Sesame Night: Sesame-Crusted Salmon with Green Beans

If tonight were a super-amateur, no-time-limit episode of Chopped, the subtitle would be "Open Sesame"...  and that pretty much gives away what the not-so-secret ingredient was.  I gave myself a pass through the appetizer round, and never made it to dessert - does that mean I chopped myself?!  In any case, here's tonight's main course:

Sesame-Crusted Salmon (via ATK)

2 salmon fillets - skinless (didn't notice until now :/ )
1/4 c sesame seeds (or more...)
2 scallions
1/2 lemon, zest & juice
2 tsp tahini
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
cayenne pepper
oil, salt & pepper

Make a brine: 1 quart of water, 2 tbsp salt.  Soak your sesame seeds in just enough brine, salmon in the rest.  After 5 minutes, drain and toast your sesame seeds in a skillet until golden brown.

Mince the scallion whites, combine with lemon zest, and mix in with the lemon juice, tahini, ginger, and a sprinkle of cayenne and salt.  Coat the bottom of your salmon in the paste, then coat in seeds, then do the same with the other side.  Heat some oil in your (wiped) skillet and cook your salmon skinned side up until seeds start to brown, then turn off heat, flip salmon, and pop in the oven at 325 for 10-15 minutes.  Sprinkle with scallion greens before eating.

Sesame Green Beans (via Reddit)

1/2 lb green beans, trimmed
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice (half a lemon?)
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sriracha
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
oil

Toss your green beans with some (neutral?) oil and roast at 450 for 10-15 minutes - should see some carmelization.  Mix the sauces, then toss in the beans.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Honey Coconut Salmon

A combination of a free evening, a packet of frozen salmon, and a recently-purchased bag of shredded coconut (a possibility for an upcoming CS-ORS bake-off) led me to this recipe:

Recipe

1 1/2 c butter
3/4 c honey
1/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c flaked coconut
4 salmon fillets (~4 oz each)

Melt your butter, then stir in the honey, brown sugar, and coconut.  Pour over your salmon and turn to coat, then marinate in the fridge for at least half an hour.

Preheat your oven to 375, spread some marinade over the bottom of your baking dish, place your salmon in there, and coat with more marinade.  Bake about 25 minutes, basting with marinade a few times.

Notes

A good recipe for a lot of flavor from not a lot of ingredients.  I was worried it would be overly sweet what with the honey and brown sugar etc., but the butter and (unsweetened!) coconut balances it out a bit.  It worked well for some freezer salmon fillets - if you have a high-quality piece you're probably better off doing something more discreet...  It's also a pretty large amount of marinade - you're fine scaling it back significantly.

Pesto Salmon Foil Bake

Fresh seafood may not be as accessible here in the heart of the US of A, but there are still some ways to get your fix.  With a few salmon fillets thawing in the fridge and the end of a package of pesto, the internet turned up this intriguing concept, from Jamie Oliver via here...

Recipe

2 salmon fillets
two handfuls green beans
grape tomatoes
pesto
a lemon
olive oil
salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 400.  Boil your green beans about 3 minutes, then drain and toss with some olive oil and salt & pepper.  Make nice little piles on two sheets of tin foil.  Salmon goes on top, spread on your pesto, and squeeze some lemon juice over.  Slice some grape tomatoes in half, toss with more olive oil, and they go on top.  Wrap up your foil and bake 20-25 minutes.

Notes

I'm not entirely sold on the difference the tin foil makes.  Other recipes basically just said put pesto on salmon and bake.  With the foil, it's hard to tell how done your salmon is, and then you have to unwrap everything while it's still hot and you're hungry...  But everything came out very tasty, with the flavors melding nicely.  So kind of fun, worth doing again!

Salmon Fra Diavolo

Salmon is great - there are a lot of great ways to cook it up, some simple and some more elaborate and impressive.  Here's the latest version:

Recipe

2 salmon fillets
1 onion, finely diced
1 tbsp anchovy paste (or 1 anchovy)
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c white wine
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 c minced peperoncinis
olive oil
salt & pepper

Rub the salmon with olive oil and season with salt & pepper, and start cooking in the oven at 400 degrees until just cooked through (15 minutes?).  Meanwhile, start some olive oil on high heat and caramelize the onions.  Add the anchovy, garlic, oregano, and red pepper, and cook a few minutes.  Add the white wine and reduce by at least half, then add tomatoes.  Simmer for a while until you're ready to serve.  Stir in the peperoncini and scoop over the salmon.

Notes

Although this one looks/sounds a little more upscale, it's not particularly difficult.  There's not a whole lot of prep, and even the lesser-used ingredients (anchovy, peperoncini) aren't too out there.  The timing is also a little strange - the stew should actually take significantly longer than the salmon.  You don't need to worry too much, though, since things don't need to be too finely-timed.  If the stew is done first, it can simmer longer, and the salmon can cool slightly if it's done first.  Tons of flavor!

I did my version over instant mashed potatoes (lazy/guilty pleasure); pasta should go nicely too!  Got distracted and no picture :(

Gravad Lax

Homemade gravlax!  As per the classic Scandinavian cookbook.

Recipe

1 lb salmon, cut into two fillets
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp crushed peppercorns
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped

Mix the salt, sugar, and pepper.  Lay the salmon out on a big piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil.  Top with dill and sprinkle generously with salt mixture.  Put one fillet on top of the other and wrap up securely.  (You might also want to put it in a plastic bag in case moisture leaks out.)  Place on a dish and weigh it down, for instance with a few cans of food.  Refrigerate for at least 48 hours, turning it a few times.  Once it's done, unwrap, scrape off the seasonings, slice thinly and serve!

The cookbook recommends "gravlaxsas" (sound it out!) as an accompaniment - essentially a mustard vinaigrette with more salt, sugar and dill.

Notes

A week-plus since by first trials of this (non-)cooking concept, and all test subjects (i.e., me) seem to have suffered no ill effects...  A bit of a relief, since I convinced myself in the meantime that it was a mistake to trust the Lake Placid Price Chopper's seafood counter, and my salmon had to sit in the car for the ride back plus another errand or two...  Maybe next time I'll make sure to hit a more upscale grocer and specify "sushi-grade"...

In any case, I used two six-ounce skinless fillets.  Rather than just season the top and press together, I made sure all sides were well-coated in salt mixture and dill.

I also did some outside research to make sure copy editors didn't leave out an important step like "cook for 30 minutes"...  There were actually some similar, more modern recipes online that are essentially the same in concept but explore variations in the ratio of salt to sugar or other seasonings like coriander, caraway, or fennel seed, or citrus zest, or aquavit.  But the key takeaway was that, yes, you can make your own gravlax for not-too-expensive!  (Pictures of what it should look like also helped reassure me.)  So full speed ahead with taste tests.

The results: it was really, really good.  The smooth salmon taste, with a healthy dose of salt and pepper.  So good.

Salmon en Cocotte

New tool in the kitchen arsenal: a (Martha-approved!) dutch oven.  There's a whole new set of recipes that have been waiting for this moment.  First one courtesy of Cooks Illustrated:

Recipe

1 1/2 to 2 lb skinless salmon fillet, divided into about 4 equally-sized portions, seasoned with salt & pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 ribs celery, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 c orange juice (I squeezed two oranges instead of using bottled OJ)
1 orange, peeled and segmented
2 tbsp butter
salt & pepper

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-low heat and saute the leek, thyme, and a pinch of salt, about 8-10 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, celery, and orange zest, cook briefly, and remove from heat.  Lay the salmon skin-side down, cover, and cook at 250 for about 25-30 minutes.  Remove the salmon, then stir the OJ into the leeks etc.  Simmer over medium-high for a couple minutes until thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter and orange slices,  Pour sauce over the salmon and serve/eat.

Notes

The salmon on its own is nothing special, just cooked on low heat with basic seasonings.  The sauce is incredible though.  It's sweet (orange) and savory (leek); the butter also adds some important richness.

This is actually the more elaborate version of the recipe.  The basic version has no orange, and white wine instead of OJ.

Sesame Salmon

This recipe from the folks at Wok Woks does not actually require a wok...

Recipe

1 lb salmon fillet(s)
1 tbsp gomasio salt
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 leek, shredded
2 carrots, shredded
1/4 lb snow peas, shredded
rice (optional)

Put the salmon in a (foil-lined) roasting pan and sprinkle with the salt, sesame seeds, and lime juice.  Bake for about 20 minutes at 425 degrees.  Meanwhile, shred and toss together the vegetables.  Serve the salmon and veggies together, with rice if you want, with the pan juices poured over the top.

Notes

The salmon is simple enough.  I don't have fancy gomasio salt, so just went for regular salt with some sesame oil for the flavor.  The recipe specifies skinless salmon, but whatever.  Anyway, the veggies are a nice touch though, as much as I'm not familiar with leeks.  After one attempt, I think it makes the most sense to grate the carrot and process the leek and snow peas.  All in all a good dinner.

Cider-Glazed Salmon

Salmon is one of the best ways to fill your seafood quota for a week.  This recipe isn't my favorite, or the easiest, but it's a good change-up if you're looking for a sweeter preparation.

Recipe

4 skinless salmon filets
1/2 c apple cider
1 1/4 tbsp honey
lemons, halved
12 oz baby spinach
1 1/2 tbsp white wine
olive oil, salt, pepper

1. Boil the honey and cider in a skillet and reduce by half.  Put the salmon in a baking dish, pour the cider glaze over, and let sit 10 minutes.
2. Heat a tsp of olive oil in an oven-safe skillet, and put in the salmon, sprinkle with salt & pepper, brush on half the glaze, and cook a few minutes.  You want it a bit caramelized...  Turn and glaze with the rest of the sauce, add the lemon halves, and put it in the oven at 350 degrees.  Cook it there 6-8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt a tbsp or two of butter in a skillet (potentially the same one as the first step).  Start to wilt the spinach and sprinkle with salt & pepper, then add the white wine.  Cook until tender.
4. Serve the spinach with the salmon on top and lemon as garnish.

Notes

The recipe uses a few too many dishes and pans for my liking, although three for a full meal (including veggies) isn't too unreasonable.  I found it sweet but lacking a little bit of, I dunno, variety of some kind.  So worthwhile to try, but not the best I've made or had.

Broiled Salmon with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Coming to you from the domestic goddess who is Gwyneth Paltrow, I present the greatest way to cook salmon EVER...(pic coming soon!!)

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
3 tbsp honey
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated ginger
2 sprigs fresh cilantro
4 6 oz. salmon fillets, skin discarded
1 tbsp finely minced fresh chives

Combine the soy sauce, mirin, honey, water, ginger and cilantro in a small saucepan over high heat. Once it boils, turn heat to low and let simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove saucepan from heat and let sauce cool down.  Once it's cool, pour into large bowl or plastic bag and add salmon.  Marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, up to overnight.

When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler.  Put the salmon on a heavy baking sheet with whatever sauce adheres to it and broil until cooked to your liking, around 10 minutes.  While it's cooking, put extra sauce into clean saucepan, bring to a boil and let it reduce.  To serve, drizzle the salmon with the extra sauce and sprinkle some chives on top.

NOTES:  I am lazy--therefore I buy jars of pre-grated ginger.  I'm a fan of really seeing and tasting the ginger in each bite, so I probably double the amount.  I always forget the cilantro and I don't think the dish suffers for it.  The chives are, in my opinion, more necessary.  I cannot express how good this sauce is--as it cooks is gets all caramelized and gooey (makes pan cleanup a B*TCH if you cook it too long FYI) I want to try it on chicken and eggplant soon...

Lemon Rosemary Salmon

Salmon is one of those pieces of meat that's worth trying a few different ways to figure out what works best for you (and your pescatarian friends).  This recipe is a pretty simple way to do it, relying on just a few hard-working seasonings - butter, lemon, salt, rosemary (I just use both separately, no making special salt in advance for me).

The Recipe

about 1 lb salmon fillets
1 lemon
rosemary, salt, butter

Place pats of butter on a baking dish with the salmon on top.  Sprinkle with salt and rosemary, put more pats of butter and slices of lemon on top.  Broil for 15 minutes* or until done.

Notes

* I just don't get the recipe's broiling instructions.  A low broil took *way* more than 10-15 minutes (unless you're going for lemon rosemary sushi).  Maybe they meant high?  In any case, something to be aware of if you try it out.

Here's a nice piece of salmon with maple-mustard beans, a very tangy/acidic preparation...

Blackened Salmon

This recipe comes from (paleo-friendly) Health-Bent.  The couple of different parts (requiring their own dishes) are all necessary, but it doesn't use many out-of-the-ordinary ingredients.  It's a good one for when you have some time for a more elaborate, hands-on salmon preparation.

Recipe

4 salmon fillets

Seasoning
3 tsp paprika
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper

Gravy
4-6 slices bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup stock
1/2 lemon, juiced (optional)

Start with the gravy.  Cook up the bacon, then the onion and garlic; you can either add in the second set of ingredients if you're confident, or set aside the bacon while the onion and garlic go.  Then everything goes in with the stock and tomatoes.

While that's simmering, skin the salmon and rub the spice mixture into both sides.  Get some oil hot in a skillet and cook the salmon maybe five minutes each side.

Outcome

For once, I basically played this one as written with no real substitutions: salmon skinned and coated with paprika, cayenne, thyme, etc., with a bacon tomato sauce.  Cooking for myself, I about halved the salmon portion but left the sauce the same except for adding zucchini for some summer-seasonal veggies.

I was skeptical even after the first couple of tentative bites from the outside of the filets.  Could the salmon really have been cooked through without burning the outside?  In short, yes.  Doneness is tricky to judge, but the spiced outside is almost a crispy, tangy crust, while the inside of the thicker filet especially was nicely rich and juicy.  The tomato sauce is pretty simple, but a necessary element to bring some extra moisture.

The one minor disappointment was the spice mix, which was a little bit underwhelming.  Maybe in the future I'd use smoked paprika, or more cayenne pepper for an extra kick?