Garlic Parmesan Baked Halibut

I have to start out saying that this was delicious and so easy but WOW Halibut is expensive!  It's a keeper but next time, I want to try with cod and will come back with  my thoughts.  Recipe adapted from the blog Port and Fin.  Ingredients:

• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 2 halibut filets (1" thick)
• 
  
• Topping Ingredients: (Have topping ingredients mixed, ready to top fish when it comes out of the oven)
• 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons green onion, finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• Dash of Tabasco/Hot sauce

1. Preheat oven to 425. Season halibut with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Place filets on lined baking dish lined with foil (for easy cleanup). Bake for 6 minutes.
2. Mix all topping ingredients together. Remove halibut from oven and spread Parmesan mixture over top of fish. Turn oven to broil and cook for 2-3 minutes (watch carefully not to burn), until the tops are lightly browned. Serve immediately.  

Tuscan Salmon with Lemony Orzo

                                                

We try and eat salmon once a week and I'm always looking for new ways to make it.  This recipe is a keeper, it's delicious!  The recipe comes from the blog The View From Great Island.  I halved the recipe and made a few changes, but you can find the original recipe here.  

 

* Important to prep all ingredients before you start, then the dish will come together in about 30 minutes.  This way the orzo and salmon finish cooking at the same time and dinner is served.

                                    

Ingredients:  (2 servings)

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 salmon fillet (skin on preferably, searing the skin will add flavor to the dish and keep the salmon moist - can take off after it's cook if you don't like skin) 
• sea salt/ or kosher salt
• smoked paprika
• 1 shallot finely diced (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 cloves garlic finely minced or put through a press
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup orzo
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice fresh squeezed
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• 3 ounces fresh baby spinach or a few handfuls.
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

• Preheat the oven 350.
• Season the salmon lightly with salt and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
  
• Heat the olive oil and butter over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet. Place the salmon in the skillet and sear for an about 3-4 minutes on each side to get a little crust going.  Transfer the salmon to a sheet pan (I like to put it skin side up) and set in a 350 oven to finish cooking while you finish the rest of the dish. Transfer it carefully as it can be delicate.
  
• To the skillet on medium heat add the minced shallot and sauté for 1 minutes.  Add garlic to the skillet and sauté for another minute.  Add the wine to the pan and stir to let it evaporate down.  Then add the orzo and continue for another minute or so, stirring constantly.
  
• Now add the chicken broth, lemon juice, sun dried tomatoes and pinch of turmeric to the pan. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil. Cook, uncovered, for about 10-15 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and has absorbed 3/4 of the liquid. Stir in the spinach until it wilts and then stir in the Parmesan cheese. If you need to adjust the consistency of the sauce you can thicken it with more grated Parmesan, or thin it down with more chicken stock. (We like it to be a little saucy)
  
• To serve, divide orzo on two plates and serve with cooked Salmon.  If you need to check if salmon is done it should registers 145F in the thickest part.
• Tuscan salmon is a cook and serve recipe, in other words, don't plan on making it ahead because the orzo pasta will soak up the sauce as it sits.

Note: 

* Easily doubled for 4 servings.

All the ingredients prepped 

Sauté salmon flesh side down first.  

Keeping the skin on adds flavor to the dish and keeps salmon moist.  

Transfer salmon to the oven to finish cooking.  I like to line pan with parchment for easy cleanup.  I also like to cook skin side up so that I can remove the skin easier when cooked.  

Once the shallots and garlic have sautéed add the wine.

Let the wine cook down until almost evaporated.  

Add the orzo, sauté for minute or two and then add broth, lemon juice and turmeric, cook 10-15 minutes until tender.

Once the orzo is tender, the sauce has thickened but still is a little saucy.  Add more chicken stock if your orzo has absorbed all the liquid.

Perfectly cooked, saucy but not too saucy.

While the orzo cooked, the salmon is also ready at the same time. At this point take off the skin if you don't like.  I don't like the skin and my husband keeps his on.  You do you :)

Serve!

Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter Cream Sauce for two

This in not the best photo BUT this salmon is so good!  Salmon is for dinner at least once a week because we love it and it's so easy.  The salmon is baked in a 425 degree oven, so it cooks fast, 15 minutes.  While it's baking you make the cream sauce.  Then top baked salmon with sauce and it's done, it's that easy!  I served the salmon with roasted asparagus that was roasting in the same 425 degree oven.   Gotta love when dinner is on the table in about 20minutes!  This recipe checks all my favorite boxes, easy✓, quick✓, delicious✓ and no leftovers✓.  When cooking for two I always have leftovers so I love when a meal is one and done.  Plus, I'm not a fan of leftover fish! 

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE SALMON

2 Salmon Fillets ( skinless)

          Freshly Grated Black Pepper and Salt - to taste

                2 Tbsp. Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

        2 Tbsp. County Dijon Mustard (or any coarse ground mustard)

LEMON BUTTER GARLIC SAUCE

1 Tbsp. Butter

1/2 tsp. Garlic Cloves (about 1 clove, minced)

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

                1 tsp. Lemon Juice (or more to taste)

1 Tbsp. dill ( finely chopped)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper and salt - to taste

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 425°F with the rack in the center.

Lightly salt and pepper salmon.

                In a small bowl combine lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Mix well.

Arrange salmon fillets in a baking dish and pour the mustard mixture over salmon to coat. Bake for *12-15 minutes in the preheated oven.  

In the meantime, melt butter in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 20 seconds.

Pour in heavy cream and bring to a low boil. The sauce should thicken a little bit.

Take off the heat and stir in lemon juice, dill and season with black pepper and salt to your liking.  Keep warm.

Pour the sauce over the baked salmon.

                Serve and enjoy!

*Check Salmon after 12 minutes to check for doneness to your liking.  

**This recipe was adapted from Cafe Delites (Easy Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce) 

                                                                    

Baked Pineapple Asian Salmon

I'm always trying new ways to make salmon because we eat it at least once a week and this recipe is my new favorite!  The sauce is sweet with a little spice, it carmelizes onto the salmon making it so flavorful.   I first saw a video for this recipe on delish.com that came up on my Facebook page.  It's easy to make, easy cleanup (cover pan with foil or parchment paper) and delish!

When broiled the sauce will caramelize and this is why you'll want to use foil.  Easy cleanup!

This is the Sweet Chili Sauce that I use.

1. 
   INGREDIENTS:

12-16 pineapple slices, fresh (3-4 slices for each piece of salmon)

4 portions of salmon fillet (skin off)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp. melted butter

3 tbsp. sweet chili sauce

2 tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. freshly grated ginger

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1/8 -1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion, for garnish

Lime wedges, for serving

          DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. On the foil, lay 3-4 pineapple slices per each piece of salmon.

1. Season the salmon lightly with salt and pepper and place on top of pineapple slices.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, chili sauce, cilantro, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Brush all over the top of the salmon fillets.

1. Bake until the salmon is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Switch the oven to broil, and broil for 2 minutes, or until fish is slightly golden. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve with lime wedges.

4 servings

1. *delish.com - cooks one large (3lb) piece of salmon but I like to do individual pieces.  I think it's easier to serve, cooks more evenly, and everyone gets their own piece with 4 slices of pineapple.

                                                                                     

Cod with Tomato and Herb Butter

This dish is as beautiful as it is delicious.  The cod is flaky and tender, then when you top it with this tomato herb butter sauce it takes it over the top.  This recipe comes from the blog Little Broken.  You'll have to check out her blog for her step by step photos of this recipe.  

I'm going to try this flavorful tomato herb butter sauce on salmon and chicken soon.  So GOOD!

INGREDIENTS

Tomato and Herb Butter

• 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for drizzling the cod
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (I used chicken broth)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt (I used 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt)
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, sliced (I used salted butter so I cut down the the salt)
• 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped herbs (basil, parsley, chives, cilantro), plus extra for garnish (I used 1 Tblsp. of each basil parsley and cilantro)

Cod

• 2 - 2¼ pounds fresh cod fillets, cut into 6-8 oz. portions* (I used only 4 portions because you'll want enough butter sauce for each serving)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• salt and fresh ground black pepper

Tomato and Herb Butter

1. In a small saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté shallot for 3 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minute or just until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
2. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, sea salt, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-17 minutes or until tomatoes break down and release their juices and liquid has almost evaporated. ( While this is cooking prepare cod and put in the oven so both are done around the same time.)
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat (I turned the sauce pan to low) and stir in the butter and fresh herbs. The herb butter should be velvety. Cover and keep warm while the cod is baking.

Cod

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Drizzle the bottom of a casserole dish lightly with olive oil. You want a dish big enough to fit the cod in a single layer.
3. Pat dry the cod really well and place in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the top lightly with olive oil and squeeze of fresh lemon. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15-18 minutes or until easily flaked. Baking time will depend on the thickness of the cod.
4. Remove from the oven (I drained off the extra liquid in the pan so it wouldn't thin out the butter sauce) and evenly spread the tomato butter over the cod. Cover back with aluminum foil and let stand at room temperature for 1-2 minutes before serving. You just want all the flavors to come together.
5. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs, if desired, and serve immediately.

Serves 4

NOTES

I like to serve this with a rice pilaf.