Asparagus & Crispy Beans With Mint & Parmesan

Recipe from Food 52 Genius Recipes (Allison Arevalo)

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 4 generous servings

I was inspired by this recipe. Roasting cannelloni beans is pretty genius. They are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The roasted beans are tossed with arugula, fresh mint, blanched asparagus and Parmesan shavings. The original recipe called for high quality anchovies, but though I like them, I already had salmon in the freezer. So I roasted and flaked it to top off the salad. We enjoyed it with some grapes and homemade Zucchini Parmesan Loaf (also thawed from the freezer) This was a delicious, healthful and easy to make dinner.

1 (15 ounce) can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed

Kosher salt

8 ounces fresh asparagus

6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (you could use less)

Freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces arugula

3 ounces shaved Grana Padang or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 cup chopped fresh mint

1 (1.6 ounce) can or jar of anchovies, drained, fillets rolled into little spirals OR 2 small salmon fillets

Flakey sea salt (I use Maldon.)

Heat the oven to 375F.  Place a clean dry towel on the counter.  Place the beans on the towel and allow them to dry while the oven is preheating.  It’s really important that the beans be completely dry before roasting.  Bring a pot of water to boil and add 1 Tablespoon salt to the boiling water.  Add the asparagus.  Blanch for 1 minute.  Drain and then quickly plunge the asparagus into ice water to cool.  Cut into bite sized pieces (about 2 inches.) Once the beans have dried, place them on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with 3 Tablespoons oil and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper.  Toss gently to fully coat.  Spread them out into an even layer.  If you’re using salmon fillets in this recipe, you can add the fillets to the baking sheet to cook along with the beans.  Roast the beans for 20 minutes, until browned and crisp.  Remove and cool to room temperature.  

In a large bowl, place the arugula, asparagus, cheese, mint, and beans.  Right before serving, slowly drizzle in about 3 Tablespoons olive oil and gently toss.  Spread the salad on a large platter and scatter around the anchovies or flaked cooked salmon.  Garnish with flaky sea salt. Serve.

Sushi Grain Bowl

Recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 1 grain bowl (Can be easily doubled, tripled, etc.)

Boy, I wish I had known about this terrific lunch back when I was still working.  Wowza!  We loved all the flavors and textures of this simple dish.  Another great thing about this simple recipe is that all the components can be prepared in advance and then just arranged together right before serving.  

Dressing

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon lime juice (or lemon juice)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Grain Bowl Ingredients

1 cup cooked brown basmati rice

½ cup cooked shelled edamame

½ cup or so of tuna or sardines in oil (leftover cooked salmon would also work)

1 small cucumber or Persian cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced

1 large hard-cooked egg, peeled and halved

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

½ sheet nori, cut into thin strips (use scissors)

Measure out the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a lid.  Shake the jar vigorously until all the ingredients are well blended. Set aside.

Arrange brown rice, edamame, tuna, cucumber, and hard-cooked egg in a bowl or on a plate.  Sprinkle the egg and the cucumber with the salt and pepper. Drizzle the sushi bowl with the dressing.  Top with the toasted sesame seeds and the nori.  Serve.

Smoked Salmon "Sandwich"

From Alice's Kitchen

Serves 1

This is so quick and easy to make.  I absolutely love eating this for lunch.

Here's what's on this yummy "sandwich" in assembly order:

1 WASA whole grain cracker

1 Tablespoon cottage cheese

1 slice local tomato

1 slice of smoked salmon

2 teaspoons (approx.) capers, drained

1 scallion, sliced

A sprinkling of fresh dill (optional)

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Simple Salmon Salad

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Recipe adapted from Everyday Food

Husband-Tested Recipe from Alice Wootton

Makes 4

Make a batch of this delicious salad for a change-of-pace lunch.  Serve a scoop along with whole-grain crackers, some fresh veggies and fruit for a healthful lunch. 

2 (6 oz.) cans salmon, drained and flaked

3 scallions, sliced or 2 Tablespoons finely minced red onion

1 Tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise

½ Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly.  Serve as you like. 

Nutritional Information per Serving: 130 calories; 6.5 g fat (1 g saturated fat); 13.2 g protein; 5 g carbohydrates; 0.5 g fiber

Salmon Vegetable Chowder

Serves 4-6

Recipe from Food Network Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Preparing this tasty chowder took a bit of prep, but my husband said, “I could eat this every day” and so I would say it was worth the effort.  Make it on a weekend and have it for lunch during the work week or make this delicious (and pretty) chowder for a casual dinner party for friends.

4 slices bacon, chopped

6 shallots, peeled and chopped

1/3 cup chopped fresh dill, divided (I used 1 heaping Tablespoon of dried dill since fresh wasn’t in season.)

3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced

6 medium carrots, peeled and diced

4-5 cups water

Kosher salt, to taste

10 oz. sliced mushrooms

10 oz. Brussels sprouts, halved (or quartered if large)

2 large egg yolks

1 cup half-and-half

3 Tablespoons dry white wine or fresh lemon juice

¾ pound skinless, deboned* salmon fillet, cut into bite-sized pieces

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Cook the bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the shallots and half the dill and cook until the shallots are soft, about 3 minutes. 

Add the potatoes, carrots, and 1 teaspoon salt.  (You can add 1 cup more water if the soup seems too thick at this point.)  Cook until the potatoes and carrots are almost tender, about 6 minutes. 

Add the mushrooms and Brussels sprouts and cook until all of the vegetables are tender, about 6 more minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, half-and-half, and the wine in a small bowl.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the salmon and cook until opaque, about 2-3 minutes.  Gently stir in the egg mixture and cook until the soup thickens just slightly, 1-2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Divide the soup among bowls and top with the remaining dill.

Nutritional Info per Serving:  567 calories; 23 g fat (9 g saturated fat); 184 mg cholesterol; 58 g carbohydrates; 8 g fiber; 33 g protein

*I keep a pair of tweezers in my kitchen gadget drawer just for this purpose.  Run your finger along the salmon fillet and you’ll feel the bones.  Grasp a bone with the tweezers and pull.  The bone will slide right out.