Asparagus and Salmon Salad

Asparagus and Salmon Salad

One of the best flavor combos ever comes together in this fresh salad. Drizzled with a Hollandaise-like dressing it's a great salad for a warm spring or early summer evening when asparagus is at its peak. Poaching salmon is the simplest way to go, but grilling is also a delicious alternative in warmer months.

Asparagus and Salmon Salad
Printable Recipe
Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets, 4 ounces each
1 pound asparagus stalks
1 pound mixed Spring greens
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Poach salmon fillets in simmering water or stock (enough to submerge fish in) until done, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from liquid with a slotted spoon and keep covered in refrigerator until needed.
2. Rinse asparagus and gather together with rubber bands at top and bottom of stalks. Remove woody ends with a knife. Set upright in 2 inches of simmering water and cook, covered, for 2-4 minutes or until bright green and tender. Remove from water and cool.
3. Cut asparagus into 4-inch spears and save ends for another use.
4. Divide greens between 4 large plates. Top each with a salmon fillet and 4-6 asparagus spears. Drizzle with dressing.
5. To make dressing, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice. Dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Stir until smooth.

Royal Foodie Joust Entry: Braised Fennel and Salmon with Cream Sauce

The ingredients for this month are: fennel, parsley and dairy. This is what I decided to do with those.

Braised Fennel and Salmon with Cream Sauce
Printable Recipe

2 salmon steaks or fillet cuts
1 bulb fresh fennel with top
3 cups chicken or seafood stock
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1 bunch parsley stems
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
chopped fresh parsley and fennel top

1. Combine stock, parsley stems, fennel seed and several lengths of fennel top (the frilly stuff) and simmer for 15 minutes.Strain stock and put 1 cup back into pan.

2.Slice fennel bulb in half vertically and remove hard center. Slice thinly across the leaves and add to stock. Simmer until tender - about 8-10 minutes.

3. Remove fennel from stock and keep warm. Strain stock and add reserved stock.

4. Add salmon and simmer until salmon flakes easily with a fork - about 10 minutes. Keep warm.

5. Strain stock one last time and put back into pan. Simmer until reduced by half.

6. Add cream and continue reducing until thickened. Add butter and whisk to combine.

7. Serve with salmon over fennel and topped with cream. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and fennel top.

Sunday Dinner - Mother's Day

This isn't dinner, but it's what will be on my table today. I made two lovely Salmon and Asparagus Quiche that will be served with a loaf of round French bread, tapenade (of course), goat's cheese, artichoke hearts and my favorite lemonade, followed by Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries, sliced cantaloupe and grapes. If I'm feeling generous, I'll share it with my family .

Salmon and Asparagus Quiche
Makes two 9" deep dish quiche
Printable Recipe

6 large eggs
1 c heavy cream
1 c milk
2 cloves garlic-minced
2 T fresh snipped dill
2 c asparagus cuts-cooked and drained
4 oz smoked salmon-flaked or 1 c fresh cooked-flaked
2 c grated Swiss or other cheese
two 9" deep dish pie shells

Bake pie shells until lightly browned in a 400 degree F oven. Turn heat down to 350.
Blend eggs, cream, milk, garlic, and dill together until well combined (I used the blender for 2 minutes). Divide the salmon, asparagus and cheese between the shells. Pour the egg mixture over all. Bake until puffy and lightly browned and eggs are set, about 35-40 minutes.
The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Is The Hand That Rules The World

Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow--
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky--
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
William Ross Wallace
Happy Mother's Day to all my mommy friends!

Salmon Napoleons

I got around to making the Napoleons I mentioned in the Ready, Set, Cook! recipes this week. There is a little difference in these; there was NO WAY I was going to pay $6.50 for 4 oz of smoked salmon (that's $26 a pound!). Not this week at least.

So, using canned (I know-wet noodle lashing coming up) I went ahead and made them. They turned out well and tasted great. I would still recommend using smoked salmon if you can afford it; the flavor is just better against the subdued flavor of the cream cheese.

I didn't write out a full recipe, but this is what I did;

Using one sheet of puff pastry, separate into thirds on folds. Cut each third into three squares. Bake as directed on package. Separate into halves when they are done and cool completely.

Cream 4 oz neufchatel cheese with a mixer. Turn speed up to high and add 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a thin stream until fluffy. Fold in 1 T each fresh dill and sliced green onion. Fold in 1 clove minced garlic.

Spread a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on the bottom half of each puff pastry square. Top with salmon-smoked or otherwise, enough to cover the cream cheese. Top with the remaining pastry squares. Serve at room temp for best flavor.

The one in the photo was the first one-I was assembling it in the classic Napoleon style. Three layers of pastry was too much, though so the rest were done with a single top and bottom.

R,S,C #23 Recipes

Here are the submissions for this week's R,S,C! I'm hoping to be invited to dinner soon. Enjoy!

From Ian at The Gallumphing Gourmand using maple, pork AND chocolate!:

Maple-Glazed Pork Roast with Raisins, Pine Nuts and Chocolate
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time over 2 hours

2 tbsp olive oil
2 kg (4 lbs) pork shoulder roast
2 medium onions, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3/4 C red wine
3/4 C chicken stock
1/2 C maple syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 C red wine vinegar
1/4 C sugar
2 tbsp dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 C raisins
1/4 C pine nuts, toasted on a dry pan, or hot oven until golden for three
minutes.
Enough rice for 6 people

Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Place a large saucepan, or dutch oven on high heat.
When very hot add the olive oil and brown the roast on all sides. Remove
the roast from the pot and set aside.
Add the onion and stir on heat for a minute until the onion is slightly
golden. Add the roast back into the pot, then add the sliced carrot, red wine,
chicken stock and maple syrup, and bring to the boil.
Season with salt and pepper, cover, and place in the pre-heated oven.
Cook for 2 - 2.5 hours, until the meat is tender and falling apart, basting
every 20-30 minutes. Make sure the liquid does not completely boil away,
adding some more chicken stock or wine if necessary. While the meat is cooking, place the red wine vinegar and the sugar in a small saucepan, stir till the sugar dissolves and then boil for two minutes. Add the chopped chocolate, stir it, add the raisins and then set aside to allow the raisins to plump up in the liquid.
When the meat is cooked, shred with two forks and add the chocolate and
vinegar mixture and the toasted pine nuts.
Serve with rice.

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From Truth at Piece of the Puzzle using seasoned tomatoes (and OLIVES! They aren't on the list, but I love them):

Chicken with Tomatoes and Green Olives
Printable Recipe

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts Cut up
1/4 cup olive oil + 2 TBS
1/2 cup white wine
2 cloves garlic
1 cup chicken broth
1 14.5 oz. can Hunt's Diced tomatoes w/balsamic vinegar, basil, & oil
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 TBS lemon juice
3 oz. jar green salad olives

Saute chicken in olive oil until golden brown. (I add a little salt and pepper.) Add garlic and saute a minute longer. Add wine, tomatoes and chicken broth. Simmer 45 minutes. Saute mushrooms in 2 TBS oil or butter in a separate pan. Add lemon juice and olives. Combine all ingredients. Serve over rice. (I like the wild rice/brown rice combination.) This is a recipe that I have made. My husband loves green olives.

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My own recipe using salmon and seasoned tomatoes:

Smoked Salmon Bruschetta
4 Servings
Printable Recipe

1 15 oz can Italian style seasoned tomatoes , drained
1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 pound thinly sliced smoked salmon
French baguette sliced lengthwise and again into 6" lengths making 4 pieces
fresh garlic clove, cut in half

Sautee onion and pepper in olive oil until translucent. Add tomatoes and lime juice and heat through. Cool to room temperature.

Rub the baguette lengths with the garlic cloves (discard or keep for another recipe) and toast under a broiler until golden-turn if desired.

Lay slices of salmon on each toast and top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with a *chiffonade of basil.


*Chiffonade ~Lettuces, sorrel, basil leaves and other leafy vegetables cut into julienne strips.