The Sunday dinner this week did not disappoint! Yet again, thanks to Cooking Light we enjoyed a healthy but satisfying dinner.
Since the beginning of 2012, I’ve contemplated becoming a vegetarian. Through the health and nutrition courses I took in college, and my personal interest in the topic, a plant-based diet is the healthiest way to go. However, I believe it is a personal choice to which extent a person decides to include meat in his or her diet. I haven’t quite taken the leap to be a full-blown vegetarian, but have made steps towards becoming a pescetarian. According to Pescetarian Life, a pescetarian excludes land animals and birds, but includes fish, mollusks, and crustaceans in addition to fruits, vegetables, plants, legumes, nuts, and grains. Eggs and dairy may or may not be present in the pescetarian’s diet. Since I grew up eating meat and my family does, I can’t say I’m willing to give up the social implications of excluding meat all together. Lately, when I cook for the family, I usually try to make a vegetarian or seafood entrée.
The menu this past week: Crispy Salmon and Arugula Salad with Carrot-Ginger Vinaigrette.
This is the picture from Cooking Light- it looked awesome in the magazine and I wanted to try it for a few reasons. This is the beginning of wild salmon season, so its the best time of year to get quality (and sustainable) salmon for a pretty good price. This recipe also says it can be prepared in 32 minutes. I think it CAN be prepared in 32 minutes, but I was enjoying a glass of wine and conversation with my mom, so it was more like 50 minutes!
My mom thought it was too pretty to eat and insisted on taking a picture. Since I was so focused on making sure I didn’t overcook the salmon, the spoon was on the wrong side of the knife!
Here is run down of the recipe:
1/4 cup grated carrot
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon minced ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces baby arugula (6 cups)
1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
1 large red pepper thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
1/4 teaspoon pepper.
1. Combine carrot, orange juice, 1 tablespoon shallot, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, honey, ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in mini food processor and puree.
2. Place arugula, tomatoes, red pepper in a large bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon shallot, 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar, and sesame oil; toss well. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil to pan. Add fish skin side down to pan and cook 6 minutes until skin is crispy (I had to cover with a screen because the oil and the fish oil was jumping out of the pan). Turn fish and cook an additional 2 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.
I enjoy mine a little on the medium-well side to keep it moist. I usually put a knife through the center and give a gentle twist. If the fish starts to separate or flake easily, its just right. If the flesh is still intact cook a little longer!
4. Arrange 1 1/2 cups of the salad on each plate, top with a salmon fillet and 2 tablespoons of the sauce.
I added some bruschetta toast to go along with it! It was very filling, but needed some kind of cracker for that yummy sauce 🙂
Make it a great day!!!!
L
misslauretta 