Baked Salmon with Mustard Cream
Creamy Orzo with Prosciutto
Hot Spinach Salad
Cooking time: 30 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
When baking salmon, I line the baking sheet with foil and cook them, skin side down, without turning. When they're done, I slide them off the skin and on to the plates, leaving the skin behind on the foil to wrap up and toss.
Salmon with Mustard Sauce
Total time: 25 minutes
The creamy yogurt takes a bit of the heat and bite out of the hot mustard, giving subtle flavors to the sauce. We prefer salmon filets. They may not make as nice of a presentation as steaks but they cook more evenly and are boneless.
Ingredients:
- 2 salmon fillets, 12oz (360gr) total weight
- 2 shallots
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) white wine
- 1 tbs mustard seeds
- 2 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90gr) Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
Instructions:
- Finely chop shallots.
- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add wine and mustard seeds and boil, uncovered for about 3 minutes. Mix should be reduced by about half.
- Add mustard and tarragon and bring to boil.
- Remove from heat.
- Remove 2 tbs for basting the salmon.
- Stir yogurt into the remaining sauce. Cover and keep warm.
- Put salmon on foil-lined baking sheet. Spread reserved mustard/wine sauce on top.
- Bake at 400 F for 10 - 15 minutes, until top is light brown and fish flakes easily. It's okay if slightly translucent in the center.
- Serve with Mustard Sauce on the side.
Creamy Orzo with Prosciutto
Total time: 25 minutes
The orzo is cooked in a minimum of liquid, so the starch, that is normally lost during cooking, turns into a creamy sauce, aided by some freshly grated Parmesan. One thin slice of Prosciutto adds a distinctive finish.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbs butter
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 cup (4.5oz, 130gr) orzo
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) white wine
- 3/4 cup (6oz, 180ml) chicken stock
- 1 slice prosciutto
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tbs dried or fresh chives
Instructions:
- Finely chop the onion.
- Roughly chop the Prosciutto.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add orzo and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add wine, stock, Prosciutto, and bring to a simmer on medium heat.
- Turn heat to low and simmer until done, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. All stock will be absorbed.
- Stir in cheese and chives.
- Remove from heat and serve. This will be creamy, not stiff.
Warm Spinach Salad
Total time: 10 minutes
This is a cross between a salad and a vegetable. I've added a bit of bacon to it but you can leave it out for a vegetarian version. Be careful to cook the spinach for a just a minute, only to wilt slightly.
Ingredients:
- 6oz (180gr) fresh spinach
- 2 thin slices Prosciutto
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbs good olive oil
- 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt - sea salt is nice, and pepper optional
Instructions:
- Roughly chop Prosciutto.
- Wash and stem spinach if needed. Drain in a colander. If you don't feel you need to wash it - do it anyway. We want a little bit of water on the leaves - what ever is left on the leaves after draining well.
- Cut any really large leaves.
- Heat oil over medium high heat in large nonstick skillet.
- Add Prosciutto and sauté until crisp.
- Add vinegar, thyme, sugar and heat through.
- Add spinach and quickly stir-fry, 1 minute. The spinach should just start to wilt.
- Remove, sprinkle with salt, pepper and serve.
Cooking schedule: 30 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
small saucepan with lid, 1 medium saucepan with
lid, baking sheet, foil, large skillet
Turn oven on, 400F (200C)
Finely chop shallots
Chop onion
Chop Prosciutto
Sauté shallots for mustard sauce
Sauté onion for orzo
Tend to the spinach
Add wine and mustard seeds to shallots
Add orzo to onion |
Add wine, stock, Prosciutto to orzo, simmer
Add mustards, tarragon to mustard sauce
Bring to boil, remove from heat, remove 2 tbs
Add yogurt to remaining mustard sauce, cover
Prepare salmon
Spread reserved 2 tbs sauce over salmon, bake
Grate Parmesan
Cut spinach if needed
Heat oil, sauté Prosciutto
Stir Parmesan into orzo
Add vinegar, thyme, sugar to Prosciutto
Add spinach, stir-fry
Remove salmon, put on platter, spoon sauce on
Serve |