Asian Grilled Salmon

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa

You can downsize recipe based on how much fish you have, original recipe below serves 6. Don't fret over exactness, I made 2 filets and just eyeballed my ingredients. I also used my indoor grill pan. This is flexible.

1 side fresh salmon, boned but skin on (about 3 pounds)

For the marinade:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons good soy sauce
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Light charcoal briquettes in a grill and brush the grilling rack with oil to keep the salmon from sticking. While the grill is heating, lay the salmon skin side down on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle half of the marinade onto the salmon and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

Grilled Salmon Sandwiches

Courtesy Barefoot Contessa: You can easily scale this recipe down, last night it was dinner and I made it for just the 2 of us.

2 pounds fresh salmon fillets

Good olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

For the sauce:

1 cup good mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

3/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar

12 fresh basil leaves

3/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped scallions, (white and green parts)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 teaspoons capers, drained

To assemble:

6 fresh white or brioche rolls (4-inch round)

1/4 pound mesclun mix or fresh basil leaves

For the salmon, heat coals in an outdoor grill and brush the top of the grill with oil. Rub the outside of the salmon with olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Grill for 5 minutes on each side, or until the salmon is almost cooked through. Remove to a plate and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Or grill indoors with a grill pan or just pan saute.

For the sauce, place the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, basil, dill, scallions, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until combined. Add the capers and pulse 2 or 3 times.

To assemble the sandwiches, slice the rolls in 1/2 crosswise. Spread a tablespoon of sauce on each cut side. On the bottom 1/2, place some mesclun salad and then a piece of salmon. Place the top of the roll on the salmon and serve immediately.

Pan Fried Rainbow Trout

I know it's partially eaten, but I took a bite, not thinking it was going to taste FABULOUS... but it WAS. So, I had to document it. Seriously people, this was so divine that it completely took me off guard. From start to finish, it took me 20 minutes to put the fish, salad and dressing together! Unbelievable meal in so little time!




2 small skin-on rainbow trout fish fillets, about 8 ounces each.
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Flour for dredging
2 tablespoon Canola oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons capers, drained
1 lemon, juiced

Heat a heavy pan over medium high heat.
Season fish on meat side with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge fish in flour and shake off excess. When pan is good and hot, add Canola oil followed immediately by 1 tablespoon butter. As soon as foaming subsides, place fish in pan with the skin side down. Jiggle pan for the first 10 seconds to keep the fish from sticking. Cook until golden crust forms on meat. Carefully turn fish away from you and again jiggle pan for the first few seconds. Cook until skin turns golden brown. Remove to a warm plate.

Pour out the cooking fat, add remaining butter and quickly fry the capers. Remove pan from the heat, add lemon juice to pan and swirl. Pour sauce over the fish and serve.

*Tip: I left the head on because I read somewhere that when the eyes of the fish have just turned white in color, it indicates that the fish is cooked to perfection! (was true in my case)

Whitefish with Lemon Vinaigrette

8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 large head radicchio (about 12 ounces), coarsely chopped

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup fish broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 (5 to 6-ounce) whitefish fillets, such as tilapia

All-purpose flour, for dredging

Lemon Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the radicchio and sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and broth, and cook until the beans are heated through, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Season the radicchio mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a 14-inch (or 2 smaller) nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper. Dredge the fillets in flour to coat completely. Shake of the excess flour and fry 3 fillets in each pan until they are golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
Spoon the radicchio mixture over the center of the plates. Top with the fillets. Drizzle the vinaigrette over and serve immediately.
Lemon Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh Italian parsley leaves 2 cloves garlic 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Blend the lemon juice, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper.