Last week, I pan-seared salmon for the first time. I’m a convert!

Usually, I use the oven for salmon, using my mother-in-law’s famous salmon cooking method. (Oh my god, I’ve never posted that before?!? I have to tell you about that sometime soon!)

Well, my new passion is pan-searing. I love how the top of the salmon gets crispy and the fish stays moist and tender.

I used a recipe from the America’s Test Kitchen “Fast & Fresh” 2007 recipe magazine. It’s called Seared Salmon with Balsamic Glaze. My husband is now obsessed with the sauce. It’s super-easy to make for a weeknight, and the hint fresh rosemary goes beautifully with the citrus-honey mix that crystallizes and makes a perfect sauce. I bet it would be great on other fish and with certain meats, as well.

Be sure to use a nonstick pan if you sear your salmon. I made a mistake the first time and accidentally used a regular pan. It was not pretty to clean up afterwards. When I created this dish again tonight, I made sure to use a nonstick pan and that made all the difference!

See, I used the wrong pan the first time…

Oops, I just now realized that I didn’t add the butter (or the extra salt and pepper) at the end tonight, and it was still very delicious and rich and flavorful. In fact, my butter-obsessed husband didn’t even notice it was missing. So, feel free to omit the butter if you like.

This recipe is a new classic in my repertoire and I think you’ll love it, too, for an easy and luxurious weeknight meal.

Seared Salmon With Balsamic Glaze
From America’s Test Kitchen/Cook’s Country
Serves 4

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 T honey
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1 (5-inch) sprig of rosemary
2 t vegetable oil
4 skin-on salmon fillets (about 1 and 1/2 lbs)
salt and pepper
2 T unsalted butter

1. Whisk together the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl, then add rosemary. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Season salmon with salt and pepper and cook skin side up without moving, until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip fish skin side down and cook until all but very center of fish is opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to platter and tent with foil.

2. Wipe out pan with paper towels and lower heat to medium. Carefully pour balsamic mixture into pan (it will splatter). Simmer until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove rosemary sprig. Whisk in butter, season sauce with salt and pepper, and pour over salmon. Serve.

Enjoy!
~ Beth

I really love Ellie Krieger’s show on the Food Network and I wish she would come out with a cookbook already!

Her show, Healthy Appetitie with Ellie Krieger, showcases exactly how I like to eat - fresh, colorful, wholesome ingredients, whole grains, and an emphasis on health without compromising good taste.

I want/plan to make almost everything she demos on the show, but the main recipe that I’ve loved so far and have made several times is Fettuccine with Creamy Red Pepper-Feta Sauce.

You put all this yummy oniony, peppery goodness into the blender with feta and a bit of broth and that’s all there is to it!

It combines my love of roasted bell peppers with the lowfat creaminess of feta coating whole wheat noodles. I use the Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat fettuccine which gives the perfect nutty heartiness without the cardboard dryness that sometimes characterizes whole grain pastas.

You should try it for yourself!

~Beth

I feel like I hit the total recipe JACKPOT the other day because I made one of those dishes where, before I’d even had one bite, I could tell that it would be a beloved and oft-prepared recipe for the rest of my life. Simple, quick, healthy, protein, deep-flavored, versatile, and delicious. Love it!

Shrimp, Tomato, and Feta Cheese, Greek Style
from my cooking teacher Nadia
Serves 6-8

1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion , finely chopped
at least 3-4 cloves of fresh minced garlic
1 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
pinch of dried oregano
2 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley (I used cilantro)
8-12 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil, add onion and gently saute for about 2-3 minutes. Add a little water, if necessary to prevent discoloring. Place the whole tomatoes and juice in a food processor or blender and pulse to puree. Add tomato puree to the skillet, stir, cover pan, and simmer about 10 minutes.

2. Add oregano, shrimp, and parsley. Toss mixture and cook shrimp about 3-4 minutes. Try not to overcook! Add feta cheese and cook a few minutes longer, until shrimp are just cooked through.

Some of Nadia’s priceless tips:

• You can saute the shrimp separately first (before adding to the tomato mixture) with a little white wine or brandy. This was a part of a tagine cooking class, so I believe this tip about sauteeing them separately is specifically helpful if you’re using a tagine.
• I put just a little bit of the feta in on the stovetop. I add the rest upon serving so that it doesn’t melt completely in.
• Nadia recommends the frozen shrimp from Costco, if you’re curious.
• This is great served on top of couscous or polenta. I’ve done it both ways. I especially liked it over polenta made with a little butter added at the end, as well as some frozen corn stirred in and warmed through.

I’ve made a lot of different lentil soups in my day. But this new-to-me recipe has something special. The bright flavor of dill is pervasive in every bite. The creamy feta added at the end is sublime and makes me wonder why I don’t add feta to every lentil soup! So many veggies make the soup ridiculously healthy. And even my husband likes it! This one is going in the permanent recipe file immediately.

Tomato and Lentil Soup
Almost identical to a recipe from Cooking Light
Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup diced yellow or orange bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided
2 bay leaves
1 dried red chile pepper (I omitted this)
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; cook 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Add water, dried lentils, 1 tablespoon dill, bay leaves, chile, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon dill, vinegar, salt, and black pepper; discard bay leaves and chile. Sprinkle with cheese.

This was a delicious addition to our Rosh Hashana feast last week. Shana Tova!

Wild Rice with Pecans and Cranberries
from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook
Serves 6

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing:
* 3 T balsamic vinegar
* 3 T raspberry vinegar
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

* 4 cups water
* 1 cup (dry) wild rice
* 1/2 cup dried cranberries
* 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
* 1 cup pecan halves, toasted
* 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
* 4 scallions, finely chopped
* sea salt, to taste
* ground pepper, to taste

For the Dressing:
Combine the vinegars, olive oil, and salt and pepper with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a food processor or in a blender until smooth.

For the Rice:
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the wild rice and salt. Reduce the heat, and cover the saucepan. Cook the rice for 50 to 60 minutes (or according to directions on the box), until the rice is completely tender. Drain the excess water, and let the rice cool.

Once the rice is cooled, transfer it to a large mixing bowl, and add the cranberries, parsley, pecans, scallions, bell pepper, and raspberry vinaigrette. Add the salt and pepper, and mix the rice salad thoroughly.