Every so often my husband has excellent timing (the rest of the time he’s just good!) In this case, he showed me a link to a salmon recipe just when I happened to be considering what to make for Sunday dinner.
Sunday dinner is important. It’s the one time during the week that I can spend as much time on a meal as I want. Sometimes, granted, I prefer to spend the least possible – but nevertheless, it’s the only time the the option is available. If, for instance, as happened last week, I felt a yen to cook beans from dry rather than canned on a weekday, it would have to be done in stages instead of left in the pot all afternoon to simmer as should rightfully occur. So I generally enjoy Sunday dinner. I saw this video about cooking wild mushrooms in butter this week that convinced me it should have been the side for this, by the way…you should check that option out if you like them because I’ve been wondering if I need to make this recipe again only with mushrooms over polenta instead of zucchini with quinoa!
The blog this recipe came from is a local one called Sidewalk Shoes, and that writer adapted her creation from a Cooking Light recipe. I, as usual, made some additional changes. I will put in the original instructions but not the original calorie and nutrition information as I threw that out the window by adapting it.
For the most important of the changes, I was indifferent about the bulgur, preferring to try quinoa, so when the correct grain didn’t jump out from the shelf and shout “Pick me! Pick me!” I went with what I actually wanted to do. Not saying that I wouldn’t have anyway, mind you.
So our son has been getting increasingly picky as the years go by, and he prefers all things as bland and unadulterated as possible. I gave his salmon only one brush of the glaze, and that was nearly too much for the poor guy. He did somehow manage to overlook it enough to finish most of his portion, but it was a close one there for a minute.
Ingredients
Salmon and Zucchini
2 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
cooking spray
4 6-oz salmon filets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini halved lengthwise and sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Herbed Bulgur Pilaf with Almonds
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup bulgur
5/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Original instructions:
Prepare the bulgur: Bring 1 1/4 cups water, bulgur and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover and let simmer for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and remaining ingredients.
While the bulgur is simmering, prepare the salmon.
Place a foil lined baking sheet in the oven as you preheat the broiler.
Combine honey, mustard, vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for about 30 seconds or until you can easily incorporate the honey. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture.
Carefully remove baking pan from oven. Spray foil with cooking spray and place salmon skin side down. Broil for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and brush on the remaining honey mixture. Broil for 2 more minutes. Keep warm.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add 1/2 the shallots and cook for about 1 minute, add 1/2 the zucchini and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring. Remove and place in a bowl. Repeat with the remaining zucchini. Add to bowl along with cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
This particular meal was not especially time consuming – I took over half an hour, but that was at least in part because it takes me much longer to cook when I’m stopping at each step to take photos, and making sure that anything that is actually in active cooking isn’t needing attention at the time the photos of something else are being taken. It should take a good bit less time, especially since most of this is going on simultaneously. Get your ingredients lined up so each can be fired off as its turn comes!
We enjoyed the flavor of the glaze; it complemented the salmon nicely. I should have paid extra for slivered almonds instead of rough-chopping some I had on hand, but that was more for convenience than taste.
Marie, Let's Eat! 