Salmon in Vodka Cream Sauce

Source: www.recipes.epicurean.com

The flavors in the dish were not interesting and overall it was on the bland side. I have heard raves about vodka pasta sauce and perhaps it is a wonderful sauce and I just need to find the right recipe. I may visit this idea again sometime in the future. Stay tuned.

Seafood Ingredients:
8 tablespoons butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 pound spinach
6 6 ounce salmon filets
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup vodka
2 tablespoons green peppercorns in water, drained and crushed
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Combine 4 tablespoons butter and onion in large Dutch oven. Cover and bake until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Stir spinach into onion and bake until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven; keep warm. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add salmon in batches and cook about 3 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Pour off excess oil from skillet. Add cream and vodka and boil until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Add green peppercorns and remaining 4 tablespoons butter and stir until butter is just melted. Mix in lime juice, season with salt and pepper. Divide spinach and onion mixture among plates. Top each with salmon fillet. Spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with snipped fresh chives.

My variations: I cubed the salmon and added to the sauce and served over angel hair pasta. I had some mushrooms I wanted to use so I added those to the onion mixture toward the end of cooking. I used black peppercorns in place of the green. I used half and half in place of the whipping cream.

Next up: Red Beans and Rice from the Commander's Kitchen Cookbook by Ti Adelaide and Jamie Shannon of The Commander's Palace in New Orleans.

Exotic Ya' Make a Jamaica Jerk Shrimp With Mango Papaya Salsa

The shrimp recipe is not quite my taste, a tad too sweet. I prefer shrimp spicy or in a white sauce over pasta. The salsa I loved though and would definitely make it again!

50 min 30 min prep
SERVES 6 -8

2 lbs shrimp, deveined with shells on 1 lime, for garnish fresh thyme sprig, for garnish

MARINADE
1/4 cup fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 fresh garlic cloves, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
1/4 cup mild molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar corn syrup (can use dark if you can't find the brown sugar)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lime, juice of
4+ seeded and minced hot pepper (scotch bonnet, habanero or jalapeno can be used, more or less depending upon your level of desired hotness)

SALSA
1 bunch fresh cilantro (1/2 cup)
1 cup diced papaya
1 cup diced mango
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced avocado (optional)
1/4 cup diced onion (red or sweet vidalias work well)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Combine marinade ingredients and mix well. Place shrimp in non-metal container.
Add marinade; coat evenly and refrigerate. Let marinade for several hours or overnight. Turning occasionally to keep marinade evenly distributed.
Oil and pre-heat grill to medium low heat. Remove from marinade and thread onto bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 20 minutes. Place on grill and cook over medium low heat until pink and cooked through, about , turning once or twice for even cooking.

Serve with the mango-papaya salsa.

Garnish with fresh lime and thyme if desired.

Check back next time for another recipe, I'm going to use wild caught salmon fillets from Aldi, that's all I know right now. Wish me luck :)

If you've tried one of the recipes on my blog please let me know how it turned out for you.

Easy Beef Enchiladas (Mexican Lasagna)

Filling Recipe, Source: http://www.recipezaar.com/

Corn Tortillas Recipe, Source: http://www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com/corn-tortilla-recipe.html

These were tasty, but it took quite a long time to make since I chose to make the tortillas myself, but the payoff was an authentically Mexican flavor. A couple changes I'd make would be to add fresh jalapenos and I'd double all the ingredients for the filling as it was a little heavy on the tortilla and light on the filling. I think I'd also top with fresh cilantro in addition to the sour cream.

Up to 45 minutes bake time

1 hour prep if you make the tortillas yourself.

SERVES 4 -6 , 12 enchiladas

1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder (I prefer fresh minced)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder (more or less for your taste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups shredded cheese (I like the jack or cheddar combos)
1 jar enchilada sauce (I prefer the green sauce)
olives (optional)
cilantro (optional
jalapenos (optional)
12 corn tortillas

Brown ground beef, brown with onion and garlic, drain.
Add next 7 ingredients (Worcestershire sauce through black pepper).
In another pan, ideally cast iron
Add tortillas, one at a time, and brown on both sides. Depending on how thick your tortillas are it could take 3-5 minutes for fresh and less than a minute for store bought.
In 10x13 baking pan, pour just enough enchilada sauce in the bottom to coat the bottom of the pan.
Fill each tortilla with a spoonful of meat mixture.
Cheese, onions, and/or olives can be put inside each enchilada at this time, if desired.
Roll tortilla and place seam side down in pan.
Continue with remaining tortillas.
Pour remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas and top with cheese (additional olives may be added if desired). At this time, pan may be refrigerated for several hours or overnight.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes.

Top with sour cream and cilantro

Enjoy!

Next up: Exotic Ya' Make a Jamaica Jerk Shrimp With Mango Papaya Salsa

Pork Kabobs with Onion Cakes and Peanut Sauce

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Magazine March 2010

Flavors: Asian, light, fresh, sweet, Thai

This dish is unlike anything I've ever made. My tastes don't normally lean toward Asian, in this case Thai cooking. I enjoyed making this though, it was easy and budget friendly. What I liked most about it was the interesting melding of flavors. I don't think I'd make this on a regular basis, only because it's not something I crave very often.

Start to Finish: 30 minutes

1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut in 1/2-inch slices
3 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. Thai seasoning ( I found this in the asian foods section)
1 bunch green onions (7 or 8), chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 Tbsp. honey
1 carrot, shredded
Fresh cilantro and lime wedges (optional)

Directions
1. Heat broiler. Thread pork on 8 skewers; brush with 1 tsp. soy sauce and sprinkle 1 tsp. of the Thai seasoning. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat 8 minutes; turning once.

2. For cakes, combine onions, flour, baking powder, 1/2 cup water, egg, and 1 tsp of the Thai seasoning. In 12-inch skillet heat 2 tsp. vegetable oil over medium-high. Spread batter in skillet; cook 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Cut in wedges.

3. For sauce, in microwave-safe bowl combine peanut butter, honey, remaining soy sauce, and 1/3 cup water. Cook on high 30 seconds. Whisk; cook 15 seconds more. Serve kabobs with cakes, sauce, carrot, cilantro, and lime. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy!

Next up: Beef Enchiladas with Homemade Corn Tortillas