Lemon-Roasted Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes

Turns out this blog is still here. I had no idea. When a friend mentioned she still visited it for recipe inspiration my stomach kind of twisted. 

That wasn't deleted?! 

What was on there?! 

Had I been a total idiot the whole time?!  

The answers are: no, lots, and only sometimes. After skimming through a few entries, I'm mostly convinced it's ok and am actually happy it's still up. This blog houses so many good recipes I'd forgotten about. It's cool and strange to get to look back and see myself develop as a cook (and adult). It's like a very public food diary stuffed into the bookshelves of the internet and rediscovered when you're packing up to move. 

So here's one more entry for old time's sake: Lemon-Roasted Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes. James brought home salmon from the grocery store, and this recipe had been sitting in my Epicurious recipe box for some time. It was meant to be. We tweaked it a bit, but you can find the original recipe here. I highly recommend making it. I insist on grading each new recipe we make. The most I can usually get out of James is "It's good. It's fine." This one got an unsolicited A+ and was deemed the best new recipe in a long time. High praise from a tough grader, and I completely agree. It's healthy yet filling and has super easy preparation and clean up. It has earned a place in my mental list of things to serve at a dinner party. 

Now we just need to get a dining room table... Baby steps. 

LEMON-ROASTED SALMON WITH ASPARAGUS & POTATOES

adapted from Epicurious

INGREDIENTS

For the salmon:

• 1 1/2 lbs salmon fillet
• 2 t. grated lemon zest
• 1 t. finely chopped oregano (I didn't have this, so used 1/2 t. dried oregano)
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 oz. roasted bell peppers from a jar, thinly sliced (Aldi didn't have these, so I didn't use them)

For the salad:

• 1 lb small new potatoes, halved
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 c. lemon juice
• 1/2 t. honey
• 1 t. dijon mustard
• 1/4 t. kosher salt
• 1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 finely chopped dill (I used chives for this because I had them)
• 1 package arugula or spinach/arugula mix (about 8 cups)
• 3 oz. feta, crumbled

PREPARATION

Cook the salmon and veggies

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.

While potatoes are roasting, rub salmon with lemon zest, oregano, salt, and pepper, then coat with oil. 

Remove the potatoes after 20 minutes, move them around to give you room to place the salmon in the center and asparagus mixed in on the sides. If you're using the peppers, arrange them around salmon. Bake everything until salmon is firm but still pink in center and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. 

Assemble the salad:

Whisk oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup dill in a small measuring cup. Toss greens with half of the dressing in a large bowl, then transfer to a serving platter. 

When they're done, toss potatoes and asparagus with remaining dressing in same bowl, then arrange over greens. Flake salmon into large pieces and arrange on platter. Top with feta, peppers, and dill sprigs.

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2011

Yes, I've been an awful blogger lately. Let's all get over it... now!

Great. Now that that's out of the way I'd like to share with you a video of some of my favorite pictures from 2011. I absolutely loved this year. Yes, it had its trials- there was a giant blizzard, a house fire, window-breaking hail, 3/4 of my close friends moving away, and several roommates coming and going- but at the end of it all I just feel very very lucky. When I look back on these pictures and think of the time I spent and the people in them I'm filled with so much gratitude. Somehow I've been blessed with strong friendships, my wonderful family, a damn fine fella, and all sorts of characters that keep me entertained and inspired. I must be doing something right.

So enjoy! The song is "How It Ended" by The Drums. I highly recommend their album.

pumpkin scones with chocolate chips

  

I swear I haven't just been eating pumpkin foods this whole time. I was pretty much over it, honest. But then I saw this recipe over at said she said he and it looked so delicious and warm- like a hug for my stomach. And so I made it and I have no regrets. Neither do my roommates, who also loved them.

Pumpkin Scones with Chocolate Chips 

2 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
1 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
2 large eggs
milk, for brushing on dough

coarse sugar, for sprinklin 

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add butter (very cold and cut into pats) to dry ingredients. Work butter into mixture until crumbly. It's okay for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated.

3. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
4. Mix pumpkin and eggs in a separate bowl. Then add mixture to other ingredients.
5. Mix to form a uniform dough. Be careful not to over-mix as the more you handle the dough, the tougher the scones will be.
6. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle a bit of flour on top of the paper.
7. Divide the dough in half and round each half into about a 6" circle (3/4" thick).
8. Brush each circle with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
9. Slice each circle into 6 wedges and carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them just a bit.
10. Place pan of scones in freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered.
11. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, while the scones are chilling.
12. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes.

Continuing with the pumpkin madness- pepitas! Delicious green pumpkin seeds!

Raw they have a wonderful smokey flavor, quickly edging its way to the coveted category of my favorite snack.

Roasted and made into a pesto? Woooah. So good.

Next time I think I'll steam the salmon instead of pan-roasting, because the process is so much easier and I can taste the salmon more at the end. Also, then I can justify smothering it in this delicious pesto.

Try it. Do it. Please.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Pumpkin Seed-Cilantro Pesto 

via Bon Appétit  | November 2011

Ingredients
2 1/2 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 cup (firmly packed) cilantro leaves and stems
1/2 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
1/2 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 6-ounce salmon fillets (preferably wild)
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

 
Preparation

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds; sauté until beginning to brown and pop, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds to paper towels to drain; let cool. Reserve skillet.

Pulse 6 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, cilantro, coriander seeds, and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. With machine running, gradually add 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 cup oil, then 1/4 cup water, blending until coarse purée forms. Season pesto to taste with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in reserved skillet over medium heat. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook until just opaque in center, 3-4 minutes per side. Place fillets on plates. Spoon pesto over. Garnish with remaining pumpkin seeds. Serve with lime wedges.

pumpkin oatmeal

No, but really. Pumpkin. Everything.

I had leftover pumpkin puree from the doughnuts, so I've been putting it in my morning oatmeal along with pumpkin pie type spices. Few things can make me smile before 10am. This is one of them. You can see I had some real trouble stopping long enough to get a picture.

Pumpkin Oatmeal
 
Ingredients
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. steel cut oats
2 T. pumpkin puree
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. allspice
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ginger 
1 t. brown sugar
dash of salt

Bring water to boil in small sauce pan. Stir in oats, then simmer for 20-25 minutes on low heat. When oats are almost cooked, stir in pumpkin puree and spices. Continue cooking until flavors have mixed and oats are desired texture.