Salmon With Lemon-Cilantro Viniagrette

Ah that's better. This picture looks much more appetizing than the pictures I've been taking of food lately. Geez, a cooking slump and a picture slump. Let's hope that's over! I saw this salmon recipe in Real Simple this month and, based on the name, it sounded great. And the picture looked great. So, I made my list for the week to include this recipe and went to the store. When I got home and actually read the recipe, it didn't sound quite as good. So, I changed it up quite a bit. Even with the changes this meal was pretty lackluster, but the salmon was great. I think the couscous just needed a little something extra.

I really love salmon cooked on a cedar plank on the grill (probably more than any other way I have had it), but we have had to take a break from that because we used to have it all the time. After taking a hiatus from the cedar plank, I'm happy to report that it has made it's return.



Salmon With Lemon-Cilantro Vinaigrette
adapted from Real Simple

1 cedar plank
1 lb. piece of salmon fillet
extra virgin olive oil
zest of one lemon
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 c. whole wheat couscous, cooked according to the box
2 T lemon juice
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. cilantro
4 green onions, thinly sliced

Soak the cedar plank for at least 30 minutes before cooking with it on the grill. Once soaked, place the salmon fillet on the plank and season. Brush the salmon with olive oil. Then top with garlic, lemon zest, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Put the cedar plank on the grill and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the fish reaches 150°.

While the fish cooks, make the couscous according to the directions on the box.

While the couscous is cooking, make the lemon-cilantro vinaigrette. In a bowl, mix together the cilantro, green onions, olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Once the couscous is finished cooking mix in the vinaigrette. I served the salmon over the couscous with steamed broccoli on the side.

Bon Appetit!
Jen

Vegetable Soup with Italian Sausage

No picture again. I can't seem to make the pictures of soup look good. Anyone have any tips for making soup look appetizing? They all look like a bowl of really gross slop. And who would want to make slop for dinner? Certainly not me. This soup was good and it made a ton. I think we ate it for 4 days. I guess I could have frozen some for a later meal, but I just couldn't part with it.

Vegetable Soup with Italian Sausage

1 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 lb. mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 small to medium yellow onion
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
4 carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 lb. of red fingerling potatoes
2 squash, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
2 32-oz. boxes of chicken broth
1 26-oz. box of chopped tomatoes

In a large stock pot, brown sausage in the olive oil. Once browned, remove the sausage from the pot. Saute the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in the sausage drippings. Next, add potatoes, squash, zucchini, chicken broth and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring soup to a boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer. Let simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours. Serve hot with a crusty whole grain bread.
Note: This soup is much better the next day.

Bon Appetit!
Jen

Chicken Posole

And the cooking funk continues. Maybe it is because every time I cook these days I end up with some sort of injury. Be it second degree burns from boiling pasta water or slicing open my finger while chopping onions, it has really turned me off. I am trying to get back to cooking though. Last weekend I made a pot of posole and it was delicious. If you don't know, posole is a Mexican soup made with pork (but I used chicken), Ancho chile, and hominy. I got the recipe from the October issue of Real Simple. The title of the article said it all for me: "A Month of Easy Dinners." Now that is my kind of dinner. The posole certainly was easy.

Chicken Posole
Adapted from Real Simple- October 2009

1 T olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
1 32-ounce container chicken broth
1 24-ounce box of chopped tomatoes, with juices
1 to 2 T ancho chile powder
2 cups of cubed cooked chicken breast
1 15-ounce can of hominy, drained and rinsed
1 lime, cut in wedges
1 avocado, sliced

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and 1/4 t. of salt, pepper, and chile powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown.

Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken and the hominy and simmer unitl heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with lime and avocado.

Bon Appetit!
Jen

p.s. no picture just yet... stay tuned.

Pork Tenderloin with Green Chile Sauce

I have really been in a cooking funk. Between Max starting school, planning his birthday party and going out of town I have really not been cooking too much. I found this recipe that I made a few weeks ago. I promise, this is the last green chile recipe for a while! This green chile sauce recipe is from Central Market. I think it would also be good on grilled chicken, fish, enchiladas. You know, just about anything.

Pork Tenderloin with Green Chile Sauce

1 3 lb. pork tenderloin (mine was dijon mustard and herb marinated)
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion
3 cloves of garlic
10 roasted Hatch chiles (5 hot, 5 mild)
1 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

To make the pork: Heat 2 T of olive oil in a cast iron skillet and sear the outside the tenderloin. Once seared, place the pork (in the skillet) in an oven preheated to 400°. Bake for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160°.

For the green chile sauce: Heat 1/4 c. of olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the onion for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and let it cook for 1 minute. Next add the green chiles and the chicken broth. Let this simmer for about 15 minutes. Then add this concoction to a food processor and blend until it is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


I served this with couscous and sauteed spinach. Claire, this one was for you!

Bon Appetit!
Jen

Green Chile Chicken Salad

I know what you're thinking — "Enough with the green chile recipes already." Under normal circumstances (not Hatch time) you might be right. But, when they are in season, I just can't help myself. I had some leftover grilled chicken from the night before and some roasted chiles and this just seemed like a match made in Heaven.

Green Chile Chicken Salad

1 chicken breast, chopped
2 heaping spoonfuls of mayonnaise
1 lime juiced
2 roasted Hot Hatch Green Chiles, chopped
handful of cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lime juice, green chiles and cilantro. Mix in the chopped chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture to share. I do, however, have a serving suggestion. (see picture below)

This sandwich tastes much better while picnicking at the newly sodded Zilker Park with a couple of really cute kids.

Bon Appetit!
Jen

Simply Grilled Chicken

When I made this chicken a couple of days ago Jeff told me that he likes it so much he would eat it once a week. Hmm. That is a terrible thing to tell me because I might just take him up on that. I think he would get really sick of it pretty quickly. It's just so easy and I don't have to really cook. Just make a marinade and some rice and a veggie. Ah, so easy. But, I guess for his sake, and mine, I will try not to make this every week.

Simply Grilled Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/8 c olive oil
1/8 c + 2T soy sauce
1/8 c rice wine vinegar
1/8 c orange juice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1" piece of ginger, grated

Mix together all wet ingredients. Put the chicken breasts in a gallon-sized zipper bag and pour in the marinade. I let the chicken marinate for about 4 hours before grilling.


Bon Appetit!
Jen

Green Chile Burgers

Every once in a while I really crave a burger, and Jeff's are really good. I stood behind him, pen in hand, to write down exactly what he was doing. Other than needing a little bit more green chile in it, they were really good. I've said it before and I will say it again, I am sure glad Jeff likes to grill. I really do not like to clean up the kitchen and the clean up is just so much easier when all the cooking is done outside! I guess I should stop complaining about all of our hot weather. If it were not so warm in Austin, then we would not be able to grill year round.

Green Chile Burgers

1 lb. ground beef (85%)
2 mild roasted green chiles, chopped
1 t worchestershire
1/4 t paprika
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t kosher salt
1/8 t freshly ground pepper
1 t soy sauce

Mix all the ingredients into the ground beef. (It is easiest to used your hands) The patties should be 20% bigger than the bun because they shrink while as they cook. We made 3 burgers with the 1 lb. of meat. Once the patties were made, Jeff put them into the freezer for 15 or 20 minutes before putting them on the grill. (He says this helps them stay together on the grill.)


Bon Appetit!
Jen