Two favorites, wrapped into one delicious little package. I’m talking about lox in the form of a summer roll. Don’t let name fool you – no matter the season, summer rolls make a fantastic light lunch or healthy snack. Lox, often found in a Jewish deli, and not to be confused with smoked salmon, is made […]
salmon
Pan Seared Salmon with Wild Rice in Coconut Curry Broth
Pan seared salmon on a bed of wild rice in a rich and creamy ginger and coconut curry broth. Sounds elegant, but I made a video so you can see just how easy it really is! Salmon is such a wonderfully versitle dish – it makes a great weeknight meal due to it’s quick and easy prep yet […]
Vermicelli Noodle Bowl with Pan Seared Salmon
This noodle bowl is jam-packed with goodness! Pan seared salmon, garlicky kale, avocado… the list of greens goes on! Each bite is nutrient-rich and delicious!
Avocado and Tuna Poke Bowl
Light, refreshing Avocado Tuna Poke Bowl – loaded with healthy ingredients and complimenting flavors and textures! There’s a lot going on in one little bite!
Irish Smoked Salmon and Egg Boxty
This time last year Mr. HNN and I had just returned from our week-long trip to Ireland. The only reservations we made the entire trip were for the flight and the car; there would be no other reservations. We decided to just get in the car and drive wherever the damp winds of Ireland took us. […]
Pan Seared Salmon in Coconut Curry Broth {Video}
Lox Summer Rolls with Avocado-Lime Dipping Sauce {Video}
Salmon en Papillote with Edamame Mash
Need a quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s healthy and delicious? Salmon en Papillote with Edamame Mash full-fills all!
En papillote is French for ‘in parchment’ (pronounced “ON poppy-YOTE”). It is a method of steaming that locks in flavor and moisture. It may look (and by name, even sound) fussy, but it couldn’t be easier, and it’s virtually foolproof.
Miso Glazed Salmon with Coconut Rice
Miso Glazed Salmon with Coconut Rice is a simple yet elegant dish packed with flavor! Considering miso is the star of this glaze, keep in mind that not all miso is created equal. Generally speaking, you want to use Japanese miso which can be found at any Asian food store and at many gourmet grocery stores. Take it from me, you want the real deal – in a pinch I’ve made the mistake of buying American miso at the local grocery store and I had to throw it away – it was terrible…just terrible! Sorry America, you know I love you, but miso is not your strong suit.
This dish has been catapulted to a new dinner favorite in our household! The umami rich taste of the miso glaze pairs perfectly with the delicately sweet coconut rice, and the scallions add a light onion taste with wonderful little bite. It’s packed with so much flavor, you’ll be amazed at how quick and easy is to make!
Avocado-Lox Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)
Perfect for a bento lunch or picnic – Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) are fun and delicious!
Coconut Curry Salmon Baked in Banana Leaves
I heard about the Buford Highway Farmers Market in Atlanta before we even moved from our home in DC. It has made numerous appearances on Alton Brown’s ‘Good Eats’ and even Anthony Bourdain’s ‘The Layover’. The first time I walked through the doors of the market, it was complete sensory overload! There was an endless array of fruits, vegetables, and spices, many of which I had only read about, but never seen. As I made my way around the kaleidoscope of chili peppers and through a forest of sugar cane, I came across a table of banana leaves. Immediately I knew I wanted to use these leaves to recreate one of my favorite Thai dishes – fish baked in banana leaves. It’s succulent, full of flavor, and unlike any other fish I have ever eaten. I love the delicate balance of flavors in Thai food. Sweet, sour, salty, spicy; they all work harmoniously together to give you a full-bodied flavor experience. Even my husband, who is not a big fan of fish, loved this dish.
Gravlax
When you think of Sweden, what comes to mind? Swedish meatballs? ABBA? Or perhaps marauding Vikings raiding trendy modular furniture stores? When I think of Sweden, the first thing that pops into my head is gravlax. Being part Japanese and part Swedish, it’s practically in my DNA to love this stuff! I have eaten it my entire life, but had never made it for myself. I always assumed that it would be a difficult process, when in all actuality, the most difficult part is waiting the 48 to 72 hours for the fish to cure.
When I told my husband I would be making gravlax, his face contorted into a look of disgust. He said, “I don’t like it. It tastes and smells fishy”. His disdain for the dish led him to “affectionately” dub them, “craplax”. But, he is a trooper and said that if I made it, he would try them. As my punishment for his willingness to have an open mind about this, for three days, all I heard were questions and statements about the “craplax”. “When are the craplax going to be ready? Is the house going to smell like craplax? Excuse me, I have to go take a craplax”.
Finally the day had arrived when the craplax…..I mean gravlax, were cured and ready to eat. I rinsed off the curing agents, patted it dry, and sliced a thin piece off the end. I placed it on my tounge and it just melted in my mouth with its silky texture and delicate flavor. This, I thought quietly to myself, was really, really good! Anxious for my husband to try the very thing that he had been harassing me about for the last few days, I fed him the next piece I cut. His face was obviously tense when I placed the piece of salmon in his mouth, but as he chewed, his face softened and look of surprise washed over him. He stiffened back up and said, “it’s terrible.” Then gave me a sheepish smile and promptly reached for another piece. “I think I need to taste another…just to make sure. Yep, it’s awful,” he confirmed – saying this as he reached for another piece, and yet another, and another.
After a healthy “sample” of gravlax, my husband finally declared, “I didn’t think I would say this, but this is really good! It tastes fresh and not at all fishy”. Homemade gravlax get an intense floral aroma from the fresh dill, it’s oiliness is replaced with a silky texture during the curing process, and it’s far less expensive than store bought. So, you get a far superior product and for significantly less money…what’s not to love? While my husband still refers to them as craplax (and I must admit, the nickname does crack me up), the next time I made them, I heard no complaints.