Blog Archives
Men Who Cook: Joshua D.’s Smoke Salmon Schmear
Sometimes blogging is as simple as opening my email. From our friend Joshua (also known as Yutsano to some of you) a quick little nosh:
Ever have a last-minute gathering crop up? Sometimes you just have to have SOMETHING to serve folks. One quick trip to the grocery store and 10 minutes will put all this together. And folks will think you slaved over it! Best part is the ingredient list is very short! So it’s even fairly easy on the pocketbook!
Last-Minute Smoked Salmon Schmear
- 1 large green onion
- 8 oz. smoked salmon
- 8 oz. container mascarpone cheese (spreadable cream cheese will also work)
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste)
Chop green onion finely. Place in small mixing bowl. Flake salmon over onions, mix well with fingers. Add in cheese and cream and stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Depending on how loose you want spread you can add in more cream. Serve either immediately or chill in fridge for two hours to allow everything to marry together. Delicious on crackers, toast points, or bagels!
Joshua De Mers
Thursday Night Menu: Oranges, Raspberries, Blueberries – Oh, My!
Homer is Home
It’s been in the 90’s all week, but nights are cool enough for me to start thinking of fall menus. I’ve promised to fulfill some squash soups requests, which I’ll post over the next few weeks, but to get you started, there are a couple of Sweet Potato Soups here. If you have other fall menu requests, let me know. I’m happy to look for something new to try. One O/T note: Homer is now officially a member of the JeffW household. Yeah, I know, we’re all surprised by that now, aren’t we? Tonight’s menu is a diverse group of flavors with no discernible theme that I can see. Lots of light fall fruit notes, though, so it has that going for it.
On the board tonight:
- Roasted Salmon in Orange-Ginger Soy Sauce
- Fresh Spinach Salad
- Herbed Potatoes
- Blueberry Crisp
Roasted Salmon in Orange-Ginger Soy Sauce
- 4 salmon fillets (approx 6 oz. ea.)
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Sauce:
- ½ cup orange juice
- 4 oz ginger soy marinade
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 3 green onions chopped
- 2 tsp. crushed garlic
Large oven-safe skillet and medium sauce pan
Preheat oven to 400°
Salt & pepper salmon. In large skillet heat oil, add salmon. Sear for 2 minutes, turn, sear for 2 minutes. Place pan in the oven and roast for 14-16 minutes. Sauce: Add all ingredients into saucepan and bring to a low boil for 2 minutes. Serve over salmon.
Fresh Spinach Salad
- 9 oz fresh spinach, washed and dried
- 2 large tomatoes (or equivalent) ,
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- raspberry dressing
Arrange vegetables and walnuts in a large salad bowl and toss with dressing.
Herbed Potatoes
- 1 lb small new potatoes (or 4 red potatoes-quartered)
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- ½ tsp crushed dried basil
- ¼ tsp each, crushed oregano & rosemary
Saucepan, steamer
Steam potatoes until tender, mix butter and spices, then toss with potatoes.
Blueberry Crisp
- 10 oz blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
- 1 cup flour
8×8 glass baking dish and small mixing bowl
Place blueberries, lemon juice and ¼ cup granulated sugar in baking dish, mix well. In mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar, add flour and oats, mix until crumbly. Crumble over the blueberry mixture. Melting the butter creates a crisper, more even topping.
Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes until top is golden brown. Let cool.
Shopping List:
- 4 salmon fillets (approx 6 oz. ea.)
- 4 oz orange juice
- 4 oz ginger soy marinade
- cilantro
- 3 green onions
- 9 oz fresh spinach, washed and dried
- 2 large tomatoes (or equivalent)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- raspberry dressing
- 1 lb new potatoes (or 4 large red potatoes)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ sticks of butter
- 1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
- 10 oz blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Also: salt, pepper, olive oil, orange zest, lemon zest, crushed garlic, lemon juice, basil, oregano, rosemary, flour
Chef Bobby Flay on Love
I’ve mentioned before I have several celebrity chef crushes. Bobby Flay is one. He did nothing to diminish my affections as he talks about food, romance and his love for his wife, along with how he won her over on their first date on CBS Sunday Morning:
So here are a few food ideas that can make love bigger and better in your life.
Food shopping: It might sound mundane but it’s really fun, especially when you’re going to prepare a meal together. Let’s just say, collaboration on dinner makes for better collaboration after dinner.
Cooking together: It’s instant gratification. Who cares how it actually comes out?! In fact, a failed meal has longer legs as a story that you can share for years.
Ordering dinner in: A couple’s pastime that has a soothing ring to it because you know it also means a movie, some blankets on the couch, and probably your favorite Chinese dumpling or pizza. Yum!
My personal favorite, though, is cooking for my wife on Sunday. It could be anything from paella to spaghetti and meatballs, a steamed wild striped bass, to a juicy porterhouse steak.
You can read his whole essay and see the video at CBSNews Sunday Morning Page. And he even has a special recipe for Slow Roasted Salmon with Herb Vinaigrette there.
