Tomato Salmon Foil Packets for Two

The only fish I ate growing up came in a can and can also be referred to as chicken of the sea.  Unless you're Jessica Simpson then you know I'm talking about tuna.  My mom did pretty much all of the cooking and since she doesn't like fish, we never ate fish.

When I was in high school I worked as a waitress for a couple of years at a restaurant with a Friday night fish fry.  If you're from Wisconsin, you know what I'm talking about.  If you're not, then you're missing out.  Trying bites of my coworkers fried cod was the start of a very gradual transformation to my taste buds pleasure.

The big bang came when I studied abroad in Spain for a summer and lived with a host family.  When you live with a host family you eat what they eat, and the Spaniards sure do love their fish.  Much to my pleasure (and relief) I found that I enjoyed eating fish, even when it wasn't battered and fried in beer.

I became a fish eating machine, eating the fish whose names I never understood that were put on my plate.  I chowed down on pan fried fish.  Fish off the bone.  A fish that was good for stomach aches.  Sardines (I'm 90% sure that's what those little guys were at least).  And even fish that still had eyes!  While I still haven't adventured full on into the world of seafood, I'm definitely on my way.

Thanks to the masterful cooking and kind urging of Badger Kitchen's good friend Emily, I have discovered a new found love of salmon!  This salmon recipe is perfect for a fish cooking newbie like myself.

The fish stays super moist and juicy since each fillet is cooked enclosed in it's own foil packet.  Once you cut into the salmon it practically falls apart.  The olive oil and spices add flavor to the salmon and are complimented nicely by the tomato and oniony shallot.  I enjoy serving it with a side of vegetables and a chunk of bread to soak up the juices for a healthy, balanced and filling meal.

Hope you enjoy!
Kelsey

Recipe adapted from Food Network.

Ingredients:

• 2 (5oz.) salmon fillets
• 1 teaspoon olive oil plus 1 tablespoon
• Freshly ground salt and pepper
• 7 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• aluminum foil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine diced tomatoes, shallot, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
3. Massage 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and pepper onto salmon fillets.  Place fillets oil side down on individual foil pieces.
4. Spoon tomato mixture onto salmon fillets until they are fully covered.  
5. Fold the sides of the foil so the fillets are fully covered and fold it so that it's sealed.
6. Place foil packets on a baking sheet.  Cook for 25 minutes or until fish is just cooked through.
7. Transfer from foil packets to plates and enjoy!

If you like this recipe, you may also like:

• Farro Salad with Smoked Trout
• Tuna Noodle Casserole
• Skillet Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna noodle casserole was one of those meals that was in the regular rotation growing up.  It came up quite frequently during the Lenten season.  The only fish our family ever ate was canned tuna, so Fridays usually alternated between cheese pizza and tuna noodle casserole. (I'm doing my best now to try different kinds of fish and seafood!)

I decided to make this on Ash Wednesday so that I would have leftovers to enjoy on Friday as well.    Mom never really used exact measurements when making this dish, so those I've listed are estimates, feel free to use more or less.  Personally, my favorite part is when you get a piece of green olive in a bite, so I like to add lots of those!

Ingredients

• 1 (12 oz) package whole wheat egg noodles
• 2 (5 oz) cans tuna (or 1 large can)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup green olives, quartered
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Whole wheat bread crumbs

Directions

1. Prepare noodles according to directions on package.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a casserole dish (or 9x13 inch Pyrex dish like I use since I don't have a casserole dish) mix together all ingredients except for whole wheat bread crumbs.
4. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top of dish.
5. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until dish is warm throughout.

Shrimp Curry with Potatoes and Cauliflower

I struggled making this dish, none the less it turned out splendidly. I had nothing prepped resulting in some timing issues. None the less, it got Ladders, my roommate, seal of approval even with all my cursing at the food! I take it as a huge compliment when she tries something, she thinks she may not like and I prove her wrong. I have the affect in the kitchen. I had made curry once before and I didn't like it, but curry always sounds so scrumptious. This turned out to be a keeper, for both Ladders and I.

This dish should take you about 30 minutes, 40 minutes, if you are slow like me to make. I used Penzey's sweet curry powder and decided to give it a little heat with red pepper flakes. I like this curry too because it does not use coconut milk, something I don't use often unlike yogurt. You can substitute the shrimp with tofu or chicken. This was an insanely easy weeknight meal served with brown rice. There is a lot of flexibility with the recipe too, enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 pound extra-large shrimp
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on the curry you use)
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 a head of cauliflower florets (2 cups)
1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions:

1. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium pot or 12-inch non-stick skillet, with a lid, over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook on each side for 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a clean bowl and set aside.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot, heating over medium heat. Add the onion, curry powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook, 30 seconds.
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the chicken broth and cornstarch together to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the mixture to the pot. Add potatoes and cauliflower. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 7 to 10 minutes. 
4. Add the shrimp and peas to the pot, returning it to a brief simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in yogurt and cilantro. Season with slat and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Farro Salad with Smoked Trout

I have a habit of stealing my mom's cooking magazines when I go home to visit. I have given in an gotten my own subscriptions now, except for Food and Wine. Flipping through, I came across several recipes that caught my eye. This was one of them! It is even better after it sits for awhile or even the next day.

This would make a wonderful recipe in the summer too, with fresh beets, greens and trout from the market! I made some small changes for things I didn't have. I only had fresh rosemary, if you don't I would suggest using 1/4 teaspoon dried. I increased the number of beets, because I love them! This would also be good with some goat cheese mixed in, but I did not have any on hand. Don't be daunted by how long the ingredient list looks, it is very easy to make. The active cooking time was about 20 to 30 minutes. If you make it ahead for guests, don't add the greens or trout until or they may become too moist.

Adapted from Food and Wine
Ingredients:
3-5 small beets, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 thyme springs or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 rosemary spring or 1/4 teaspoon dried
Kosher salt
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups semi-pearled farro (8 ounces)
1/2 small red onion or 1 large shallot
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
8 ounces skinless smoked trout fillet, flaked
1/2 pound beet greens, swiss chard, arugula or spinach (1 cup)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Placing the beets on a long sheet of tinfoil, drizzle the beets with olive oil, salt and pepper and wrap them up to make a packet. Put the tinfoil packet on the oven rack, cooking for an hour to an hour and half or until fork tender.
2. While the beets cook, in a medium saucepan, combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (if using table salt, use less), and bring it to a boil. Add the farro and reduce to a simmer over medium heat until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well and discard the garlic and herb stems. Let cool to room temperature. 
3. In a small bowl, combine the onion, lemon juice and honey. Gradually whisk in the 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. In serving bowl, combine the farro, beets, trout and greens, tossing to combine. Season with salt and pepper. If you let it sit for awhile, the flavors start to develop more. Enjoy!