Salmon with Pasta Salad

Ram is a big fan of fish. I am not. But in our quest to diversify our diet and to reduce our meat consumption, I'm putting more effort into fish- and seafood-centered meals.

In my years of watching Food Network, I've learned a thing or two about cooking fish. But, per usual, I attacked this meal with no recipe, just some techniques I stored away in my gray matter.

I started by rubbing a half-pound piece of Atlantic salmon with a packaged spice mix. This one is intended for salads and features (as far as I can tell) dried celery, garlic powder, and sesame seeds, as well as a few other things. It's orange, anyway, so I suspect paprika and/or chili powder, though the flavors are not strong. Essentially, I was looking for some light flavors. I prefer the flavor of my seafood (and Ram's fish) to take center stage. A second night, I prepared a simple marinade of a tablespoon canola oil, minced garlic, ginger pa5ste, black pepper, and the juice of one lime. That was a fabulous flavor combination too. Both weren't too heavy and allowed the subtle fish flavor to remain.

The next step was to sear the fish. I wanted to do this to seal in the flavor and to create a nice crust on the fish. I heated a pan over medium heat until a drop of water Sizzler on its surface. I dropped in a tablespoon or two of canola oil and places the fish flesh side down. For a couple of minutes, I let it sizzle. Then, I turned the fish over, just to quickly toughen the skin side. A minute later, I put the fish on a cooling rack atop a baking sheet and baked it for about twenty minutes at 350-degrees. Ram likes his fish well done with no pink. If you prefer yours less well-done, bake it a little less.

This is a tecnique I will use over and over because the results were perfect. As I continue to develop my palate, perhaps I'll dine on salmon. For now, I sauté shrimp in the same spices and call it good. Either way, I hope you, too, will venture into new food territory with fork in hand.

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Eggplant Marinara

Ram and I are constantly evaluating our diet, and after conducting a little research on the cholesterol in boneless/skinless chicken, we decided to try for a more vegetarian (albeit about 50%) diet. I suppose the added benefit of this is an even greater increase in our fiber consumption, but I wondered if I could consistently make delicious meat-free meals.

Well, reader-friends, I'm happy to say that I have at least one meal nailed down. And I could eat it every day. It starts with baked breaded eggplant and ends with homemade chunky tomato sauce. It was super easy-- and even more importantly, super delicious.

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I started by breading my eggplant. I sliced the eggplant into circles of about half-an-inch thick. I laid them out and quickly arranged my dipping trio: flour; egg whisked with a tidbit of water; and whole grain bread crumbs tossed with black pepper and garlic powder. I dipped in that order: flour, egg, bread crumbs. We've all heard the advice: the egg needs something to cling to, so dunk your meat/vegetables in flour first, then proceed to your wet ingredients, followed quickly by your other dry ingredients. I can not stress how well this worked for my baked eggplant! It was truly fantastic.

I laid my eggplant out on a baking rack atop a cookie sheet. I used cooking spray to ensure they wouldn't lose their coating on the dismount. This method allows the hot air to circulate around my eggplant, browning and crisping up all sides. I baked them for about 25-30 minutes at 300-degrees. I'm not sure what the science of baking eggplant is, but this left them with a little bit and no sogginess.

To top my eggplant, I wanted to create my own marinara sauce. I started by sauteing onion and garlic in a little bit of canola oil on low heat. When they turned translucent, I added three chunked-up Roma tomatoes. I tossed in a little bit of black pepper and about a quarter-cup of canned tomato sauce (not pasta sauce this time, just the plain tomatoes, pureed). When this cooked down, it was rich, and delicious. (I added a handful of chopped spinach for added nutrition and color. It seems to me that this is a great idea for tricking picky eaters into eating things they would ordinarily avoid.)

The final dish was incredible. The hot eggplant had an earthy bite, its outer crust golden brown and slightly nutty. The tomatoes were authentic, savory, and rich. Knowing that I controlled every ingredient and that it was in line with our attempt at eating a more vegetarian diet made the meal that much more delicious. Truth be told, I think anything swathed in that tomato sauce would have a hard time escaping my insatiable stomach.

Whether you're looking to add more vegetation to your life or you just want to try something a little different, I promise you this recipe will deliver-- with fork in hand.

Apple and Onion Stuffed Chicken

I am excited about this recipe because it is a spin on a previous post, Apple Juice Chicken. Even more exciting than the spin-off is the fact that this dish removes the empty calories from the apple juice and replaces the flavor with diced apples-- added fiber! The flavor notes (as they say) are the same, and I appreciate the substitution to increase the health of this dish.

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The first thing I did to create stuffed my stuffed chicken was build the stuffing. I finely chopped a small onion and cut a medium apple into a small dice. I tossed them in a bowl with about a 1/4 cup of whole grain bread crumbs, black pepper, and garlic powder. I added just a teaspoon or so of liquid and let it rest for a minute. The liquid, mixed with the rest of the stuffing ingredients, creates a slightly thick consistency, the ingredients holding together better.

While I let the stuffing set, I laid out two boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I took a sharp knife and held it on its side, with the blade horizontal. I found this thicker side of the breast and slid the knife in carefully. The idea is to create a pocket in which to stuff the chicken, so be sure not to slice through the opposite side completely. In the end you should be able to gingerly unfold the chicken like a book.

At this point, I seasoned the outside and the inside of the chicken. I dusted it with black pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary (because I had it in the cupboard and because its earthiness is a good compliment to the apple). Then, when I was satisfied with the dusting, I used my hands to stuff the chicken, making sure that the top could still cover the stuffing. The idea now is to stuff the chicken but still try to maintain the chicken's form.

I heated a frying pan and sprayed it with Pam cooking spray. I just wanted to sear the top and bottom of the chicken. I had to be pretty careful not to let the stuffing fall out, but it was actually stayed together better than I expected. When both sides were seared, I put them in a baking dish, covered them with the remaining stuffing, and baked them for an additional 25-30 minutes (depending on the thickness) at 350 degrees.

I served the chicken with rosemary/black pepper/garlic powder rubbed red potatoes, cut into large chunks and baked at 350 degrees for thirty or so minutes (until the turn brown and soften). I also steamed some corn on the cob, because when it's the end of summer, I just need to eat more corn on the cob. It's compulsory.

This dish was an evolution. It took a technique (stuffed chicken) and some tried-and-true ingredients and resulted in a fiber-filled, lean protein dinner that Ram and I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope you'll give it a try-- with fork in hand.

Tomato & Spinach Stuffed Chicken

Stuffed chicken graces the menu of many restaurants, and it generally evokes a sense of fanciness. The chef cut open a piece of chicken, stuffed something inside it, then cooked it? That takes some time and effort, right? But the good news is, it's not that hard! Below is my rendition of stuffed chicken.

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The first thing you need to do is to decide what you're going to stuff inside that piece of chicken. I've seen chicken bursting with broccoli and cheese and ham and cheese. As you know, I'm trying to reduce the fat, salt, sugar, and calories in my dishes without diminishing flavor, so my version does not use cheese. Instead, I made use of some fresh vegetables: grape tomatoes, garlic, and spinach. I added all three to a small saucepan (with a tablespoon of canola oil) and let everything cook down into almost a chutney or salsa texture. If you recreate this dish, be sure to use more tomato and spinach than you think you need; both ingredients cook down to almost nothing with a little time. I let the cooked vegetable mixture sit and cool for a few hours, but you can certainly use it right away.

The next step (or the first step, if you're using a cold filler) is to butterfly and pound out chicken breasts. This might be intimidating, but here's the strategy I use. I set the chicken breast on a cutting board and find the thinner side of the breast. I carefully use a knife, sort of horizontally, to cut a slit in the thin side. Work the knife across the breast, stopping just short of the wider edge. You want to leave the edge intact. I find it helpful to peel the chicken breast apart gently as I'm cutting with the knife so that I can see the edge approaching and not cut through it. For stuffed chicken, it's essential that you not end up with holes, otherwise your stuffing is going to leak out.

Once you've made the cut, place the breast on a piece of plastic wrap, with another piece on top of it. Whack the heck out of the breast with a meat tenderizer (the flat side) or anything solid and flat. For this meal, I used a heavy ceramic mug. In the past I have used a small frying pan. You want to pound the meat in such a way that the thicker portions thin out and almost match the thinnest part of the chicken. You're also trying to create a nice, flat, wide surface on which to place your filling.

Once the meat is flattened, decide which direction you're going to roll your meat. Place the filling across the middle of the chicken perpendicular to the direction you're rolling it. When you've rolled the chicken, you may want to use a toothpick to keep it together. However, to brown and cook the meat, you'll need to remove or move the toothpick, so I opted not to use it. In a deep pan (my trusty chicken fryer, no less), I heated some canola oil (just enough to ensure the chicken won't stick). I placed the rolled pieces of chicken with the tucked end down (with the smooth chicken facing you). Brown both sides of the chicken (I seasoned the outside with black pepper), maneuvering it carefully so that your roll doesn't unfurl.

For my dish, because I used tomato in the filling, I chose to dump a can of stewed tomatoes (no salt added!) over the chicken and to let the meat cook in the tomatoes for about twenty minutes. The firm-to-the-touch test works for chicken cooked like this, too, so use it to determine when your chicken is done.

The side for this was simple: egg noodles tossed with some of the stewed tomatoes, spinach, and peas. I seasoned it with some black pepper and a pinch of salt. I thought the noodles needed a little more flavor, but Ram loved them. For my taste, I would probably add a little tomato sauce to the noodles, too, just to take them the extra mile.

When you learn the techniques to cook restaurant-style food at home (and when you've got the luxury of a little more prep time), you might find yourself having dinner in a little more often. Stuffed chicken has endless possibilities, so grab your favorite ingredients, and give it a try. You'll find yourself impressed with yourself with fork in hand.