Easy Balsamic Salmon

I usually cook salmon the same way - seasoned with Rosemary Garlic Seasoning and baked in a hot cast iron skillet with a little olive oil.  It's really good that way, but when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I thought it would be nice to try something different.

Easy Balsamic Salmon
from Eating Bird Food

Ingredients:

• 1/2 T olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 2 wild caught salmon fillets (about 3-4 oz each)
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 T honey
• 3 T balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper. Add salmon to skillet and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.
2. While the salmon is cooking, whisk together honey, vinegar and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Add vinegar mixture to skillet and simmer until fish is fork-tender and liquid reduces and thickens, about 5 minutes. For a thicker, reduced sauce, simmer for 5 to 10 additional minutes. Just make sure you don't overcook the salmon.

This is really simple to make and a delicious change.  The flavors are really good, and I will definitely be making this again!  I may cut the red pepper flakes down a bit - I already cut them down from 1 tsp. to 1/2 because, even though I like spicy food, my husband really doesn't, and this still had a bit of a kick to it. I liked it, but it may have been a bit much for him.

Chile Lime Salmon Tacos

I pinned this several week ago because these tacos just looked so good.  Seriously - yum!

Mine didn't turn out looking nearly as nice as the ones in the picture, but they were definitely yummy.  And easy.  Gotta love an easy recipe that is also delicious.  I will definitely make these again.

Chile Lime Salmon Tacos
from BumbleBee

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14.75 oz) Salmon, drained and flaked (remove skin & bones as desired)
• Juice of 1 fresh lime
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (or chile powder)
• salt to taste
• 8 soft corn tortillas or small flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• Cilantro
• Sliced green onions
• White Sauce
  1/2 cup sour cream
  1 tablespoon hot sauce

Directions:

1. Sauté salmon with lime juice and taco seasoning to warm through, about 2 minutes.  Add salt to taste.
2. Meanwhile, combine sour cream and hot sauce; stir well.
3. Fill warm tortillas with salmon mixture; top with cabbage, cilantro and green onions. Serve with your favorite salsa and the white sauce.

The original recipe said that the white sauce was optional, but don't skip it.  It really adds to the texture and flavor of the tacos.  I suppose you could use plain sour cream, but the hot sauce just gives it a little kick.  You could also probably stir about half a teaspoon or so of your taco seasoning or chile powder - whichever you use - into the sour cream for the sauce.

I used taco seasoning for my tacos, but I'm going to try the chile powder next time, just to see which one we like best.  Did I mention that these are super easy?  And super yummy? 

Brown Rice Salad with Salmon

I read an interview with Claire Robinson on My Wooden Spoon this morning.  I was not aware of her or her show, but I like the idea of easy, flavorful recipes, so I'm going to have to check her out.  What caught my eye was her approach to recipes:

She says you should read the recipe, put it away, and do your own thing. Don’t be afraid to swap an ingredient out or add more or less.

Yep!  That's pretty much my approach to any recipe.  I use them for ideas, and then proceed to throw in the ingredients I have.  It's more fun that way!  The only problem is that, when I come up with something we especially like, I usually can't repeat it.

All that to say that I found this recipe on Oprah.com for Brown Rice Salad with Salmon (by searching for 'salmon rice salad' - imagine that!)  The recipe already has a lot of leeway built into it - but I thought I better jot down what I used this time - just in case it's the perfect combination.

Brown Rice Salad with Salmon

Salad:

• 2 c. cooked brown rice
• 1-1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 8 oz. cooked salmon, broken into small pieces

Dressing:

• 2 t. cider vinegar
• 4 t. soy sauce
• 2 t. olive oil
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
In mixing bowl, combine rice and vegetables.  Mix vinegar, soy sauce, oil and salt & pepper; pour over rice mixture and mix well.  Add salmon, and toss lightly to combine.  Chill well.

I'm already noticing that the original recipe called for some cooked vegetables, where I used green pepper and celery, but the rice was hot when I mixed everything, so I'm going to figure that's OK.   Besides, they'll add a little crunch.  I'm thinking some chow mein noodles on top will be good, too.

Potluck tomorrow.  We'll see what everyone thinks.  It certainly smelled good when I mixed it up.

Update:  Definitely the perfect combination!  This salad has become a favorite around here.  It's great for not only a potluck, but as a cool summer meal.  It's great with chow mein noodles, on a bed of greens, or just by itself.

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