Wednesday, May 18, 2011

A long time ago, we used to be friends


Hello all you cats!

I must apologize for my lack of contributions lately, however work, kids, and the preverbal grind have all been standing between me and the computer these days. My goal for the summer months is to get 1-2 posts up a month so I hope you'll all help me stick to it!

I know that most of you like to message me on Facebook (which I love) so continue to feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions or comments. I still tend to get a lot of messages through there, so if I don't get back to you right away it never hurts to give me a gentle reminder ;)

I wanted to share with you one of my more recent dishes that I am madly in love with. I decided to make this after reading my cousin's Facebook comments about her (presumably) delicious veggie burger that she was having for lunch. I LOVE burgers and needed little persuasion to whip up this tasty salmon burger that I had seen on Elana's Pantry the week before. This is a quick and easy recipe using staple ingredients and the result was amazing! I hope you enjoy.

Sesame Salmon
Burgers


1 pound salmon, with skin
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 tsp peeled and minced ginger
1/4 cup chopped green onions (white and green parts)
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 large egg
olive oil for frying

Rinse the salmon, pat dry and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Combine salmon, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, green onions, and egg in a large bowl
Toast sesame seeds in a pan on medium heat being carful not to scorch (do not skip this step! The added flavour is SO worth the extra time)
Add toasted seeds to salmon mixture
Form mixture into patties
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
Cook the patties for 4-6 minutes per side, until golden brown
Serve Hot and Enjoy!

As luck would have it, when I went to Elana's site to retrieve the burger recipe, she had also posted a complimenting veg recipe!! After reviewing the ingredients and realizing that I had all components for said recipe too, I decided to go with it! Who was I to argue with the food Gods that were apparently trying to tell me something ;)

Garlic Ginger
Bok Choy and Mushrooms

1 1/4 pounds baby bok choy
2 cups mushrooms (I used cremini and portobello)
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp agave
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
4 green onions , sliced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1/4 cup hemp seeds

Slice bottoms off bok choy
Slice bok choy into lengthwise strips
Combine fish sauce, agave, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl
Dissolve the cornstarch to make a slurry
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
Add bok choy and salt once oil is hot
Cook, tossing frequently until slightly wilted
Add mushrooms, green onions, ginger, and garlic and stir until fragrant
Stir in sauce and quickly mix with veg, until thickened
Add hemp seeds and mix well
Serve hot and enjoy!


Well there you have it! An impromptu dinner that will likely remain one of my family's favourites well into the cold months. I love it when things just "come together".


Peace and Love,

Ladystardust

A side note: T.Rex, one of the bands that had the greatest influence on me during my teenage years, just started releasing FREE demos of their albums on Marc Bolan's Facebook page. Electric Warrior and the SLIDER are two of my most beloved albums of all time and listening to the demos was like hearing the albums for the first time :) Check them out, I promise you won't be disappointed!