Since we live in the Northwest Salmon is a natural to option. But be careful, not all salmon is created equal. Make sure to stay away from Atlantic farmed salmon. I always look for the wild-caught option. If you are interested in ethical fishing practices, I recommend checking in with Monterey Aquarium Seafood Watch: http://www.seafoodwatch.org/ they do a great job helping the public make responsible choices.
So last weekend I was tired, cranky, little overworked. What is a girl supposed to do?
Salmon with Dill-Caper Mayo and Fennel-Apple-Red-Cabbage Salad
Here is how it went down for the salmon.
Ingredients:
Salmon filet (I usually buy half a fish or whole fish filet)
Avocado Oil
Dill
Capers
1 Egg yolk
Little lemon juice
Mustard
Salt and pepper
Little cold water
The procedure:
Lay down the fish with skin on the bottom on parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Drizzle avocado oil, a little salt, and pepper sprinkle a little dill and lay down however many lemon slices fit the surface area of the fish. I like to cover the fish with the herb with aluminum foil and bake at 375F until tender to fork, but still juicy. I cover with foil to allow flavors to have a party, and to make sure that the fish does not dry out.
To make the Dill-Capers Mayo:
Take a medium size canning jar. Add the egg yolk, a few tbsp. of lemon juice, dabble of mustard, 1 tbsp. of cold water and salt. Take an immersion blender and whisk until frothy. Then very slowly add the 1 cup of avocado oil. Add the oil in thin stream while whisking with the immersion blender. Make sure to lift blender out of the fluids to pump air into the mixture. Whisk until combined and there is a creamy, frothy consistency. If you find it won’t get creamy, it is because you are not getting enough air into the mix! Voile – you just made home-made mayonnaise. Whaaa? Yes, why eat all that preservatives and food stabilizer rich crap that will sit on your shelves for months?
At this point simple add capers and fresh dill to taste. It is up to you how much you want to add. I like mine pretty loaded with herbs. Serve the Dill-Caper Mayo in a tasteful pouring dish by the fish. Everyone can add according to taste.
Here is how it went down for the salad:
Baked Salmon with Dill-Caper Mayo and Fennel Salad
Ingredients:
1 fennel bulb
1 apple
4 celery stalks
¼ of shredded red cabbage
Italian Parsley
Lemon
Olive oil
Salt Pepper
Freshly shaved Parmesan Cheese
The Procedure:
When I am short in time, I hate chopping… But, I love my food processor. I set it on slicer mode and attach it with a vengeance. It is a satisfying way to finish up a somewhat frustrating day. It is loud, fast, and grinds down everything! Like I said, very satisfying.
So slice the fennel and apple into ¼ size and feed it to your food processor to slice. Push down on the celery stalks; Oh that is so much fun, stuff in the red- cabbage pieces. Done. Mix it all up, add as much parsley as you want. Heck, you can make it cilantro if you favor parsley’s Spanish cousin. Drizzle with a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, add salt, pepper, and lemon to taste. I just add and taste and add and taste until I like what I taste. Finish it up with shaving parmesan cheese on top. Mix and eat!
An amazingly healthy and delicious Paleo, Primal aligned, restaurant quality delightful dinner!
Happy cooking,
Dora