sliced thinly (about 1/2 inch or less.)  Since I would be wanting things to be done at the same time, this worked out great.  I left them in the oven and finished them off for 5 minutes at 400 degrees as I was frying the fish.

I also prepped for the pea trendrils while I was waiting for the coated fish to chill.  First I flavored some olive oil by sauteing garlic slices then, once they were a bit browned, let them sit in the oil until I was ready to saute the pea tendrils. That way, I was all ready to quickly saute the pea tendrils once the fish was done and draining on a rack before serving.

Flavoring the oil with garlic

I then went through the pea tendrils and removed the thicker parts of the stems and also the little twisty tendril strings because I read that they could be tough and “stringy” when cooked.

After the fish was chilled and all was prepped (or, in the case of the potatoes, pre-cooked) I took the fish from the fridge and put between a 1/4 and 1/2 an inch of canola oil in my 12 inch frying pan, turning on the burner to medium high.  At this time, I put the toaster oven on to finish off the potatoes for 5 minutes at 400 – or was it 450?? degrees. Enough to crisp.

Once the oil in the frying pan was giving off an aroma and there was some movement, I tossed in a little bit of the fish batter until it sizzled very vigorously.  Then I added the fish – carefully!  That oil gets hot!  I let it fry on one side for about 3 minutes and the other for about the same, until each side was a golden brown.  Then I removed the fish to a rack to drain before serving.  I also blotted with paper towel immediately before plating.

Once the fish was done, I quickly heated up the oil in the wok and added the pea tendrils for just a minute or two, until wilted.  Then, dinner was served:

Dinner for two

With homemade tartar sauce and lemon wedges

The verdict:  The fish was a total success!  REALLY good.  According to Steve, as good as his Mom’s and, seemingly ironically, since I cooked the fish in more oil than he remembers his Mom using, less greasy.  I think that using more oil enabled the fish to form a crust more quickly and sealed out the fat more efficiently. Something like that.

The potatoes were also delicious.  I used a VERY liberal amount of black pepper and they had a nice punch to them, and the final roasting brown them nicely – just the right amount of crispness on the outside.

The pea tendrils, alas, were not as big a success.  The flavor is lovely, but, as I suspected might happen, the stems were stringy while the tender leaves were cooked almost too much.  I have this problem when sauteeing arugula and spinich, also.  Now I am wishing I used the following recipe because, although I feared using the chicken broth would cook the leaves too much, it would have most likely have softened the stems.  I will try it next time I cook this sort of green.

##

Sauteed Pea Tendrils with Garlic
Bon Appétit – March 2006

1 Tbs canola oil
2 small garlic cloves, smashed
12 oz fresh pea tendrils
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
preparation

1. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and sauté until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove garlic. Add tendrils; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and sauté until greens are slightly wilted and heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

##

By the way, the pea tendrils are quite tasty with a delicate crunch to them when raw.  I highly recommend them in a salad.  Also, the woman selling them said that she often uses them in soup.  I held some back and will see how they do in soup when I next experiment in the kitchen.

I still have corn, carrots, summer squash, and baby white turnips  from my trip to the market, but I probably won’t do anything very fancy with them – I am sure they will taste super just as is or lightly cooked!

That’s it for now.  Do let me know if you have any surefire tricks for sauteing greens without the stems getting stringy!

I’ll never buy pre-cooked shrimp again!

I actually never bought shrimp until I met my husband.  Oh sure, I’ve eaten it at parties and when out to dinner, but I never bought it and prepared it myself.  And, since 2003, I’ve been buying the pre-cooked kind when Steve gets a hankering for shimp, which is every major or minor holiday and on occasion in-between.  <grin>

It is not bad, espeically with the “kicky” cocktail sauce that I make, but I have noticed that often, when other people prepare  shrimp  as an appetizer, it tastes better. Now I know why.  You should cook it yourself, preferably with the shell still on.

I actually ended up buying raw shrimp on a whim.  Steve wanted some for our July 4th party (and wouldn’t you know, I forget to put them out after cooking, peeling, and chilling them! My apologies to our guests.  <wry grin>)

Both cooked and raw frozen shrimp were on sale, but the ccoked were smaller, the 41-50 per bag count size, and the raw were fewer but thus larger.  I opted for the the bigger ones.

Then, while wandering around the Intenet looking for cooking ideas, I found a recipe for cooking them in a quick to prepare veggie/lemon stock.  Here is the recipe I used:

No-Fail Boiled Shrimp
Joy of Cooking: All About Party Foods & Drinks, by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker.
www.ochef.com/r157.htm

If you are grilling, broiling, or boiling shrimp, consider cooking them in their shells, for it protects the meat from drying out and helps them retain maximum flavor. If you wish, prepare the shrimp in plain water.
In a large saucepan, combine:
10 cups water
2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 medium onion, cut into eighths
1 small lemon, quartered
1/2 bunch fresh parsley
8 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid and return it to the pan.
Add: 2 pounds shrimp, any size, fresh or frozen, preferably in their shells for best flavor
Return the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes exactly. Drain the shrimp, remove to a platter, and let cool. Set out one or more of the following for dipping: Cocktail Sauce, Sauce Remoulade, Tartar Sauce.

————————-

The shrimp were super.   it takes some extra time to make the stock and then peel the shrimp afterwards (they were “EZ Peel” so not to hard to do)  but I think it was worth the effort.

I always make my own cocktail sauce – pretty basic, although I use freeze squeezed lemon juice when I have a lemon around.  And, I just bought some Boars Head brand prepared horseradish to try next time.  JUST grated horseradish and vinegar, with no preservatives, etc.  I like that in a condiment.  Anyway – my cocktail sauce recipe – just mix up ketchup, lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and tabasco or other hot pepper sauce – amounts to taste.