A girl (or any person for that matter) can find herself eating alone from time to time—it’s normal, right? Having a set of hubby+kiddies, family in general, and friends promises no guaranties that there will be company at the table at any given breakfast, lunch or dinner.

I work at home and most days I have breakfast and lunch by myself. I don’t eat breakfast with the kiddies+hubby since I’m usually still in my PJ peeling, cutting and serving them fresh fruit (I really must shove it under their noses for them to eat it) and packing lunchboxes and… You know, it’s pretty much the same routine every day. Don’t you just love it?

Besides, I’m not a big fan of breakfast. My breakfast is a slice of toasted bread with something, or half a bagel with cream cheese, or scrambled eggs—so boring. Although lately I do treat myself to freshly squeezed orange juice or, more recently, fresh grapefruit juice—it’s SO refreshing!—every morning after the kiddies+hubby leave the house. (Shoosh, don’t tell them.)

For lunch, I usually don’t bother much since it’s a company of only one, me, so I end up making myself a sandwich (Or heat up leftovers from dinner. That is if I don’t plan on serving them a second time as dinner—lazy me.) Rarely, I pamper myself with something with a bit more kick/wow to it, like my fav sandwich with truffle oil. And now, now I have these swordfish tacos with an S—I had two. It was really, really good.

I love tacos. Don’t you?

Now, I can hear the squeaky noises of the gears in your brain… You must be thinking, “But isn’t a taco a type of sandwich?” I believe you make a good point.

I think they are, sorta. What would a Mexican say? I have no idea.

Well, you got “bread” on both sides with (hopefully) good stuff in the middle.

Broiled swordfish tacos

* 1 lb. of fish steak was enough for 3 servings + leftovers for 1

For the fish:

1 swordfish steak (about 1 lb.)

salt, pepper

olive oil

some sort of rub like BBQ rub or chicken rub

1 Tbs. butter, cut to pieces

Rub the fish with salt, pepper, some olive oil, and spice rub on both sides. Spread the butter cubes on top. Let sit for about 15 minutes in a baking pan lined with aluminum foil. In the meantime preheat the broiler and set the rack in the top 1/3 shelf.

Broil about 8 minutes. The butter will brown and the fat might cause some brunt-like smoke in the oven. If this bother you, grill it outdoors.

For the tacos:

1-2 tortillas/taco (flour or corn, doesn’t matter) + add what you like: avocado is always good, cilantro, grated cheese, a dollop of sour cream, corn, diced veggies, a splash of lemon/lime, etc etc

Enjoy your lunch! Enjoy the company!

Just look at that.

Isn’t it gorgeous????

Fresh… Wild… Salmon.

I’m so excited to see fresh, wild salmon, and at reasonable prices, at the grocery stores again.

Just look at that color.

Gorgeous.

So I had to get me some for dinner and I bought one pound (Which is enough for 3-4 servings).

This cut was from a King salmon tail’s end and it was thick and fleshy so this baby went home with me. (If the salmon is thinner, like a Sockeye, I usually ask for a piece from the head’s end or the center. Those cuts have pin bones that I pull out with my fat kitchen tweezers. Ladies, don’t be tempted to use your eyebrows’ tweezers!)

I don’t like to mess with salmon too much. It’s so good and buttery on its own, so I dress it lightly.

The “heaviest”, flavor-wise, marinade I use for salmon is Ina Garten’s recipe for Asian style marinade (but even with that one I use only half the amount). Other favorite recipes we like are Grilled salmon with fresh herbs and zests, or with crème fraîche and Fresh wild salmon with sweet fennel butter.

We usually grill or broil it. Although I do have a good recipe for salmon poached in Moroccan tomato sauce that my cousin gave me 9 years ago… I haven’t made it in years!

But this time, maybe because it’s the first salmon for us this spring, I went with a simple preparation.

Salt, black pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on both sides, some fresh lemon thyme picked from the herb I grow in a pot. I let it sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, I preheat the oven to 400 F degrees.

… scatter a few little unsalted butter pieces on top

Turn off the oven and switch to broil, set on high.

When the broiler is hot, I usually place the pan in the middle or upper third of the oven, but not too close the the heating element.

Broil it for 5-7 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.

I usually cut the fish into serving size pieces. This way it cooks more evenly and there are less chances for it to dry on the outside while it’s still raw inside.

But this time I forgot.

Maybe because it’s the first salmon for us this spring.

More to come…

He was wild, he was fresh, he was available, and he was mine.

I held him in my arms.

I was thinking: “Rock Cod, you white fleshy fish, what shall I do about you?”

“The kids won’t eat it”, said Suburban cowboy.

“Maybe in tomato sauce?” I tried.

“No”, he dismissed.

And he was right.

I scratched my head, envisioning sadly my fish getting tossed in the garbage, all alone and abandoned, and stinky after it goes bad because no one wants to eat it.

Scratch, scratch.

What’s a woman in distress to do?

Seek help on…Twitter.

As I consulted with my followers on Twitter about ideas and recipes, I recalled Suburban cowboy’s recently made fish tacos.

A-Ha! moment.

Fish tacos. I can make those. They’ll be good. They’re easy to make.

Fry in some butter and splash some lemon juice. I can do that.

And I love tacos and wraps because then the kitchen’s table looks like this at dinner,

Hmm. Fish. Tacos. Not a bad idea at all…

Tacos for dinner are so festive and it feels like a party.

A taco assembling party.

Make-your-own-taco fête.

Of course my little one won’t touch a fish, not even with feet long pink fork, but, oh, well… Let’s Paaar-tyyy!

Fish tacos

Makes 4 servings

For the fish:
1 to 1-1/2 lb. white fish with firm flesh (one that can be fried and turned without breaking up, or is it down?), cut into large pieces, remove all bones
extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
salt
ground black pepper
1/2 lemon

In a 10-12 inch (non-stick) skillet, heat about 3 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides.

Put the flour in a shallow dish and dredge the fish on both sides. Shake any excess off.

Fry about 4 minutes per side or until nicely browned (see photo below) and cooked through (check one piece by cutting in the middle and taking a peek).

Remove to a platter lined with paper towels.

Splash some lemon juice.

Serve with:

sour cream

grated cheese

shredded cabbage

cilantro

lemon/lime

warmed tortillas

corn

chopped veggies

oh, and avocado!

etc etc…

Any leftovers make a very awesome lunch!

Add crushed tortilla chips.

Another cooperation in the kitchen between my husband and son ended up with a fabulous shrimp tempura. These guys are really good at deep frying, I tell ‘ya! And me? Well, I really should have known better than to wait for the last shrimp at the bottom of the bowl to jump on my feet and run for the camera, quick, quick quick, yelling on my way, “No one is allowed to touch that last shrimp, you hear me?” This has happened before and ended with crumbs… I should have learned.

It started with a big pile of deep fried shrimp. Hot, crunchy, crispy, savory and sweet coated, that crackles under your teeth, with a sprits of lemon juice on top… How could I have thought that we are going to have leftovers for next day’s lunch? Do I really have such little faith?

We have devoured these.

Only when I realized that there was only one more shrimp left, and I noticed the neat little pile of shrimp tails on my son’s plate,

I understood that I better grab the camera asap so I can show you some evidence of this magnificent dish and what it looks like so i can share its recipe with you. So at least I was able to give you that.

So what’s my New Year’s resolution!!!? To carry the camera closer to me – Snap snap snap… – and have more faith in good food!

Now seriously.

Two things that I would like to do more this upcoming year are, 1) to have you guest post here on my blog and, 2) for me to write guest posts on other blogs. Why? Because I would like to make new friends and/or to deepen the connections with friends I’ve made so far in the blogsphere.

Food photography was the main theme for guest posting on here so far (sharing your learning curve, you don’t have to be a professional to post about this) and I now open it to other topics that are in line with the topics of this blog. Contact me and send me an a-mail if you are interested with the topic you wish to write about.

Also, don’t forget about the cookie scoop giveaway! Details here. Start the year with a shiny new tool!

Shrimp tempura

Adapted from a recipe in the “Fish Without a Doubt” cookbook
Makes 4 servings

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch, plus additional for dredging
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 ice cubes
1-1 1/4 cups very cold seltzer (ours was room temp)
canola oil for deep-frying
1 1/2 lbs. extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails left on
1 lemon cut to wedges, for serving

Whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the egg and start whisking, then add the ice cubes and gradually the seltzer until until the batter is completely smooth. Refrigerate while you heat the oil.

Heat at least 3 inches of oil in a wide deep pot to 350 to 365 F degrees. Set a plate lined with a few paper towels next to the stove.

In a small bowl, put about 1/3 cup cornstarch. Dredge a few shrimp in cornstarch, shaking off the excess. When the oil is hot, dip each shrimp in the tempura batter, letting the excess batter drip off, then using a spider (see picture below) or a slotted spoon, lower the shrimp into the oil. Repeat with a few more shrimp, but don’t overcrowd the pot.

Fry, turning the shrimp with a spider/slotted spoon so it fries evenly, until the batter is crisp and light gold, about 3 1/2 minutes. Use the spider to take out the cooked shrimp and any bits of cooked batter from the oil before frying the next batch. Place them on the paper lined plate to soak the oil.

Save those fried bits and eat them! They are gooood. Serve right away with lemon wedges.

Note: You can use any leftover batter to fry some veggies. We used zucchini.

This is a spider —>>>

At first, I didn’t want to title the post“Salmon in Seattle”… but then I just couldn’t resist.

Salmon is a big deal in Seattle and there’s a lot of anticipation before the beginning of Copper River salmon season. But I have already mentioned that before so no need to go into it again, right? (If you’re really curious, check out this post, there’s another recipe there too).

So, anyway, this year Copper River Sockeye* salmon was sold for about $37 per pound for fillet (whole fish costs less), and then the price went down to $17/lb. when Copper River King* salmon showed up. I did feel somewhat uncomfortable this year buying it (with Hunger Action Week flickering in my mind), but then, I just had to. Luckily, we have reduced our protein from animal portion size to 1 pound for the four of us. “Yeah, yeah”, you might say, “one of you is a baby”. Well, never underestimate a baby’s appetite. She can eat a whole chicken thigh plus the side dishes and 2 slices of fluffy coconut cake!

I made two recipes, the first one was Crème Fraîche-Roasted Salmon, a recipe by Molly Wizenberg for Bon Appétit magazine, June 2009. (Click the links for recipe). The second one, a quick grilled salmon with herbs and zests.

The Husband loved the recipe with crème fraiche better but the kids didn’t want to touch it. They did eat the one with herbs and butter. Go figure… I think both were good. As a rule of thumb, I’d say, even though salmon goes with lots of flavors – it is very versatile – I prefer to dress it lightly.

Grilled Sockeye salmon with fresh herbs and zests

Serves 3-4 people

1 – 1 1/2 lbs. salmon fillets, cut to portions, with skin on
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs like lemon thyme, thyme, oregano
salt
pepper
olive oil
1-2 tablespoons butter

Heat the grill over medium-high heat (until it reaches 400 F). Meanwhile, rub each fillet with some of the zest and herbs, a sprinkle with salt and pepper and a drizzle oil on top. Rub some oil on the skin side too.

Place salmon skin side down on the hot grill, close the grill and cook for about 7 minutes* or until top looks opaque. You can make a small cut to check for doneness.

Serve with some butter on each portion.

* NOTE: Sockeye salmon is less fatty then King salmon and needs to be cooked quickly in high heat so it won’t dry. I like King better then Sockeye (for some people it’s the opposite), especially Copper River King because of its buttery texture. It melts in your mouth like butta, I tell ya. Wonderful.

More salmon recipes:

Grilled Copper River King Salmon with Pinot Noir sauce

Salmon with sweet fennel butter
    

Sometimes I let the guys cook.

They play in the kitchen, taking their time, talking, discussing the recipe, but using tongs because they don’t like touching the food and getting their hands dirty, ha ha.

The little guy helps his dad by reading the recipe out loud.

…and measuring the ingredients, then whisking the batter

The big guy gets really focused in his job of frying the fish. Doing a great job.

You can notice that he does not overcrowd the pa. He learned from past mistakes. An important quality for a guy! I love that about him.

I must say, they clean up too.

I actually think that they would have loved to cook/play in the kitchen more frequently if I let them. But I don’t.

Sometimes when our son was about 2-3 years old, I turned into the cook-who-tries-to-put-it all-together-quickly-so-there’s-dinner-on-the-table-by 6:30 pm (7 pm the latest). So no playing in the kitchen.

And, it’s my little weekdays’ getaway. My time to be, sort of, by myself while the kids and The Husband play in the family room.

But somehow fish and chips became my husband’s house specialty. And I don’t complain.

I bought fresh wild True Cod and we had baked potatoes “chips” with it, and a simple salad. Estimated cost – $4 per person.

Begin the potatoes and while they bake, prepare the fish.
 
Baked potato “Chips”:

6-8 small red potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed clean
2 splashes olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh minced garlic, optional
Fresh minced rosemary and/or thyme leaves, optional

Preheat the oven to 400-425 F degrees.

Cut the potatoes in half, then cut each half to 3-4 chunks. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and herbs. Toss together.

Spread the potatoes in a single layer and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, undisturbed, until they are lightly browned and tender inside.

For the fish:
Slightly adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook
Makes 4-6 servings

1 1/2 pounds fresh, thick cod fillets
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup water
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil, for frying

Lay the cod fillets on a cutting board. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Cut the fillets to 3-inch size pieces.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, lemon zest,  1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in 1/2 cup of water and the egg.

Pour 1/2-inch of oil into a large deep skillet and heat it to about 360 degrees F.

Dip each fillet into the batter, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place it carefully into the hot oil. Don’t crowd the pan.

Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil hot. Cook the fish on each side for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towels.

A few years ago while visiting Los Angeles I was invited to dinner. The host prepared salmon and I asked her: “what type of salmon is it?” She looked at me somewhat puzzled: ”what do you mean what type of salmon?”. “Is it a Sockeye? A Coho? A Chinook?” I tried again. “It’s salmon. I don’t know what kind of salmon. I bought it at the store”, she replied starting to lose her patience. I always ask hosts a bunch of questions about the food and irritate them…

I come from a place where salmon is only… salmon. But after 8 years of living and traveling in the Pacific Northwest, I learned a thing or two about this magnificent fish, about fresh seafood, and the Pacific Northwest cuisine which I knew nothing about before. I fell in love with it. Crab cakes, scallops, fresh berries… salmon… local wines… oh, and freshly brewed coffee… This is heaven.

However this is not a tutorial about salmon. What I really want is to tell you about the fantastic meal that The Husband (TH) and I had last night at Ray’s Boathouse in Seattle thanks to Foodbuzz editors who were interested in a post about this restaurant. Thank you Foodbuzz!

Well then… big inhale… finally, a night out. We so deserve a quiet dinner in a charming restaurant with dim lights, watching the water of Shilshole Bay, drinking local wine, waiting for our order of fresh seafood, without the kids. We so do deserve it. I love my kids! Tremendously! I want to squish them and squeeze them and constantly kiss them… and, of course, a family dinner at home is #1 on my list of priorities.

That being said, while most of our dinners at home feature great food, sometimes the kids don’t want to eat it, and one of them is usually crying, or whining, or… have to go poopy… I’m sure some of you can relate to that experience. (See my previous Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: 5 Stars Dinner at Home… But Will the Kids Eat It?). So last night was for our Couplehood.

About Ray’s Boathouse

Ray’s Boathouse restaurant is a Seattle icon since 1973. It is well-known for its Northwest seafood and waterfront view of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. We have dined there several times before when we moved to Washington and when celebrating special occasions. It’s always been excellent – the ambiance, the food, the wine, the service. It is a tourists’ must-do attraction as well, but of the good kind (not the tourist trap sort). It’s a place everyone needs to know about and visit at least once.

It’s been a while since our last time there, so we thought we should go back and see what’s on the menu. One of the things I like about Ray’s is that they are serving and supporting as much as possible seasonal, sustainable, organic, free-range, and local food.

A few words about the Pacific Northwest Cuisine, to those of you who are curious.

Pacific Northwest Cuisine refers mainly to the states of Washington and Oregon and its style of cooking is inspired by the cold and rainy weather and waters and of this corner of the continent. The Northwest offers an abundance of fresh seafood, including salmon, Dungeness crab, trout, scallops, mussels, clams, and oysters, and is famous for produce like apples (Washington produce about half the nation’s supply), berries, pears, grapes, and let’s not forget coffee (Seattle started the coffee obsession that has spread to the rest of the country).

A typical menu will include fresh local ingredients such as fresh seafood, herbs, wild mushrooms (thank you, rain), fruits – especially berries, as well as wine. The preparation methods emphasis simplicity with Asian and Native American culinary influences. For example, some restaurants plank roast salmon (using a board of cedar or alder wood) in the tradition of several Native American tribes of the region.

I asked Lori, Ray’s PR, about the Asian influence on the cuisine, and she explained it this way:

“the proximity to Japan (geographically we are part of the Pacific Rim) and the large influx/influence of Asian immigrants in this region have played a major role in shaping Northwest cuisine… Certainly our owners made a conscious decision to honor this influence while sourcing the bounty of products available from Northwest farms and waters”.

So what was on our plates?

The Dinner at Ray’s Boathouse

We arrived around 7 pm. It was already very dark so although we had a table with a view to the water, we were able to mainly see the reflection of the restaurant in the window. I advise that you go earlier to be able to enjoy the water view. How about sunset?

We started with a cocktail, Doug Fir Drop. Made of Douglas Fir eau de vie, vodka, lemon, and lime. The Husband (TH) says it’s not a girls’ drink. A bit dry, sweet, lemony sour and pine-y as if you stuck your nose into a big tree.

Next, for appetizers TH ordered Heirloom Tomato Consommé with tarragon, saffron, and Dungeness crab. It was lovely. Light, perfectly clear, and teasing for more. I had Slow Roasted Skagit River Ranch Organic Pork Belly which was served with sweet and perfectly cooked Alaskan scallop ‘larded’ with vanilla bean, very fresh watercress (as if it was picked only seconds ago), and an orange vinaigrette that lifted this dish from heavier to a lighter appetizer.

I totally forgot to take photos of the appetizers. I never take photos of food in restaurants. And this is my first time writing a review about a restaurant. I’ll tell ya, it’s work! It’s one thing to eat out and discuss the food with your family/friends, and a completely different experience when you are going to write/report about it and post it so other people can read it.

Next, the entrees.

TH had Seared White Golf Prawns served with red potatoes, prosciutto, mustard greens, and walnut-miso sauce piled in a tall stack. Although a seafood entree, it would satisfy every steak addict who usually refuse to give up their hunk of meat. A very hearty dish.

TH chose a Chardonnay from Chinook winery at Yakima Valley, WA to drink with it.

I ordered Dungeness Crab Cakes with green papaya-carrot salad, jasmine rice,
green curry remoulade. The crab cakes were perfect, crispy on the outside and a bit spicy. The green curry remoulade was spicy and creamy and complementing the cakes. As for the side dishes, I did not like them as much. While the carrots had a nice spicy flavor, the raw papaya strips were somewhat bitter and gummy, with a hint of anis flavor – which you might like or not – but the rice was plain and boring.

I could not make up my mind about wine – white or red – after the cocktail and asked our knowledgeable and friendly waiter for advice. He recommended a Pinot Gris from Milbrandt Vineyards at Columbia Valley, WA.

Moving on to desserts, TH had Sour Cherry Almond Cake with toasted almond ice cream, sour cherry coulis. This was a light cake with a fluffy vanilla frosting, and perfectly toasted almonds.

I ordered a Strawberry-Rhubarb Tart with ricotta and cream cheese filling, served with vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis. I thought it was an OK dessert, but was mainly disappointed by the soggy tart dough. The ice cream was excellent! Real vanilla flavor.

Overall, it was a wonderful dinner. I would definitely go back again, only next time we will go earlier while there’s still light to enjoy the beautiful views (during summer it can be as late as 9 pm), and bring the kids. Where else can one find Grilled Salmon, Dungeness Crab Cake, or Steamed Clams on the kids’ menu?

A Recipe from Ray’s cookbook

It was hard to pick only one recipe from this cookbook. Everything looks so good. But I chose the one that symbolizes more than anything the big ordeal people here make about salmon. It features Copper River Salmonwhich is considered to be The King of Kings. I have cooked this pricy fish once at home and was… speechless. It was so surprisingly soft and buttery and melt-in-your-mouth fish. I’ve never had anything like it before, never ever.

This is something you must try at least once in your life. I said bye-bye to $24 and bought a pound of fillet, cooked it simply, and was heaven on earth. (It can cost even more, up to $40/lb. and some say even $70, unless you want to buy a whole fish for less $$). To read more about this fish, click here.

Grilled Copper River King Salmon with Pinot Noir sauce

Slightly modified and copied with permission from Ray’s Boathouse cookbook
Makes 4 servings

4 6-ounce Copper River king salmon fillets
Olive oil
Pinot Noir sauce
12 blackberries

Prepare mesquite or charcoal coals. Baste flash side of fillets with olive oil and place flesh side down on grill (it’s not in the recipe but I know I could not resist to sprinkle a little bit of salt – N.). When marked, turn fish 90 degrees to achieve a crisscross look. Baste skin side with olive oil and turn over. Cook just until the translucency is leaving the center of the thickest part of the fillet. Total grilling time is approximately 10 minutes, depending on thickness of fish.

Place on plates and drizzle with Pinot Noir sauce and garnish with blackberries. Serve immediately.

For Pinot Noir sauce:
Yield 1 cup

1 cup pinot Noir
6 blackberries
1 shallot, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme
½ cup fish stock or chicken broth
¼ cup heavy cream
½ pound unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine wine, blackberries, shallots, thyme, and stock and reduce, stirring, until sauce is thin and glossy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Be careful not to scorch. Add cream and reduce by half, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Slowly whisk in butter one piece at a time until thoroughly incorporated. Do not boil or sauce will separate. After all the butter has been added, immediately strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove solids. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Previously on Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: 5 Stars Dinner at Home… But Will the Kids Eat It?

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook
Makes 4-6 servings

Kosher salt
1 box linguine
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons good olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 lemon, zest grated
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
¼ lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds, optional
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, optional
Freshly grated parmesan for serving, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, salt, and pepper and sauté until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often.

Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve with parmesan.

Enjoy,
Nurit

Hey, I just realized that this blog exists for almost 4 months and I still haven’t given you a single salmon recipe! How could that be?

Salmon are now “in season”. Meaning, they are swimming back to their home here at the local lakes, rivers, streams, and creeks. We went to see them during Issaquah Salmon Days Festival 2008. The salmon were dying while we were dining and having fun. What a life.

The first time I saw the salmon return from their exhausting journey at sea, to swim against the current, spawn in Issaquah Creek, and then die, was about 8 years ago. I thought that salmon have such a tragic life, and what a magnificent fish it is. I vowed to never ever eat salmon again. But they are just too good to say “No” to.

So anyway, it is time for a salmon recipe, and what better recipe to give you than by a local celebrity chef, who appeared on Iron Chef America and won against the legendary and almost invincible Iron Chef Japanese, Masaharu Morimoto? Do you know who I am talking about? Of course, it’s Tom Douglas.

This recipe is adapted from his cookbook Tom’s Big Dinners by Tom Douglas

Salmon with sweet fennel butter
Makes 4 servings

1 ½ – 2 lb. salmon fillets, cut to 4 portions
½ stick unsalted butter, softened/room temp.
1 teaspoon fresh fennel fronds (or dill), chopped
½ tablespoon orange juice
½ teaspoon orange zest
½ teaspoon honey
Salt and ground pepper

Reheat broiler and place the oven rack about 7 inches from the heat element (or broil in a toaster oven).
Season salmon with salt, fresh ground black pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on both sides.
Mash all the other ingredients together in a bowl to make the flavored butter.
Cook salmon under the broiler about 7-10 minutes until nicely browned on top.
Serve each fillet with a tablespoon of flavored butter.

Side dishes: I’m considering zucchini pancakes, roasted potatoes with whole grain mustard, and/or roasted fennel. Will see how it goes…

Enjoy your salmon,
Nurit

Tuesday, 8 PM:
I ended up making the Zucchini Pancakes and mustard roasted potatoes for side dishes from the “Barefoot Contessa At Home Everyday Recipes You’Ll Make Over And Over Again” cookbook.

Very delicious!