As much as I love trying new recipes, there’s a few I make over and over again because they are delicious and reliable. Grilled Citrus Salmon is one of those recipes. It’s simple yet special enough to serve at a dinner party. If you don’t have a grill, no big deal…just bake it in the oven. Enjoy!

p.s. I know it’s not the best photo. We had company over for dinner and I was in a hurry to serve the salmon. As always, the salmon was a hit!

Grilled Citrus Salmon
- recipe from From Portland’s Palate, A Collection of Recipes from the City of Roses
The Junior League of Portland, Oregon

Makes 6 servings.

1 ½ Tbl. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 dashes cayenne pepper
2 dashes salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried dill
2 tsp. capers
3 lbs. fresh salmon fillets

In a small saute pan over medium heat, combine lemon juice, olive oil, butter, mustard, garlic, pepper, salt, basil, dill, and capers. While stirring, bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place salmon fillets skin-side down on a piece of heavy-duty foil with edges folded up, to make a pan. Pour sauce evenly over fish.

Place fish on grill and cover with lid.

Barbecue over medium-hot coals for 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets. Fish will be flaky and light pink in color when cooked.

Note: As an alternative, wrap fish in foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

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Tags: capers, dijon mustard, garlic, Grilling, lemon, olive oil, salmon

If you like the flavors of wasabi and ginger (which I do!), you’re going to love this recipe! You get a little zip from the wasabi without it knocking your head off, plus a little zing from the ginger and lime. This is a great summer recipe, and tastes like something you’d order in a restaurant!

The salmon cooks quickly on the grill so don’t wander off or you might end up with blackened, over-cooked salmon (not tasty!). For the mayonnaise mixture, add the wasabi paste last, tasting as you add it until you get the flavor/zip factor that you like. Enjoy!

Grilled Salmon with Wasabi-Ginger Mayonnaise
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

You can find wasabi paste and powder at Asian groceries, or try the Asian section of your supermarket. Serves four.

1-1/2 limes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 Tbs. wasabi paste; more to taste
2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 6-oz. skinless salmon fillets
Vegetable oil for the grill

Prepare a medium-hot grill fire (be sure the grill grate has been scrubbed clean with a wire brush).

Cut the half lime into four wedges and set aside. Finely grate the zest from the whole lime. Cut the zested lime in half and squeeze the juice from one half into a small bowl (save the other half for another use). In a medium bowl, combine 1 tsp. of the lime juice with the lime zest, mayonnaise, wasabi paste, ginger, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir to combine. Taste and add more wasabi paste if you’d like a zippier flavor.

Run your finger along each salmon fillet to feel for tiny bones; use tweezers or needlenose pliers to pull out any that you find. Season the fillets lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon about 2 Tbs. of the mayonnaise mixture onto the salmon fillets and refrigerate the rest. With your hands, spread the mayonnaise in a thin layer over all sides of the fillets.

When the grill is ready, oil the grill grate using tongs and a paper towel dipped in oil. Grill the salmon until crisp and slightly charred on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn and continue to grill until the salmon is just cooked through, another 3 to 6 minutes. Serve the salmon topped with a dollop of the mayonnaise and a lime wedge on the side. Pass the remaining mayonnaise at the table.

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Tags: ginger, Grilling, lime, mayonnaise, Quick Cooking, salmon, wasabi paste

I cooked swordfish last night for the first time in ages. I was recently flipping through Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbookwhen I came across her recipe for Indonesian Grilled Swordfish. I had heard good things about her Indonesian Chicken recipe so I decided to give the swordfish version a try. Boy, am I glad I did! The ginger-lemon-soy marinade gives the firm fish a wonderful flavor…the whole family liked it.

I let the swordfish marinate for about 6 hours before I grilled it. I served the fish with steamed rice and grilled yellow summer squash (marinated in a little olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce and rice vinegar). Yumm!

Indonesian Grilled Swordfish
-recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Makes 6 servings.

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola or peanut oil, plus extra for brushing on the grill
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup minced or finely chopped ginger root
2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 (8-ounce, 1-inch thick) swordfish steaks
Kosher salt

Combine the soy sauce, canola oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger root, garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Pour half the sauce in a low flat dish that’s just large enough to hold the swordfish in one layer. Place the swordfish on top of the sauce and spread the remaining sauce on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Thirty minutes before you’re ready to serve, build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill.

When the coals are medium-hot, brush the cooking grate with oil to prevent the fish from sticking. Remove the fish from the marinade, allowing some of the ginger to cling to the fish, and discard the marinade. Sprinkle the fish generously on both sides with salt and place it over the coals. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, just until it’s no longer pink in the middle. Place on a platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

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Tags: Asian, dijon mustard, garlic, ginger root, Grilling, Indonesian, lemon, Seafood, soy sauce, swordfish

This delicious sandwich is basically a fancy tuna melt. The addition of roasted red peppers, red onions and a little fresh lemon juice all piled inside a grilled Italian roll makes for an exciting variation on a lunch-time classic. The recipe calls for tuna packed in olive oil, a more flavorful variety than water-packed tuna.  

Since I didn’t have hot cherry peppers, I substituted a chopped pepperoncini pepper to the tuna mixture. Husband wolfed his sandwich down in no-time and heartily voiced his approval of the recipe. I will definitely be making these sandwiches again soon!!!

Grilled Swiss Cheese, Tuna and Red Pepper Sandwiches
-recipe from epicurious.com

Yield: Serves 2

1/4 cup minced drained bottled roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
a pinch of ground cumin
a 6 1/2-ounce can tuna packed in oil, drained well
1 hard boiled large egg, minced
1 hot cherry pepper, seeded and minced
two 5-inch-long soft Italian rolls
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
4 slices of Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil

In a bowl whisk together the roasted peppers, the mayonnaise, the lemon juice, and the cumin, add the tuna, flaked, the egg, the cherry pepper, and salt and black pepper to taste, combine the mixture well. Split the rolls, divide the mixture between the bottoms, and top each portion with half the onion, 2 slices of the Swiss cheese, and the tops of the rolls. In a large skillet heat the oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it cook the sandwiches, pressing them with a spatula and turning them, for 8 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Tags: hard-boiled egg, lemon juice, mayonnaise, red onion, roasted red peppers, soft Italian rolls, swiss cheese, tuna

When life gives you salmon, make salmon cakes! That’s what I did recently with some leftover grilled salmon from the previous night’s dinner. Heck, I’d even cook salmon for the sole purpose of making these delicious, savory cakes. I’m getting hungry just thinking about them!

I used plain bread crumbs instead of the cornflakes, and added a dash of cayenne pepper to both the cakes and sauce. I fried the patties in olive oil in two batches so the pan wasn’t too crowded, and kept the first batch on a cookie sheet in a warm (not hot) oven. The patties could even be made smaller and served as an appetizer.

The horseradish-spiked mayonnaise is an excellent compliment to the salmon cakes. If using dried thyme in the mayonnaise, mix it together and refrigerate it for at least an hour. This will give the dried herb time to soften up.

Salmon Cakes with Lemon-Herb Mayonnaise
-recipe from epicurious.com

If you don’t have fresh salmon, canned salmon is a perfectly fine stand-in. Makes 6 salmon cakes.

2 cups loosely packed crumbled cooked salmon
1/2 cup cornflake crumbs
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

Combine first 7 ingredients in medium bowl and stir gently to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in egg. Shape salmon mixture into 6 patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Arrange on plate.

Combine 3/4 cup mayonnaise, lemon juice, horseradish and 2 1/2 teaspoons thyme in small bowl. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Salmon cakes and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap separately and refrigerate.)

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add salmon cakes and sauté until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to platter. Serve with sauce.

Tags: fish, lemon-herb mayonnaise, salmon cakes

Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon

So what do you do when you live in Oregon, it’s summertime and you’ve got relatives visiting? You head to the beach. I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t take advantage of this often enough, considering we only live an hour or so from the coast. I really have no good excuses. Even the fact that I’ve got a busy life (but who doesn’t?) sounds lame when you take into account that the driving time between my home and a scenic masterpiece  is about the length of a Top Chef show. So right now I pledge to take more outings to the beach with my family. Period. Life’s just too short not to.

The Oregon coast is a totally different experience than, say, a beach in Southern California. Sure, people surf and play in the water here but it’s cold water and the weather at the beach usually isn’t hot. But on those rare occassions when it is warm and sunny, it’s amazing!  

Dead jellyfish

Our day trip started off with blue sky and very few clouds early in the afternoon then turned to cloudy skies shortly thereafter. The kids didn’t mind, though; they were quite content building sandcastles and looking at the dead jellyfish that had strangely drifted ashore (I’ve never seen dead jellyfish before). Anyway, after several hours of sandcastle building and dead jellyfish gazing, it was time to make a few stops in town before starting the return trip home.

Saltwater taffy from Bruce's Candy Kitchen

Although I’ve never been a huge fan of saltwater taffy, how could I not take my kids to the candy store before leaving the quaint beach community of Cannon Beach? Besides, I’m all about supporting local business. The saltwater taffy that I bought at Bruce’s Candy Kitchen was probably the best I’ve ever had. It was soft, chewy and sweet (not stale and rock hard like other taffies I’ve sampled in the past). I didn’t try all of Bruce’s taffy flavors, just some of the fruity ones: blueberry, marionberry, watermelon, orange, green apple. I enjoyed each of the flavors. Bruce’s even has an open kitchen so you can watch the candy makers pulling the taffy. The candy store was filled with all kinds of sweet treats and knick knacks but I stuck to the saltwater taffy and a few old-fashioned candy trinkets for the munchkins.

Cherry turnover from Cannon Beach Bakery

Next was a stop at the Cannon Beach Bakery for a loaf of Haystack Bread, a French-like loaf of bread shaped somewhat like Cannon Beach’s famous Haystack Rock. The kids also wanted another treat so we got a cupcake and a cherry turnover. Normally I don’t let my kids go hog wild on sugar but it was a special day…we were at the beach! Child #1 thoroughly enjoyed his cherry turnover and was patient enough to let me take a picture of it. However, Child #2 inhaled his cupcake before I could even get my camera out of the bag.  Oh well, he liked the cupcake and that’s all that matters. 

Smoked fish from Ecola Seafoods

The last thing I had to do before leaving town was to stop at Ecola Seafoods for some smoked fish and a bowl of clam chowder. The cold case was filled with all kinds of fresh and smoked seafoods but I decided to buy my favorites: smoked Albacore tuna and smoked salmon.  In the photo, the big hunk of fish on the left is not a chunk of driftwood but actually a delicious piece of smoked Albacore tuna. Smoked tuna is a little drier than smoked salmon but every bit as delicious.

Our ride home was uneventful and we made it home safely shortly after Husband got home from work. The kids are already asking when we can go to the beach again, and I’m already daydreaming about my next tasting of saltwater taffy and smoked fish (not together, though). It looks like we may have a free day in a few weeks….

Tags: Bruce's Candy Kitchen, Cannon Beach, Cannon Beach Bakery, Ecola Seafoods, Oregon coast, saltwater taffy, smoked albacore tuna, smoked salmon

I found this quick meal yesterday when I did a search for recipes using orzo (a rice-shaped pasta) and shrimp. I really like the blend of flavors: tender shrimp, chunky tomatoes, salty feta, and a little heat from the red pepper flakes.

I substituted fresh basil for the parsley because that’s what I had on hand. I suggest cutting the tail shell off the shrimp (if it isn’t already) so it’s easier to eat. Have everything prepped and ready to go when you start cooking so that you can move on from one step to the next. The recipe doesn’t state it but you need to drain the cooked orzo before adding it to the skillet with the shrimp and tomato mixture. Stir everything together then serve with a green salad and crusty bread.

Jennifer Garner’s Shrimp and Orzo
-recipe from epicurious.com

No time to make a healthy dinner? “I love to cook for myself,” says Jennifer Garner, the costar of Fox’s Time of Your Life television series. “It’s my stay-healthy secret. Making a simple dinner actually calms me down after a harried day. Often I’ll spend Sunday nights cooking and then use the leftovers for lunch that week. Right now, I’m really into cooking with orzo. It’s a light, rice-shaped pasta that fills me up. I especially love this recipe because the orzo goes well with the shrimp and veggies and it’s quick and easy to make.”

Makes 4 servings

1 cup dry orzo
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup white wine
1 can (28 oz) whole, peeled tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp capers
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 lb medium shelled and deveined shrimp
1/2 cup feta

Cook orzo in boiling water according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add wine and cook 1 minute. Toss in drained tomatoes (reserve 1/2 cup juice). Break tomatoes into chunks. Add reserved juice, parsley, capers, oregano, basil, black pepper, and red pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes or until shrimp become opaque. Add cooked orzo to skillet. Mix well. When pasta is thoroughly heated, stir in feta. Serve immediately.

Tags: Main Dish, orzo, Quick Cooking, Shrimp