Pan-Seared Wild King Salmon with Pickled Cucumbers

This is going to be a quick post because it is late, and I am tired.  Today was the Portland Trailblazers opening night, they played the Phoenix Suns, and they won.  It is stressful for me to have Blazer season starting AND the Giants in the World Series.  Obviously the Giants take priority, but I can't just ignore the Blazers.  Yes, I know, life is tough.


I made the salmon and pickled cucumbers last night.  It is a combination of two recipes, pan-seared wild king salmon with dill tartar sauce from the Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook and dill-marinated salmon and pickled cucumbers from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics.  I like the salmon from the former recipe and the picked cucumbers from the latter.  I have made this combination many times, and I love it.


(I am going to omit the parts of the recipes I don't use)


2 cucumbers, peeled
3 Tbsp rice-wine or red-wine vinegar
3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt


1.  Slice cucumbers into very thin rounds.  Transfer to a bowl with vinegar, dill, the sugar and 3/4 tsp salt.  Toss to combine; set aside.


4 wild salmon fillets, 6 oz each and 1 inch thick, skin removed
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil


Salmon Rub:
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp lemon zest


1.  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400F.


2.  For the rub, combine the sea salt, pepper, brown sugar, and lemon zest.  Sprinkle the rub over the top side of the salmon, then gently pat with your fingers to distribute evenly.  Heat the olive oil in a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Place the salmon fillets in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes.  Carefully turn over and cook for 2 minutes on the other side.


3.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the fish flakes easily with tested with a fork, about 6 minutes.  


4.  Place pickled cucumbers on a platter, top with salmon fillets, and serve.


Just as a note, you might notice that I often show portions of food that it would be somewhat absurd for me to eat by myself for dinner (e.g. the two salmon fillets shown in the cast iron skillet above).  I often cook more than I need so that I can bring leftovers to work for lunch.  Doesn't this look like a delicious lunch?

I it today for lunch, and it certainly was delicious.


Bon appetit.

Rib Steak and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

A good steak and roasted Brussels sprouts may just be my favorite dinner.  I would not want to eat it every night, but once a month or so?  Perfection.  I don't think any of you will be surprised that I love a good steak, but brussels sprouts are one of those veggies that a lot of people don't like.  It wasn't so long ago that I was in that class of Brussels sprouts-haters.  Actually, I vividly remember gagging on one at a very fancy, very expensive restaurant in DC circa 2004.  Maybe I am just killing my taste buds as I get older, but there are a whole host of food items that I would not have willingly eaten before I was about 25 that I now if not love, at least like.  


The Roasted Brussels Sprouts recipe in The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook definitely contributed to my love of Brussels sprouts.  They are crispy and salty and all-together delicious.


1.5 lbs Brussels sprouts
3 Tbsp good olive oil
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 400F.
Cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves.  Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Turn them out on a baking sheet (Erin's note:  I use a large cast iron skillet.  My baking sheets are crappy and warp in the oven, and I generally think a cast iron skillet does a better job for roasting veggies.) and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp outside and tender inside.  Shake the pan from time to time, to brown the Brussels sprouts evenly.  Sprinkle with more kosher salt (I like these salty like french fries) (Erin's note:  That is Ina Garten speaking, not me, but I whole-heartedly agree with the Contessa) and serve.

For the steak (6 Ranch beef, of course) I seasoned it with salt and pepper and grilled it on my ever trusty cast iron grill, about 4 minutes per side.


Bon appetit.

Beef and Barley Soup

I mentioned this un-posted dinner in my rosti post (here).  Since I ate leftovers from my taco bowl dinner last night (I would have had to talk about warming up ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and cheese in the microwave), I will finally post this soup.  I have quite a few packages of soup bones in my freezer.  I love soup, but I rarely make beef soup, and, in fact, I rarely make soup unless I have ingredients that must be used like a Thanksgiving turkey carcass.  But, my mom and I ran the inaugural Portland Half Marathon a couple weekends ago, and I thought having soup around for before the race would be a good idea.  Both my mom and I are the type of runners - and I use that term loosely - that really have to watch what we eat before a race.  We don't want to get "bad stomaches" during a race.  Soup is a mild item, and the barley makes it hearty enough to eat alone for meals.  


The soup turned out really well, and we did eat it the day before the race.  Unfortunately, I didn't put the dutch oven back in the fridge after we ate on Saturday night, and I did not discover the abandoned soup until Sunday night.  It broke my heart to dump a pot full of soup, but I think 24 hours is way too long for the soup to sit out.  At least it was a good first experience with beef soup; my mom doesn't really eat meat so the fact that she enjoyed it gave me confidence to try it again.


3 to 4 lbs beef shanks
2 Tbsp bacon drippings - or other fat
2 quarts cold water
1 tsp salt
1 small onion, chopped
1 15-oz can tomatoes, diced
6 sprigs parsley
5 carrots, sliced
2 cups fresh green beans, cut
1 cup diced potatoes
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup rice or barley


Brown meat in drippings.  Pour off excess fat.  Cover with water; bring to a boil.  Add salt and onion and simmer for 2 hours.  Add vegetables and rice.  Simmer for about an hour longer.  Remove meat from bone and add back to soup.


I am writing this post during breaks in tonights Giants game.  It is currently the top of the 6th and the Giants are down 2 runs to the Phillies' 3.  Let's go Giants!


Bon appetit.

Go Giants (and a taco bowl)

*** Updated with pictures.  Not much to show for this meal, but I feel like a beef post isn't complete without some raw meat ***


Apparently I can't upload pictures this evening, so I'll tell you about my dinner last night sans-photos and add some later.  But first I must express my excitement about the San Francisco Giants win versus the Phillies tonight (and yesterday for that matter).  I love the Giants.  My mom grew up in the Bay Area as a Giants fan, and all through my childhood, Giants games were on the radio all summer.  They haven't been in the World Series since the fall of my senior year of college (2002), and if they can get one more win, they're in!  GO GIANTS!


Back to food.  I again returned home from work yesterday tired and hungry.  I again walked in my kitchen and looked around at the limited options.  I knew I could hold off on food for a bit, so I decided on a "taco bowl".  I defrosted and cooked some ground beef, made rice, opened a can of Muir Glen diced tomatoes with green chilies, and shredded cheese.  I layered the ingredients in a bowl along with a couple slices of pickled jalepenos on top, and, voila, my dinner.  The taco bowl is one of my standard I-don't-know-what-to-make dinners.  I always have ground beef, rice, and canned tomatoes in the house.


I should mention that what makes this dinner so good is quality ingredients.  The ground beef is from the cow I purchased from 6 Ranch. A friend of mine came over once while I was in the middle of cooking ground beef.  He commented that it must be some really good beef because it smells like steak.  I think that's a pretty good commendation of ground beef! And I always buy Muir Glen organic canned tomatoes. They just taste better to me than other canned tomatoes.  I particularly like to have the fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies on hand because it's almost like a salsa.  It gives good flavor to my taco bowls :)


Bon appetit.

Rösti Potatoes

I haven't posted in a week, and I could give many excuses, but the real reason is that I haven't been cooking to the standards that I normally cook (think veggies with bottled indian curry).  I am embarrassed for the world to see some of the dinners I throw together for myself.  But, I started a new job yesterday (yay!), so what better time to have a new outlook on blogging.  I am going to attempt to post about every dinner I eat, even if it's chinese takeout.  


To start, my dinner last night.  The first day of a new job is bound to be exhausting even if you end up sitting at your desk for most of the day filling out paperwork and getting settled.  I think the first-day exhaustion is due to the weeks, or even months, of anticipation and anxiety about the huge change of a new job.  So, as expected, I was very tired when I walked in my door last night.  I was starving, and I immediately went to the kitchen to see what I could cook up.  Of course, there is a freezer full of beef, but I couldn't stand to wait for anything to defrost.  I have one of those hanging produce baskets, and in the basket was one lonely potato.  This potato was supposed to go in a beef and barley soup I made a couple weeks ago (and never posted, ahem), but I decided to omit it from the soup.  A rösti immediately popped into my head.  Quick, easy, and satisfying, it was a perfect dinner.


Not only was it the perfect dinner, but I also considered the post I could write praising cast iron cookware.  But now I have spent two paragraphs talking about new jobs and turning over a new (blogging) leaf, so I will rant the benefits of cast iron another time.


1.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add 2 lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled, and cook for 10 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.


2.  Peel the potatoes and coarsely grate them (a food processor fitted with a medium-sized grater does the quickest work).


3.  Heat 2 Tbsp vegetable oil and 2 Tbsp butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Add the grated potatoes and brown until a crisp, golden crust forms, about 10 minutes, gently pressing down on the potatoes with a spatula occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper.


4.  Invert the potatoes by placing a plate face down on top of the skillet.  Using oven mitts, grasp the skillet and plate firmly with 2 hands and carefully turn the potatoes onto the plate.  Add another 2 Tbsp vegetable oil and 2 Tbsp butter to the skillet, let the butter melt, and then return the rösti to the skillet with the crisp side up; cook for 10 minutes longer.  Transfer to a serving platter and season again with salt and pepper.  Scatter 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese over the top and serve hot.


The recipe is from The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook, from which I also made a Slow Roasted Beef Brisket (see here).


And no, I did not eat 2 pounds of potatoes for dinner last night.  I made a small version of this recipe with the one yukon gold potato I already had.  Also, I did not have Gruyere cheese, so I topped the rösti with pepper jack and a squirt of Secret Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce.  Not quite so classy, but man was it delicious.


Bon appetit. 

Pimientos de Padron

I mentioned yesterday the absurd amount of zucchini I bought at the farmers market.  Many times when I have an item that I am not sure how I want to cook, I will either look to Martha Stewart or the New York Times Recipes for Health.  For an item like zucchini, NY Times is definitely the go-to.  The Recipes for Health are generally pretty simple and, as the name denotes, healthy.  When I saw the Rice Noodles with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Fresh Mint, I knew it was the perfect recipe; I had all the ingredients necessary already in my kitchen.


I also decided to cook up the pimientos de patron that I picked up at the aforementioned farmers market.  Pimientos de patron are one of my favorite treats.  I love peppers, and these little guys are just delicious.  All they need is a quick saute in olive oil and a dusting of coarse salt.  

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), minced

1 pound zucchini, cut in 1/4-inch dice

1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded* and cut in 1/4-inch dice, or 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, partially drained

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

7 to 8 ounces thin rice sticks

3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino or crumbled feta (optional)

* To seed the tomatoes, cut the tomatoes in half along the equator, place a strainer over a bowl and seed the tomatoes into the strainer. Rub the gelatinous seed pods against the strainer to extract flavorful juice, and discard the seeds.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, place the rice sticks in a large bowl, and cover with hot water. Let sit 20 minutes, until pliable. Drain and cut the noodles in half, into roughly 6- to 8-inch lengths, with kitchen scissors.

2. While the rice sticks are soaking, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and add the zucchini. Cook, stirring, until the zucchini begins to soften and the skin becomes bright green, about three minutes. Add the tomatoes with juice and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often, for 6 to 10 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the tomatoes have begun to break down. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasonings, and set aside.

3. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the rice sticks. Boil one minute and drain. Toss with the zucchini and tomato mixture, the remaining olive oil and the mint. Serve, passing the cheese for people to sprinkle on at the table.

Bon appetit.

Roasted vegetable burrito

One thing I really like about Portland is the abundance of farmers markets.  There are farmers markets downtown on Mondays and Wednesdays during the day, so it couldn't be easier for me to buy produce.  Sometimes I get a bit carried away and return to work with multiple bags full of fresh foods.  A recent Wednesday was one of those days.  I don't know what came over me, but I was purchasing everything in site, including about 5 pounds of zucchini.  I didn't really have any specific plans for all that zucchini, but arriving home from work knowing I still had quite a bit of Jacquis Rich Beans left, I couldn't think of anything tastier than a roasted veggie burrito.  

Roasting vegetables is as easy as cutting the veggies up, tossing them in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and throwing them in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes.  I was in the mood for a bit more cooking than that, so I also made mexican tomato-colored rice from Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico by Rick Bayless and Deann Groen Bayless. Authentic Mexican is a cookbook that drew great skepticism when it was gifted to me.  The cover features a white guy with a goatee, not exactly the image that Mexican cooking draws.  Executing the recipes changed my mind.  It is an excellent mexican cookbook, as long as you are okay with truly cooking from scratch.  Which I am.

1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 c. long- or medium- grain rice

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 ripe, medium-small tomato, roasted or boiled, cored, and peeled OR 1/2 15-oz can tomatoes, drained

1 1/2 c. broth (preferable poultry) or water

Salt, about 1/2 tsp if using salted broth, 1 tsp if using unsalted broth or water

1 c. fresh or (defrosted) frozen peas (optional)

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/4" dice (optional)

Several sprigs of fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley, for garnish

1.  Frying the rice. About 40 minutes before serving, measure the oil into a 1 1/2 or 2 quart saucepan set over medium heat.  Add the rice and onion, and cook, stirring regularly, until both are lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes.  Mix in the garlic and cook a minute longer.

2.  The liquid ingredients.  While the rice is frying, prepare the tomato: Seed it, if you like, by cutting it in half width-wise and squeezing out the seeds, then puree it in a blender or food processor.  Pour the broth or water into a small pan, add the salt, and bring just to a simmer.

3.  Simmering and steaming the rice.  Add the pureed tomato to the browned rice and cook for a minute, stirring several times.  Add the simmering broth, stir the rice, scrape down the sides of the pot, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Cook 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the rice stand 5 to 10 minutes, covered, until the grains are tender (but not splayed).

4.  The optional vegetables.  While the rice is cooking, simmer the fresh peas until tender (4 to 20 minutes, depending on their size and freshness), then drain and set aside; frozen peas only need to be defrosted.  Separately, simmer the carrots 5 to 8 minutes, drain and add to the peas.

5.  Finishing the rice.  When the rice is tender, add the optional vegetables and fluff with a fork to separate the grains and stop the cooking.  Scoop the rice into a warm serving dish, decorate it with fresh cilantro or parsley, and it is ready to serve.

I think you can figure out how to assemble the burrito, and if not, check out the pictures above.  Along with the beans, rice, and veggies, I added some cilantro and green salsa.  

Bon appetit.