Slammin’ Salmon ala KC

I’m a little opinionated when it comes to salmon. Shocking, I know. In my book, salmon from the Pacific is the only one I wanna eat. Screw that Atlantic garbage. I said I was opinionated.

I buy fresh and frozen salmon. Both taste wonderful. Provided they come from the west coast.

If you think you don’t like salmon, try this recipe. If cooking fish at home is daunting, try this recipe. It is easy and delicious. Comes together in minutes and cooks under the broiler. Here it is:

 

Pacific salmon fillet or fillets (I like tail pieces). Defrosted in refrigerator if frozen.

Brown sugar

Paprika (I like Spanish pimenton, it is smoky)

Dried thyme

Coarse salt (I use kosher)

 

Line a small sheet pan or baking tray with foil or parchment. If using foil, oil it a little so the fish doesn’t stick.

In a small dish combine brown sugar, paprika/pimenton, thyme and salt. Use your taste buds to measure. That being said, it is easy to go overboard on thyme, so my advice is to be judicious. You can always add more. This rub is good on other meats as well, especially ribs.

Lay salmon fillet skin side down on the prepared baking dish. Use your hands to rub the spice mixture all over the flesh. It should be nice and covered but not too thick. The spice mixture will create a wonderful glaze as it cooks.

Put fish under the broiler. In my oven, this usually cooks within 8-12 minutes depending how thick the fillet is. I prefer my fish cooked through, which means it flakes easily with a fork, but is not wobbly at all.

Delicious with risotto and roasted vegetables. This is one of my favorite meals.

 

Hot Salad

I love salad. The crunch, the colors, the unbridled creativity involved in making plants reach their amazing potential. A big plate of vegetables also makes me feel good inside. Nourished. But in the colder months? Salad is not so appealing. I want something to warm me up! While soup often stands in for salads for me when I want something veg-heavy, there are times when I want to eat something with a fork instead.

Enter the concept of the hot salad. I first saw this idea on TikTok and was captivated by the thought of making a warm salad. And I don’t mean the 1980s version of the “wilted” spinach salad or the more recent travesty of the grilled romaine salad (yuck). I mean an honest to god salad, but, you know, heated up so it’s not cold anymore.

The naysayers will say this is really just a “bowl” or a side dish of roasted vegetables in disguise, but so what? I like the idea of giving boring old salad an upgrade. Making it spicier and sexier, making it “hot”.

This is less a recipe and more of a method, so give it a try, freely substituting for your tastes. I found the following combination incredibly satisfying, even on a wintry day.

hot salad

 

Kale, chopped and tough stems removed

White onion, sliced

Bell pepper (whichever color you like), sliced

Beans of choice, cooked or canned and drained (I used cannellini here)

Neutral oil

Smoked paprika

Garlic pepper

Tarragon or other dried herb of choice

Quinoa, cooked in broth

Chili oil

Lemon juice and zest

Salt and pepper

 

Cook quinoa as per package directions substituting broth for water.

Drain and spread out on a lined sheet pan to cool and dry while oven heats to 350 degrees. Toss cooled quinoa in a judicious amount of hot chili oil and spread back out on lined pan. Cook in oven until browned and crisp, stirring occasionally.

crunchy quinoa, crisped in the oven

Remove cooked quinoa from oven, set aside and crank the heat up to 400 degrees.

 

In a big bowl, combine vegetables and beans, coat with oil and sprinkle liberally with herbs and spices.

Spread veg mix out on a sheet pan and set bowl aside (we will use it again). Roast veg mix in the oven until everything is tender and the kale leaves have some color and crunch.

In same big bowl, combine veg mix and the zest and juice of one lemon, toss and taste for salt and pepper.

Serve in bowls and add crunchy quinoa.

This is pretty healthy and satisfying all on its own, but a runny egg on top takes it to the next level.