The Anti-Chicken Fingers Movement - Ginger-Scallion Salmon

Yes, I'm on an Asian-style cooking kick!

Ginger-Scallion Salmon Ingredients
Cucumber Salad:
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
2 cucumbers, halved, seeded, and cut into very thin slices

Ginger Crust:
1/3 cup minced fresh ginger root
4 green onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup peanut oil

Salmon:
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 (8 ounce) center-cut salmon fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons honey

Ponzu Butter:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons ponzu sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Kosher salt to taste

Directions

To make the cucumber salad, stir together sesame oil, dill, rice vinegar, mirin, and sesame seeds in a glass or plastic bowl; add cucumber, and toss until well coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
To prepare the ginger crust, stir together the ginger, green onions, and garlic in a sturdy, metal bowl; set aside. Heat 1/4 cup peanut oil in a small saucepan over high heat until it begins to smoke. Remove from heat, and carefully stir in the ginger mixture; set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large, ovenproof, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season salmon fillets to taste with salt and pepper. Sear salmon until golden brown on both sides, 30 to 40 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate, and wipe excess oil from skillet. Spread honey over top of fillets, then evenly spread with reserved ginger crust.
Replace salmon into the skillet, and place into the oven. Bake until the center of the salmon turns opaque, 6 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir in shallots, and cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Pour in white wine, then simmer until nearly evaporated. Add the ponzu sauce and heavy cream, reduce by 1/2. Remove from heat, then whisk in cold butter pieces until dissolved; season to taste with kosher salt.
To assemble the dish, season the cucumber salad to taste with salt. Divide the salad evenly onto four plates, spreading it out into a 4 to 5-inch circle. Drizzle the ponzu butter onto the bare area of the plate, around the cucumber salad. Place a salmon fillet, crust-side up, on top of the salad, and serve.

Buon Appetito! Leah

The Anti-Chicken Fingers Movement ~ Chicken Pomodoro

I made this meal at a little dinner party I had saturday with friends....and it was absolutely delightful.  I served w/garlic mashed red potatoes (recipe below) and salad.  Enjoy!


Ingredients:

3 Chicken Breasts, sliced in two pieces/in half so they are thinner. 

2 TBS olive oil

1/4 cup white cooking wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 TBS fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped

2-4 TBS heavy cream (I did use heavy but I think you could use FF 1/2 & 1/2 or light and it would be great)

1/3 cup scallions, mincedsalt and pepper to taste

flour for dredging

2 cloves fresh garlic

For Garlic Red Mashed Potatoes:

8 Red Potatoes, sliced w/skin ON

3-5 TBL Smart Balance Butter

3 TBL of Sour Cream
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Season cutlets with salt and pepper. You can pound the chicken to make it thinner...it will cook much faster, as well.

2. Dredge in flour shaking off excess.

3. Add oil to skillet and saute chicken for a couple of minutes on each side.

4. Transfer to a platter and pour off fat(if any).

5. Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup wine(or chicken stock). Cook for about 2 minutes.

6. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock and lemon juice....you can add some garlic if you like(purely optional).

7. Return chicken cutlets to pan and cook for one minute on each side.

8. Remove the chicken and place on a warm serving platter.

9. To the skillet and sauce add the tomatoes, garlic and cream. Make sure your heat is on low and just heat through for about a minute or so. You don't want the cream to boil.  If you are low on the juices from earlier mixture, add a bit more wine/chicken broth as neccesary.

10. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with scallions. 

For Garlic Mashed Potatoes:

Boil potatoes until completely cooked, mix w/electric mixer & ingredients (don't over mix!)

Serve w/Salad!  Happy eating friends!

The Anti-Chicken Fingers Movement~ Spinach Strawberry Salad

I've never really been one to order fruit with my salad..  However - at a dinner party about a year ago a friend made me try her spinach salad with cranberries on it....and I loved it.  Although this doesn't necessarily account a a full meal, it's a great side to a light dish such as chicken or pork.  It's also fabulous for a something quick you can throw together.

Ingredients

• 6 oz (approx 6 cups) baby spinach leaves
• 1 pint (approx. 16 medium-size) fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered or sliced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3-4 tablespoons poppy seed dressing (see below instructions)
• 1/2 cup candied pecan pieces (you can buy these at the store or use just regular pecans)

Directions

In large bowl, toss spinach, strawberries, onion, and cheese with dressing. Sprinkle candy pecan pieces on top just before serving (so they remain crisp).

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup grated/minced red onion (half of a small onion)
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, to taste (you can substitute 1/2 truvia & 1/2 sugar for less sugar)
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup canola oil (yes, I splurged and used this)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds

3 EASY WAYS TO MIX THE DRESSING:
--Mince the onion. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard, & salt to the blender or food processor and mix until combined. Add the oils. Blend until well mixed (this is important!). Add poppy seeds and pulse just until mixed.
--In a bowl. Whisk together vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, minced onion, and poppy seeds until well combined. Continue whisking while adding the oils in a thin stream. Keep whisking until well combined.
--In a jar. Add everything except the 2 oils to the jar. Cover and shake to combine. Add 2 oils and shake vigorously until well combined.

If too thick, may be thinned by whisking in water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.