SALMON NOODLE CASSEROLE

 

I have always liked a noodle casserole dish; it is comfort food. Cooking a dish that includes protein, vegetables and noodles makes a good supper when served with a starter or side salad. I wanted to make a dish that is not high in carbohydrates or calories. Specially I was looking for a dish that would count as two carbohydrate servings based on serving size. Both the DH and I are watching our intake of carbohydrates. I find that 85 grams of uncooked pasta generally provides four servings of carbohydrates and if cooking for two, the split works out well. 

I have made this dish either using salmon or tuna and both work in this recipe. I use a few different kinds of vegetables and you can add or vary what you add. For example, you could add some green peas or shredded carrots or sliced mushrooms. Instead of adding a shell style pasta, I will sometimes break the spaghetti in threes when adding to the boiled water. Breaking the spaghetti into smaller pieces makes it easier to combine with the other ingredients. I do add Parmesan cheese and Panko crumbs to the top of the casserole before baking as it provides a nice crispy crunch. I still use some favourite Corel baking dishes that have lasted for quite a number of years. 

You can see how it browns on top and makes a nice crispy finish. 

SERVES 2 to 3 depending on appetite. 

INGREDIENTS:

85 grams uncooked pasta, eg shells or spaghetti

1 tbsp oil for sautéing  

1 medium onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

2 handfuls of fresh spinach

2 tbsp flour

1 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash of Paprika

Canned salmon or tuna, 213 gram can/7.5 oz, drained

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or other favorite cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Panko crumbs (optional)

Medium size casserole or baking pan

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease/oil a medium size casserole dish or baking pan. Set the dish aside.

Heat a pot of water to boil and add the pasta. If using spaghetti, I like to break the spaghetti into small pieces when adding to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the pasta until a la dente. 

While the pasta is cooking the vegetables can be sautéed. Add the oil to a non-stick frying pan and heat the pan to medium high. Add the onions, celery and pepper and reduce heat to medium. Sauté for five minutes. Once the vegetables are soft, reduce the heat to low. Add the spinach and combine.  

Mix the flour, milk, salt, pepper and paprika in a small bowl. Add to the frying pan and combine. If the sauce is too thick add some water from the pot cooking the pasta. Add the canned salmon or tuna to the frying pan. Combine with the sauce and vegetables. Drain the water from the pasta. Add the pasta and the grated cheddar cheese to the frying pan. Combine well. 

Pour the salmon vegetable pasta mixture into the casserole dish. Smooth the contents across the baking dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese across the top of the casserole and sprinkle some Panko crumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the casserole bubbles and the top gets crispy. Serves 2 to 3 people. 

COD AND CLAM VEGETABLE CHOWDER

Soup can be eaten at any time of the day though I generally don’t have it for breakfast. But I have had congee for breakfast and quite enjoyed it. I served this cod and clam vegetable chowder for supper as the main meal along with some almond flour crackers that are very similar to saltines or soda crackers. Making a chowder is also a good way to use small pieces of frozen fish that you might have in the freezer. The soup has a nice flavour and the DH and I found it satisfying. 

Ingredients:

5 slices of bacon, chopped (optional) OR 2 tbsp olive oil

1 med onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, peeled, chopped

1/2 coloured pepper, chopped

2 med potatoes, peeled, cubed

2 cups of water

1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped or 1 tsp dry

341 ml can of corn (1 1/2 cups)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup flour

2 cups milk 

142 grams can of baby clams

140 to 160 grams frozen uncooked cod fillet, thawed, cut into small chunks

This makes about two cups of fish. You can use other fish instead of clams and cod. 

Directions:

Using bacon: Add the bacon to a large pot and cook (medium heat) until the bacon is three quarters cooked. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, place into a small bowl or cup and drain the fat off from the pot. Add the bacon back to the pot. 

Using oil: Add the oil to a large cooking pot and heat on medium high.

Add the onion, celery, carrots and pepper to the pot with the bacon or oil. Sauté on medium heat for five minutes until the vegetables soften. You don’t want the onions to get browned. Add the potatoes and continue cooking for a few minutes. Add the corn, dill, salt and pepper. Stir all of the ingredients. Add two cups of water, stir the soup, increase the heat until the soup starts to boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. 

Add the flour to a large measuring cup or a mixing bowl. Add the milk and whisk until the flour is dissolved. Add the mixture to the soup pot and mix it all together. Add the fish and stir it around the soup. Increase the heat until the soup starts to boil (medium high) and then reduce the heat to low. Cook for five minutes. Serves 4 to 6 depending on appetites and if you are having this soup as a starter or main meal. 

Other options for vegetables include adding a cup of frozen peas or substituting sweet potatoes for regular potatoes. 

CANNED SARDINES

Eating sardines is not a favourite food for a number of people that I know. I grew up eating sardines as my mother used to make them for lunches for our family. I still eat canned sardines using the same recipe as my mother. What I like about this recipe is the combination of lemon juice, mayonnaise and shredded apple.

Sardines are an excellent source of Vitamin D, omega 3, calcium, potassium, iron and protein. I always buy the sardines that are canned in spring water. Sardines are also not expensive in comparison to canned tuna or salmon. The recipe I follow is the same every time and in many ways this recipe is comfort food for me. I haven't varied the recipe over the years and like them mashed up with some diced onion and celery and grated apple. I will either eat the mashed sardines right out of the bowl or on crackers. If you like sardines, this recipe will work for you. I even got the DH to eat sardines with me.

I buy sardines canned in spring water

Sardines ready to eat from the bowl.

The other option is to have it on crackers or toast. 

INGREDIENTS:

one can of sardines, canned in spring water, drained
1 celery stalk, diced
1 green onion, diced or 1 tsp dried onion flakes
1 medium size apple, peeled, cored, shredded
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp mayonnaise 
pepper to taste

serve with crackers or toast or eat out of the bowl

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, add the drained sardines and mash with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine well. Add more lemon juice if you want the flavour to be more tart. Serves 1 to 2.

SHRIMP PAD THAI

I like the dish pad thai and decided to make a healthy version of it using shrimp.  If the shrimp was not included it would be vegan.  It is also low fat as no oil was added to sauté the vegetables.  This was a meal for both the DH and I.  It was filling and we had some leftovers.  We both enjoyed it and I liked the sauce which included some peanut butter.  You can add different vegetables than what I used and could substitute tofu for the shrimp.  I added zucchini which is not traditionally added to pad thai.  I didn't add any red or coloured pepper but that would be a good vegetable to add to the sautéing vegetables.  You could also add some shredded cabbage and celery as options.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 small package of vermicelli rice noodles (not the very thin noodles)

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium size carrot, thinly chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

4 mushrooms, chopped

3 inch piece of zucchini, chopped

8 to 10 raw shelled shrimp

1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

Sauce

1 tbsp maple syrup or agave

1 tbsp lemon or lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp sweet chili sauce

DIRECTIONS:

To a pot of boiling water, add the rice noodles, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes.

While the noodles are cooking, add the ingredients for the sauce to a small blender and blend until well mixed.  Set aside.  Drain the noodles and cool off with cold water.  Let the noodles drain and while in the colander, cut the noodles with a knife so that they are in smaller lengths.

Using a nonstick pan, heat the pan to medium high.  Add the garlic and onions and sauté for a few minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium and add the carrots, mushrooms and zucchini and sauté for five minutes.  Add the shrimp.  Cook for another five minutes and stir every so often.  Add the cilantro.  Stir and then add the noodles.  Combine well and pour the sauce over the mixture.  Mix well and serve.  Serves two. 

SALMON VEGETABLE CHOWDER

While doing the weekly shopping one weekend, I picked up a package of two fillets of wild salmon.   One of the fillets would have been ample but all of the packages had at least two fillets and I knew that there would be leftovers.  I grilled the fish on the barbecue and of course had leftovers.  I could have frozen one of the fillets before cooking it but I didn't think of it at the time.  With the leftovers, I decided to make a salmon vegetable chowder to have for a supper meal.  The soup is freezable and I could always freeze single portions for future lunches.  Adding a side salad and some toasted french baguette bread made a nice meal.

Chowder in the soup pot cooling off. 

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp oil

1 medium size onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 medium size carrots, chopped

2 medium size potatoes, diced

1/2 coloured pepper, diced

3 tbsp flour

4 cups of broth, chicken or vegetable

1 pound of cooked salmon, chopped into small pieces

1 cup milk

one handful of chopped herbs - parsley, dill

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil on medium high in a large soup pot.  Add the garlic and onion and reduce the heat to medium.  Saute for three to four minutes.  Add the celery, carrots, potatoes and pepper to the pot and continue to saute for about five minutes.  Reduce the temperature to low.  Add the flour and combine with the vegetables.  Add the salmon and the broth, increase the heat to high and reduce it to low once the chowder starts to boil.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Add the herbs and milk.  Stir and finish off with pepper and salt to taste.  Serves 6. 

SMOKED SALMON APPETIZERS

Smoked salmon is one of my favourite foods.  There are many different kinds of smoked salmon.  I usually gravitate to a lox style of salmon from a sockeye fish.

I made these as an appetizer for a recent supper with friends.   They were thoroughly enjoyed.  I like to add ample strips of salmon to each piece of bread and I may have gone a bit overboard with these.

INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

loaf of a french baguette bread
fresh herbs - chives, dill
cream cheese
capers
salmon
fresh lemon

1. Thinly slice a loaf of french baguette bread.  Factor 2 to 3 slices per person as part of the appetizer selection.
2. Place onto a cookie sheet and put into a preheated oven at 300 degrees F.
3. Bake for 5 - 8 minutes or until the slices appear toasted.  You don't want to brown them.  Remove from the oven.
4. Spread each slice of bread with cream cheese.  I used a low fat variety.
5. If you have fresh chives or dill, chop these herbs into small pieces and place a few pieces on top of the cream cheese on each slice of bread.
6. Place a few capers on top of the cream cheese for each slice of bread if you like capers.
7. Layer a piece of smoked salmon on top of each slice of bread.  I cut the strips of thinly sliced smoked salmon into small pieces so that it would be easier to eat before I put it on top of the bread.  I was generous with the amounts of salmon added.
8. Squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon over each slice of bread.
9. If not eating right away, store in the fridge and cover the plate with plastic wrap.

SHRIMP AND PASTA

I do find a difference in taste using freshly made pasta versus the dry packaged varieties.  I was at an Italian restaurant recently and they sell fresh pasta that they make on the premises. You can buy it and take it home to use for your own dishes.  I didn't even have pasta that night at the restaurant.  They have a number of entrees in which pasta is not included.  I bought 8 ounces of uncooked linguine to use for the following evening meal.  Since I had cooked shrimp in the fridge I thought I would create a simple dish using the pasta and the shrimp.  It was well received by the DH and he definitely liked this pasta dish versus the ones I have sometimes created using black bean pasta.  You can make this recipe using dried pasta and it would be just as good.  As I had about two tablespoons of an artichoke dip left in a container in the fridge, I added this to the pasta dish at the end.

Shrimp and spinach in the frying pan.

Fresh pasta cooking away.

I added two tablespoons of this dip to the pasta and shrimp while still in the frying pan.

Finished dish, ready to be served.

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces uncooked pasta such as linguine, spaghetti, fettuccine
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp oil
several handfuls of fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp fresh dill. chopped
20 medium size cooked shrimped, shelled
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chunky artichoke dip, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Boil a medium size pot with salted water, with enough water to cook pasta.  Add the pasta, reduce the heat to medium and cooked to al dente.  Drain the pasta and reserve some of the cooking water in case it is needed later in the recipe.

While the pasta is cooking, add the oil to a non-stick frying pan and heat on high. Add the garlic, reduce the heat to medium and sauté for a few minutes.  Add the spinach and cook it until it is wilted.  Add the shrimp, dill and lemon juice to the frying pan. Cook for a few minutes.  If the mixture appears dry, add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water.  Mix well.  Add salt and pepper to  taste.

Add the drained pasta to the frying pan and using thongs, mix the pasta with the shrimp and spinach.  Add the chunky artichoke dip.  Combine and remove the pan from the stove.  Serves 2 to 3.

SALMON CAKES

About a week ago I was visiting with a girlfriend and her mom and sister.  They were talking about making fresh fish cakes using salmon for supper.  I asked what ingredients they were using and it seemed simple and not an onerous amount of work to make these fish cakes.  You can use fresh or canned salmon to make fish cakes.  I have made croquettes using canned salmon but the ingredients were a bit different for the fish cakes.  The seed was planted for me to make these cakes.

While out doing my errands today and what my girlfriend calls visiting my trapline as I frequent a number of shops on my regular errand run on the weekends with the DH, I had the idea of making salmon cakes in the back of my mind.  You can use steelhead trout or other fish besides salmon but I was focussed on buying salmon.  The ingredients call for one pound of salmon but I bought two pounds as I was going to make a double batch and freeze a number of cakes for future use.  The cakes  put aside for future meals were not cooked and were individually wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag.  The salmon cakes turned out great and I will make this recipe again.  This recipe also works well for leftover baked salmon or other fish when you are thinking about what to cook with leftover baked fish.

Preparing salmon for baking.

Just before putting the potatoes on the stove to cook.

Cooked salmon has been chopped.

Potatoes have been mashed.

All the ingredients have been mixed together.

Using a non-stick pan to fry the cakes.

Ready to serve.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound fresh salmon or a an equivalent amount of canned salmon
2 medium size potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp butter
less than 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 tbsp flour
2 tsp fresh dill. chopped or 1/2 tsp dry dill
juice from 1 fresh lemon or lime
1 cup of frozen or fresh peas
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:

Place the salmon on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil and cook at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes.    I like to spray the tin foil with cooking spray before I put the salmon on the foil.  You can season the salmon with salt and pepper if desired.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

While the salmon is cooking, cook the cubed potatoes on medium heat on the stove until they are soft.  Drain the potatoes, add the butter and milk to the pot and mash the potatoes.  Let the potatoes cool.

Into a medium size mixing bowl add the salmon and chop it until it is flaked.  Add the potatoes, egg, flour, dill, lemon or lime juice and salt and pepper.  Mix well.  If using frozen peas, microwave them in a bit of water in a covered dish for two minutes.  Drain and add the peas and gently combine so that the peas are distributed throughout the mixture.

Add the oil to a non-stick frying pan and heat on medium high until the oil is hot.  Gently shape the salmon mixture into about 7 cakes and place each one in the pan.  I used my hands to shape the cakes.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook on both sides until they are crispy brown.  Two or three cakes per person (depends on appetite) makes a nice meal along with a salad.

GRILLED SALMON

When salmon is cooked on the barbecue, I think it can tastes much better than when I cook it in the oven.  I recently made this recipe for a Sunday supper and the taste was amazing.  Instead of cooking the whole skinless and boneless filet, I cut the raw salmon into chunks, marinated the chunks and then  I threaded them onto bamboo skewers.  When buying the salmon, choose a filet that is thick so that it can be threaded easier on the skewers.  I didn't take a photo of the cooked skewers as the photo wouldn't do justice to the taste of the cooked salmon.  Both the DH and I thought that this salmon was one of the better salmon dishes I have made.  Of course, the grilling by the DH on the barbecue added to the taste.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds of skinless, boneless salmon filet, cut into about 2'' by 2''
1/4 cup soy sauce or temari sauce or Bragg soy seasoning
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp agave or maple syrup
salt and pepper, optional
6 to 8 bamboo skewers

DIRECTIONS:

Add all of the ingredients, except the skewers, to a container with a lid or a zip lock bag.  Coat the salmon chunks with the marinade.  Place in the fridge for an hour.  During this hour, take out the container or bag and rotate the salmon so that the marinade is mixed around all of the salmon.

Fifteen minutes before you are ready to barbecue, soak the bamboo skewers in a pan of water.  Thread about three pieces of salmon onto each skewer leaving space between each piece of fish.

Barbecue for about 15 minutes, rotating the salmon skewer half way through the cooking time.  The barbecue time depends on your cooking heat.  The heat when the DH cooked these skewers was about 325 to 350 degrees F.  Serves 3 to 4.

FISH WITH HERB PESTO

The word pesto is derived from the Genoese word 'pesta' which means to pound and to crush.  This is likely because it was originally made with using a pestle and mortar to pound the ingredients.  The modern day pesto uses basil, oil, garlic, grated hard cheese such as parmesan and basil but depending on the region or country, not all use pine nuts.  Different regions or countries will use other herbs besides basil and may almonds or tomatoes in making the paste.  I don't think the original pesto was used for fish but was added to pasta.

I made this pesto using a combination of basil and parsley to accompany baked halibut.  I made more pesto than what was needed for a pound of fish.  I also didn't finely chop the pesto and make it really smooth.  It had some texture to it.  To make it smoother I would have had to add a little bit of water or olive oil.  I also did not add grated cheese to the recipe.  Adding a bit of cheese could have helped in making a smoother paste.

The pesto did add wonderful flavour to the halibut and both the DH and I enjoyed this dish.

Halibut with pesto.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound halibut, cod or other fish fillet, cut into four pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Pesto

1/2 cup parsley, basil combo

3 tbsp dill

3 tbsp roasted almonds, whole or slivered

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Using a small blender, add the herbs and nuts.  Using the pulse feature, pulse a number of times to finely chop the mixture.  Add the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Blend until smooth or coarse if you want to have more texture.  If the pesto is too dry, add one tablespoon of water to make a smoother paste.  This makes more than what is required for the cooked halibut. Set the pesto aside in order to cook the fish.

Heat a non stick frying pan on medium high and add the oil.  Once hot, add the fish and salt and pepper to your taste.  Reduce heat to medium and cook about five to six minutes on each side to golden brown.  

Add a spoonful of pesto to the fish once it is plated.  Serves 3 to 4 depending on appetite. 

BAKED HALIBUT

Some people might say you don't need to dress up a piece of halibut and it doesn't require much in the way of preparation and cooking.  I agree but I also like to have some variety and this recipe provides another way to cook halibut.  You could use other fish besides halibut.  Other than the halibut, the ingredients are standard staples that many would have in their fridge or cupboards.  Both the DH and I enjoyed this meal.

Fillet on parchment paper.

Topping is applied to the fish.

Just out of the oven and ready to serve.

Baked Halibut              

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp diced onion

dash of ground cayenne pepper

1 pound halibut steaks

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish.

In a bowl, mix the cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, flour, lemon juice, onion, and cayenne pepper.

Arrange the halibut steaks in the prepared baking dish, and cover with the cheese mixture.

Bake 10 minutes at 425 and then reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Modified from allrecipes.com

FISH, BABY POTATOES AND ONIONS

I like to make one pan or one pot meals for supper sometimes.  It provides variety and can be less complicated.  You can make this meal in 30 minutes and you don't have to clean many pots, mixing bowls or utensils.  I used tilapia fish in this recipe but salmon, halibut or cod would also be a good choice.  The photo doesn't do the recipe any justice and it does taste good.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4-5 baby potatoes, thinly sliced
1 coloured pepper, chopped
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
4 small tomatoes
2 filets, tilapia or other fish, cut into small chunks
1/2 tsp dried dill

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a large frying pan with olive oil.  Add the onions, garlic, carrots and potatoes.  Reduce heat to medium.  Cook for 10 minutes and stir a few times.  If the vegetables are sticking to the pan, add a little bit of water.  Add the pepper, tomatoes, fish and dill.  Combine with the other vegetables.  Cook for another 5 to 8 minutes.   Serves 2 to 3.

SALMON GINGER GARLIC MARINADE

There are many variations of marinades for salmon.  I like this one as it includes fresh garlic and ginger.   You have to be careful to not over marinate fish as the acid or salt in the marinade ingredients will start to cook the fish.  I used over 2 pounds of salmon but I didn't increase the quantity of ingredients other than adding more garlic.

Salmon baked with the marinade.

INGREDIENTS:

4 to 6 salmon fillets or steaks (2 pounds)

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 scallions/green onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Mix oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic, and ginger to make a marinade, pour over salmon and marinate for one hour in the refrigerator.  I used a zip lock bag for marinating the salmon.  You can pour the marinade over the salmon and then bake the fish in a baking dish.

Grill, bake or grill salmon for about 15 to 20 minutes or until done.  The time depends on how you are cooking the salmon and the temperature.  I baked the salmon at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes as I put all of the fish into one baking dish and it was densely packed.

Modified from http://www.food.com/

BAKED COD WITH VEGETABLES

This recipe is simple as it requires not many ingredients, you can add different vegetables and just requires a baking dish to cook the food.  I used cod but other fish could be used including salmon, red snapper or halibut.   I also used minimal herbs and spices and you could add other herbs based on your preferences.  Both the DH and I enjoyed this meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound red potatoes, unpeeled, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 glove garlic, minced
handful of fresh dill, chopped or 1 tsp dried dill
1 pound, cod, snapper or other firm fish cut into 2 inch chunks

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Combine the potatoes, onions, oil and salt and pepper in a medium size baking dish.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Stir mixture once while baking.

Stir the tomato, garlic and dill into the potato mixture.  Top with the fish.  Increase the heat to 400 degrees F and bake, covered with aluminum foil for 25 minutes.   If the fish is not cooked, cook for additional time.  Serve the fish and vegetables with the juice from the baking dish.  Serves 4.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

SALMON WITH ALMOND AND PARSLEY TOPPING

While visiting with friends I was served this delicious salmon which had an almond and parsley topping.   My girlfriend provided me with the list of ingredients and I figured out the proportions.   I made a light coating for the almond and parsley topping and you could increase the amounts to make a heavier topping.

This is a wonderful recipe and both the DH and I enjoyed it.  I served the salmon with lemon wedges,  new potatoes roasted in the oven and salad.

Almond and parsley mixture. 

Mixture is spread on the salmon before baking.

Cooked and ready to be served.

INGREDIENTS:


2 lbs salmon fillet
dijon mustard
10 almonds, chopped
small handful of parsley, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
zest from half a lemon
juice from half a lemon
3 tbsp maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:


Place the salmon on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or tin foil.  If using tin foil, I spray the tin foil with Pam before placing the fillets on the pan.  Thinly spread the fillets with dijon mustard.

In a separate small bowl, combine the remainder of the ingredients.  Spread this mixture over the salmon as a topping.  Bake in the oven at 400 degrees F until cooked (25 minutes) or cook on the barbecue.  Serves four.

SAUTEED VEGETABLES AND FISH

One of my favourite food writers, Mark Bittman, provides recipes that are straight forward and can be altered to suit your tastes.  I have mentioned his cookbook in previous posts "The Food Matters Cookbook".   I made this recipe from the cookbook and of course varied the ingredients.   I didn't use an onion in the vegetable saute as I didn't have any onions in the house.  Normally I always have several onions on hand but I had bought a bag of onions and for some reason they were spoiling so they found their way out the door.  For vegetables I used carrots, potatoes and zucchini.  I served the vegetables beside the fillet of fish instead of the fish placed on top of a serving of vegetables.

Sauteed vegetables

Pan fried fish

INGREDIENTS:


4 tbsp oil or more if needed
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups of shredded vegetables - winter squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, zucchini
1/2 tsp grated ginger and or 1/2 tsp grated garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 pound to one pound of fish fillets such as halibut, cod or red snapper cut into portion size pieces
lemon wedges

DIRECTIONS:


Hear 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium size non stick frying pan on medium high heat.  When it is hot, add the vegetables , ginger and or garlic, and salt and pepper.  Cook until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.  The vegetables should not be over cooked.  Transfer the vegetables to a serving plate and keep warm.

While the vegetables are cooking, combine the cornmeal and flour on a plate, along with some salt and pepper.  Dredge the fish in the flour and remove the excess flour.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the frying pan and on medium heat add the fish when the oil is hot.  Cook until lightly browned on both sides.

To serve the fish and vegetables, place a serving of vegetables on a plate and place a piece of fish on top of the vegetables.  Or you can serve the fish and vegetables separately.   Garnish with lemon wedges

COD CHOWDER

I try to eat fish at least once or twice a week.  While shopping at Costco I bought a package (over 2 pounds) of fresh cod.  Two pounds is too much to cook at once for two people without having leftovers for several days.  My plan was to cook half the package and freeze the rest for a future meal.  I decided to make a cod chowder.  The recipe is a basic chowder recipe and other ingredients can be added including other vegetables.  I used herbes de provence but one could add basil or dill.   I also used butter to saute the onion and celery.  This chowder was eaten as the main meal and you could add fresh bread or buns to eat along with this chowder.  The DH and I both enjoyed this meal.

Ready to eat!

COD CHOWDER

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb uncooked cod

2 tbsp butter, margarine or olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cups raw potatoes, diced

2 carrots, thinly sliced or chopped

2 cups boiling water
1/2 tsp dried herbes de provence

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:

Cut cod fillets into bite sized pieces.

Melt margarine in large saucepan Cook onion and celery until onion is tender and translucent.

Add potatoes, carrots, water, salt and pepper and herbes de provence.  Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Add fish and cook 10 minutes longer.  Add milk.  Reheat, but do not boil.  Serves 4.

 Adapted from www.food.com

RED SNAPPER WITH DIJON MUSTARD SAUCE

I don't cook red snapper frequently.  I tend to cook cod, halibut, pickerel or salmon more often.  The sauce helps make the dish more flavourful.   This recipe is very easy and fast to make, especially when you are short of time.  You can serve this dish with rice, couscous or quinoa.

INGREDIENTS:


1/2 lb red snapper fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup chopped green onions or 1 tsp dried onions
1 tsp fresh grated ginger or 1/2 tsp dried ground ginger

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse the fillets and pat dry with paper towels.  In a shallow bowl mix together all of the other ingredients.  While heating a non stick medium size frying pan, dip the fillets into the marinade to coat both sides.  Place the fillets in the skillet.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Pour the remaining marinade into the skillet.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook for another 3 minutes.  Fish is cooked if it flakes easily with a fork.  Serves 2.

Adapted from www.allrecipes.com

VEGETABLE SHRIMP SAUTE

There are many ways to cook shrimp.  The fastest way is to saute them in a frying pan with oil, butter and garlic.  To dress up the shrimp you can saute a variety of vegetables and with adding rice to accompany the vegetables and shrimp, you have created a complete meal.  There are other vegetables you can add besides the one I have listed.  Examples include corn, celery, onion and carrots.  I did use the cilantro in this dish but you could use fresh basil instead.  Both the DH and I enjoyed this dish.

Shrimp cooking in the pan.

Diced zucchini and green beans.

Zucchini, green beans and red pepper cooking in the pan.

Shrimp and tomatoes have been added to the other vegetables.

Ready to serve.

INGREDIENTS:


1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
1 clove of garlic, minced
16 raw, peeled shrimp
1 small zucchini, diced
1 handful of fresh green beans, diced
1/2 red or yellow pepper, diced
7 grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
juice from 1/2 lemon

DIRECTIONS:


Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan on medium heat.  Add the shrimp and garlic.  Stir often and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the pink are turning pink.  Remove the shrimp from the pan and add the zucchini and green beans to the pan.  Cook for 3 minutes and then add the red pepper.  Stir often and cook for another 3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and shrimp and cook for another few minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften.  Stir often.  Add salt and pepper and cilantro, stir and remove from the heat.  Place the vegetables and shrimp into a serving dish and squeeze the lemon juice over the vegetables and shrimp.  Serves 2 to 3.