Steamed Salmon with Asparagus

I have to thank “The Chew” for this idea. I’ve been wanting to bake something in parchment for awhile, but really didn’t know where to begin. I saw a recipe a couple months ago in one of the episodes which gave me a place to start.

I’ve tried this several ways, with different herbs, and different veggies, but always with asparagus and salmon. There are so many possibilities!

Steamed Salmon and Asparagus

For each parchment packet you’ll need:

5 stalks asparagus

7 sugar snap peas

1 small carrot, thinly sliced on an angle

1 piece salmon

1/3 lemon, thinly sliced

fresh ginger, thinly sliced (opt)

marjoram

pepper

salt

2 Tbsp white wine

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Snap the ends off the asparagus and lay on the bottom of a large piece of parchment.

Lay the carrot slices on the asparagus, then the salmon. 

On top of the salmon, lay the lemon slices, ginger, and snap peas. 

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and marjoram.

Fold the parchment in half, and starting at the fold in one corner, fold in the edges until just a small opening at the last corner. 

Add the wine, and fold in the last bit of parchment so it’s all sealed.

Lay the packets on a baking sheet, and set the timer to bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Serve by opening the top of the packet on a plate. The bottom of the parchment will be sodden with liquid and easily pull apart.

Veggies will still be crisp, and everything will be steaming hot. This can be served with steamed rice or potato.

Steamed Asparagus

I had a lot of asparagus to eat over the past week, and the bag is now empty. I tried both boiling and steaming, and have decided of the two, steaming really is better.

About a year ago I went through a little (expensive) online shopping phase, where one of my purchases was a bamboo steamer. It's been on the counter unused for a year. I tested it for the first time with asparagus.

Works great! Wouldn't you know. Now I have to think up some ideas to keep it in constant use.

I tried boiling the asparagus in both salted and unsalted water. To be honest I didn't find much difference. Perhaps the asparagus doesn't absorb as much as other vegetables do. 

I only steamed the asparagus one way in the bamboo steamer and that was without salt. Without a doubt, as I knew it would, it was more flavourful in the steamer rather than boiling water.



There are smaller steamers, and I have a small metal one that I sometimes use for broccoli, but the bamboo steamer is a great size for larger vegetables.

I used a metal frying pan to heat the water, and used parchment paper to line the steamer.

Snap off the bottom of the asparagus stalks.

Once the water is boiling, I reduced the heat to medium and let them steam for about 5 minutes.

If serving as a side, I sprinkled a little salt or ate them as they were.

Stay tuned...that's not the only way I served them ;)

Oh Spring Where Art Thou?

I'm back! 

It's been a long cold and snowy winter and I have to admit it's been hard to get motivated to do anything. Except of course shovel the driveway, sometimes multiple times a day. And not that I was motivated...exactly...it was out of necessity.

Trying to come up with food ideas to blog about was low on the priority list. And once out of the habit, it's been hard to embrace it again. 

But I love to write, and I love food and cooking, so here I sit with a brand new idea.

First a little history... "No dessert if you don't clean off your plate. You can't go out and play if you don't finish your vegetables." If we parents haven't said those words, we've all heard them as kids. Unless you were one of the "rare" kids that always cleaned off your plate. I wasn't. I hated most vegetables. My mother finally gave up on me. It would be common for me to have a piece of meat with a side of sliced...bread.

Testing the world of vegetarianism is definitely not for me. But with spring in the air (insert laugh here) I thought this would be a good time to peruse the list of vegetables from A to Z. I'm a carnivore at heart and not prepared to give up a good piece of BBQ chicken, but I'm going to research veggies and find new ways to prepare and serve.

First up...asparagus. Stay tuned.

Chickpea Wraps

Chickpeas are for hummus...right? I think I tried making it once, until I discovered the hummus from Costco. A double pack even made the trip to Fort McMurray with me...none the worse for wear I might add.

What else would you use chickpeas for? A salad...maybe. Sandwiches...if it was hummus...

In line with the "try to be healthier through the holidays" I thought I would try chickpea wraps.

OK, backup.

A birthday celebration and a need to make vegetarian sandwiches. I know egg, asparagus and cream cheese, and cheese and cherry fit the bill, but they are not exactly low calorie.

So I thought chickpeas. They were delicious. And healthy. And would make a great addition to a holiday party buffet!



Chickpea Wraps

Small tortilla wraps (your choice of flavour)
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small shallot, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp dill
salt and pepper to taste


With a pastry blender or potato masher, roughly break up the chickpeas. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well.





Roll up in the small tortillas (about 6 depending on how much filling you use), and slice in half to serve.
(Shelley)

Christmas Season Right Around the Corner

My little Christmas tree is up...a test really to see how it fares with the newest kitty... and we're taking a break from out travels and focusing on a healthier side of the holiday festivities.

Christmas is the one time of year, in our families we all tend to over-indulge. We try not to, but how do you pass up that second piece of mincemeat pie when this in the only time of year that we make it.

Ross suggested that we investigate healthy alternatives that have the flavour and ingredients that are associated with Christmas.

This does not mean that I'm having tofu instead of turkey  for Christmas dinner, but we're trying to find some ideas for serving healthier options at parties or pot lucks. And not feel like you are missing out!

Stay tuned to see what we can come up with. I'm starting today with a veggie wrap...

Chile Inspired Chicken Breast

OK. It's taken me awhile...sorry guys.

Chile is proving to be harder than expected. Does this mean if I have an opportunity to visit this country in person I will starve? Hmmm...probably not.

I've spent some time looking through the menus of the 1500 plus restaurants that I could find online.

I narrowed the search down to a few that said "authentic" Chilean or Peruvian food. And then I found one that looked interesting.

Alaska salmon (in the South Pacific?) served with finely sliced cucumber, and Parmesan cheese. This dish was served with rice cooked in white wine. Yeah...now we are getting somewhere.

The one piece of salmon I had frozen, smelled like the Harbour when thawed, so on to Plan B.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast

Per chicken breast you will need:

1 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Add a little olive oil to a frying pan, or use cooking spray. Heat to medium high.








Mix together the cheese and the yogurt, coat one side of the chicken breast.












Pan fry until well browned, just a few minutes. Turn down the heat, and flip the chicken.

Cook about five minutes more to cook all the way through.

The cooking time will vary depending on how thick the chicken breast is.






I usually flatten mine out to reduce the time in the pan. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is done.












Basmati Rice with Wine and Turmeric

Basmati rice
White wine (I used Chilean since this was the theme)
Water
Turmeric
salt to taste

The ratio is equal parts rice, wine, and water. (1 cup rice, 1 cup wine, 1 cup water).
Boil together the liquids and add the rice and seasonings.

Turn down the heat and simmer until almost all the water is gone.

Turn off heat and let rice sit for about 10 minutes.
(Shelley)

And then there's the Vodka...

I know I'm supposed to be traipsing around Chile, but I would be remiss leaving Russia and not talking about the vodka.

Vodka has always been a favourite of mine when mixing drinks. White Russian, Black Russian, Bloody Caesar, a Screwdriver...in a pinch, have all been consumed in and around the house.

For the past month, I have been sampling different vodka brands, and wonder how anyone could ever drink it straight.

I did have some lime flavoured vodka leftover from the summer, that I had been mixing with club soda. That I could possible drink with just ice if there was nothing else available.



Sorry all you folks that can drink it on ice...and like it! But to me it tasked like something that should be in a sterile unit of a hospital.



But on to mixes! I found a new favourite drink while perusing the pages and pages of ways to mix up your vodka.



It's more of a summer drink, but if you like iced tea...and not the stuff from a can...but the real stuff they serve in restaurants and on front verandas in the deep south...sweetened or unsweetened, you're going to love this!




Shanghai Green Tea

Make a pot of green tea, let steep for a few minutes then remove the bags. Let cool, and then chill.

1 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 tsp - 1 Tbsp sugar
1 sprig mint
cold green tea

Fill a tall glass with ice. Gently damage the mint leaves on the stem to allow the mint flavour to permeate the drink.

Add the vodka, lemon juice and the sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

Top with the cold tea.

Garnish with the mint sprig and a lemon wedge.


I think I'm going to have a hard time with Chile. A few of the countries past, I've been able to visit local restaurants and view the menus online.

I'm trying this tactic with Santiago, and the menus are detailed, but for the most part they don't list ingredients...just the name of the dish...

I do know the wine is good....so if all else fails, I may be drinking my way through Chile.