Salmon Recipes

In the spirit of tranquility, we are presently opting to spare ourselves the eruption of whining that occurs upon attempting to serve the kids this fish.  They spit and carry on as if we evil parents exist merely to torture them. They push it around their plates, intentionally obliterating it to shreds to be ultimately tossed in the garbage.  The pain of this scene has led me to temporarily table this (in the non-eating sort of way) for family dinners.  Instead, it's become the nearly-once-a-week-after-the-kids-are-asleep-date-night dinner for hub and me.

A dear friend recently asked what our favorite salmon recipes are.  The truth is that there are just so many delicious ways to prepare this fish, I find it difficult to narrow down!  There are a few salmon recipes already on this blog (here, here, and here), and below are a few more:

Grilled Salmon with Oregano Oil, Avocado Tzatziki Sauce and Grilled Lemons



To me, this dish lands in the land of wow, thanks to Bobby Flay.  One of my favorite things about his recipes is his use of sauces.  He takes something totally delicious in its own right and tops it with an over-the-top-good sauce. Ugh, I just love it!  This avocado tzatziki is amazing.  Even Ryan, generally not a huge avocado fan, worked it.  It is so bright and full of flavor that it can just be served all by itself  with chips/pitas as a snack.  If you haven't grilled lemons before (or limes for that matter), it rocks.  A squeeze of them still offers the acidity I adore, but the flavor is deeper and more mellow.  This added an incredible finish to an already very tasty dish. 

The recipe - courtesy of Bobby Flay:
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 6-oz salmon fillets
2 lemons, halved
Avocado Tzatziki sauce (recipe below)

1.  Heat the grill to high.
2.  Combine 1/4 cup of the oil and oregano in a blender and blend until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.
3.  Brush the fillets on both sides with some of the oregano oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the salmon for about 3 minutes per side, until slightly charred and cooked to medium, brushing with more of the oil every 30 seconds.
4.  While the fish is grilling, brush the cut sides of the lemons with the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil and grill, cut side down, until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes.
5.  Serve the fillets with a dollop of the avocado tzatziki, and squeeze the juice from the grilled lemons on top.

Avocado Tzatziki
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 serrano chile, chopped  (I made a cowardice jalepeno substitution)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
Grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon
1/2 English cucumber, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the avocados, garlic, chile, yogurt, lemon zest, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.  Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, stir in the cucumber and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving.

The blurry side dish, by the way, is Tabbouleh, courtesy of my girl Ina.  It's my go-to Tabbouleh recipe for my roughly thrice-yearly cravings.  It's light, fresh, healthy and delicious.

Roasted Salmon with Potatoes and Mushrooms Click here for Recipe

No photo here, but this recipe is super tasty and easy...and it only dirties one pan.  I dig that.

Classic Cedar Plank Salmon



The cedar plank imparts an awesome smoke flavor which balances really nicely with the brown sugar crust.  If you can't swing the cedar plank grilling thing though, this could easily be broiled in an oven for 8-10 minutes. 

How it's done (courtesy of Weber):  Soak the cedar plank in water for at least an hour.  Place the soaked plank over direct medium heat on the grill and close the lid.  After 5-10 minutes, when the plank begins to smoke and char, turn the plank over and then place the fillet on the plank.  Carefully but generously sprinkle brown sugar over the entire surface of the fish.  Close the lid, and let the salmon cook until lightly browned on the surface and cooked to your desired doneness (15-20 minutes for medium rare; note that cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish).

Hiding in the background of the photo is a mound of toasted coconut rice, which I have previously chatted about, as well as a simple salad of mixed greens, strawberries, English cucumbers, sliced almonds and a white balsamic vinaigrette.  (Have you ever tasted white balsamic vinegar?  It's sweeter than regular balsamic.  Love it!)

**Post dedicated to Christy.  Hope it helps girl!**