Category Archives: Fish

Ginger Soy Salmon with Watermelon Salsa

05 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Dinner, Fish, Fruit, Healthy, Quick and Easy

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Longing to take a spring break trip, but it’s just not in the cards for you this year?  Maybe you can’t spare the vacation days, you just don’t have the extra cash, or Zika has you nervous.  No need to miss out–make this spring break inspired dinner and you’ll be on island time in no time!  Grass skirt, bikini top, and piña colada optional!

Ginger Soy Salmon with Watermelon Salsa

Ginger Soy Salmon with Watermelon Salsa
Yield:  2 servings
Time:  30 minutes active prep, 2 hours marinating, 20 minutes cooking

For the salmon and marinade:
2 six-ounce filets of salmon
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
3 tbsp. soy sauce (low sodium preferably)
2 tbsp. brown sugar

For the watermelon salsa:
NOTE:  the dice on the following fruits and veggies should be small, roughly ¼-inch cubes (unless otherwise noted)
½ of a large cucumber, seeded and diced
1 orange, diced
3 cups diced watermelon
10 oz. pineapple tidbits, or diced pineapple
¾ to 1 full jalapeño, very finely minced
zest of half a lime
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar

  1. Prepare the marinade by whisking together the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and brown sugar.  Transfer to a zip-top bag and add the salmon.  Refrigerate for 2-4 hours to allow ample time for the flavors to marinate into the salmon.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the watermelon salsa.  Toss together all ingredients.  Mix well.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Place the salmon in a lightly greased glass baking dish.  Pour the marinade over the fish.  Cook at 400°F until the salmon is cooked through, roughly 16 minutes.
  4. Serve with watermelon salsa.

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Thai Salmon Over Lentil Mash

24 Wednesday Feb 2016

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Thai Salmon Over Lentil Mash

As most great recipes originate, this recipe was innovated by necessity.  I intended to make honey mustard glazed salmon with vanilla balsamic lentils (recipe here), but when I opened my pantry, I found that I didn’t have green lentils–only red.  Knowing that the texture of red lentils is rather different than that of green lentils once cooked, I knew immediately that they wouldn’t taste great with the recipe I’d had in mind.  I had fresh ginger root on hand, so I decided I’d concoct a dinner using fresh ginger and red lentils.  I love the warm curry flavors with the spiciness of the fresh ginger, and the brightness of the fresh cilantro in this meal.  Both my husband and I were surprised by how delicious this dinner turned out to be, and how quick and easy it was to make!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Thai Salmon Over Lentil Mash
Yield:  4 servings
Time:  40 minutes total

For the Lentil Mash:
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large white onion, diced
2 shallots, diced
3 tbsp. fresh minced ginger
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. salt
2 tsp. curry powder
3½ cups chicken stock
2 cups red lentils, sifted thru for stones and rinsed
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

For the Salmon:
Four 6-oz salmon filets
2 tsp. curry powder
1½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground pepper
1-2 tbsp. honey

  1. Preheat the oven to 390°F.
  2. Place the chicken stock in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir in the red lentils, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover.  Simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the stock has been absorbed and the lentils are tender.  (Red lentils tend to get mushy instead of holding their shape once cooked.  That’s our goal here, so don’t worry if it looks like baby food!)
  3. Meanwhile, combine the garlic, onion, shallots, fresh ginger, olive oil, salt, and 2 tsp. curry powder in a medium sauté pan.  Cook over medium heat until the onions are softened, about 8-10 minutes.  Set aside.
  4. Place the salmon in a lightly greased baking dish.  In a small mixing bowl, combine 2 tsp. curry powder, the ground ginger, salt, and pepper.  Mix to evenly distribute all of the spices.  Sprinkle over the salmon filets.  Lightly drizzle the salmon with honey.  Book at 390°F until cooked through, about 18 minutes.
  5. Once the lentils are ready, toss the onion mixture and the lentils together.  Fold in the chopped cilantro.
  6. Spread some of the mashed lentils on a plate, and top with the cooked salmon.  Enjoy!

Serving Suggestion:  I roasted asparagus to accompany this dish.  I ended up having extra minced fresh ginger, so I sprinkled that over the asparagus prior to roasting.  Yum!

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Salmon Over Vanilla Balsamic Lentils

19 Thursday Nov 2015

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Salmon Over Vanilla Balsamic Lentils

This recipe was inspired by a salmon dish I used to order frequently at a great little waterfront restaurant in Boston’s Seaport called 75 on Liberty Wharf.  Their version didn’t use vanilla or balsamic flavors, but instead it came with asparagus and a roasted red pepper coulis.  It was also served with the most amazing polenta wedges I’ve ever tasted.  I’m still working on replicating those!

Salmon Over Vanilla Balsamic Lentils
Yield:  4 servings
Time:  60 minutes  (25 minutes total if lentils are pre-cooked)

Four 6-oz salmon filets
3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup dry green lentils
2 cups water
16 oz baby bella mushrooms
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
12 oz fresh baby spinach
salt and pepper

  1. Cook the lentils:  Place the lentils and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Once boiling for one minute, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.  (The lentils can be prepared up to three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.)
  2. Place the salmon filets in a lightly greased baking dish.  Season each piece of salmon with a pinch of salt and pepper.  In a small dish, mix together the honey and mustard.  Spoon over the salmon filets.  Bake at 390°F for about 15-18 minutes, until fully cooked through.
  3. While the salmon is cooking, cut the mushrooms in half or quarters, depending on how large they are.  Place in a skillet and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes.  Stir the cooked lentils into the mushrooms.  Add the vanilla and balsamic.  Season with salt and pepper (about ¼ tsp of each).
  4. Reduce the heat to low and add half of the spinach.  Gently stir the spinach into the mushrooms and lentils for about two minutes, until slightly wilted.  Remove from the heat and add the remaining spinach immediately before serving.
  5. Arrange a pile of the spinach/mushroom/lentil mixture on each plate.  Top with honey-mustard salmon.

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Sliced Ahi Tuna Atop Arugula

07 Tuesday Apr 2015

Posted by in Dinner, Fish, Healthy, Quick and Easy, Salad

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Sliced Ahi Tuna Atop Arugula

Sliced Ahi Tuna Atop Arugula
Yield:  2 dinner portions
Time:  15 minutes active plus up to one hour marinating

For the tuna:
Two 6-oz. filets of ahi tuna
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
1½ tsp. wasabi powder

For the salad:
4 cups baby arugula
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. wasabi powder
1 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger*
½ a large cucumber, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 avocado, sliced
4 tbsp. pickled ginger

1.  To prepare the tuna, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and wasabi powder until the wasabi is fully dissolved.  Place this mixture into a ziplock bag with the tuna and marinate in the refrigerator for up to one hour.

2.  Lightly coat a non-stick skillet with cooking spray.  Heat the skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.  Place the marinated tuna in the hot skillet and sear for two minutes per side (or longer if you prefer it to be a bit more cooked through).

3.  Meanwhile, prepare the salad:  Whisk together the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, wasabi powder, and fresh ginger.  Toss with the arugula and cucumber.  Place in a heap in the center of a plate.

4.  Arrange the sliced avocado and pickled ginger in a fan shape around the arugula.

5.  Thinly slice the seared ahi tuna and place atop the arugula.  Enjoy!

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Seared Ahi Tuna with Asian Noodles

25 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by in Dinner, Fish, Healthy, Quick and Easy

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Seared Ahi Tuna with Asian NoodlesThis recipe looks and sounds fancy, but it comes together really easily and truthfully doesn’t take much effort at all.  You can’t beat that!

Seared Ahi Tuna with Asian Noodles
Yield:  Four servings
Time:  30 minutes

For the noodles:
12 oz. soba (buckwheat) noodles (or whole wheat angel hair works just as well!)
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
¼ cup canola oil
2 tbsp. sesame oil
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. hot sauce
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. ground ginger
3 tbsp. sesame seeds

For the tuna:
4 filets of sushi-grade ahi tuna
approximately ½ cup low sodium soy sauce

For garnish:
pickled ginger
wasabi

1.  Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package.  Return drained noodles into a medium sized pot.

2.  In a measuring cup, whisk together all of the remaining ingredients for the sauce.  Pour over the hot, cooked noodles.  Toss together.  (I used tongs and was intentionally not gentle, which helped to break up some of the long noodles.)  Place a lid on the pot while preparing the tuna.

3.  Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Pour approximately 4 tbsp. of the soy sauce into the bottom of a preheated skillet, until the base is covered with a thin layer of soy sauce.  Place raw tuna in the pan and drizzle the top of each filet with approximately 1 tbsp. of soy sauce.  Cook for three minutes, until bottom is nicely seared.  Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, to desired doneness.  (If the soy sauce thickens too much, add another 1-2 tbsp. during the cooking process.)

4.  Create a bed of noodles on a plate, and place the seared tuna on top.  Garnish with pickled ginger and wasabi.

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