Soy Ginger Salmon with Rice & Broccoli

Warm days are coming. And boy, do we need it. Because while many of us are still practicing stay-at-home or safer-at-home, the outdoors are a welcome breath of literal fresh air. Why not take advantage of the sunny days to come and also cook outside? And if you can—if you also have a picnic table, or even just an accommodating step, eat outside, too.

This salmon: smothered in a salty-umami-sweet-sticky sauce, is served over rice with a side of grilled broccoli. It couldn’t be more simple. But a good fillet of salmon doesn’t need much to shine, and this sauce—well, you’ll want to make some extra. Drizzle it over the broccoli for an extra pop of flavor there, too.

Soy Ginger Salmon with Rice & Broccoli

Published May 12, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon corn starch

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 clove garlic, finely grated (on a microplane)

4 quarter-sized sliced of fresh ginger

4 four-ounce pieces of salmon

1 head of broccoli, roughly chopped into large pieces

2 tablespoons cooking oil, such as avocado or olive

Generous pinch of salt

2-3 cups rice, cooked

3 green onions, sliced

2 toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan, whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup, corn starch, Sriracha, and finely grated garlic. Place on stove over medium heat. Add ginger coins, and bring to a simmer. As the sauce bubbles, it will thicken. Cook sauce, stirring frequently, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon well. Remove from heat, and use a fork or spoon to remove and discard the ginger coins.
2. Heat grill to about 450°F.
3. While grill heats, toss the broccoli with the cooking oil to coat, and season with a generous pinch of salt.
4. Use a brush to coat the top of the salmon with about half of the soy sauce mixture. Using tongs, place salmon on pre-heated grill, skin-side down, along with broccoli
5. Turn flame down to medium, and close lid, cooking the salmon for 6-8 minutes.
6. Using tongs, turn broccoli to the second side. Then, brush the salmon with remaining soy sauce mixture, and close grill lid again, cooking for another 4-5 minutes, or until internal temperature of salmon reaches 130°F, easily flakes, and is opaque in the center. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for 1-2 minutes.
7. While the salmon and broccoli cook, prepare rice according to your preferences.
8. Divide rice among serving plates. Top with salmon and broccoli. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve.

Tomato Basil Soup from Canned Tomatoes

This tomato soup uses canned tomatoes, which means that even before spring’s flowers have started to show, you can zip it together.

It goes without saying that there is a lot going on in the world right now, which means that even though spring officially started last week, comfort food is still in order. This recipe is the epitome of comfort and is easy to make with supplies you have on hand.

P.S., I have gotten very in to making homemade sourdough. I started with this recipe, which I highly recommend, and have been tweaking and exploring as I go. When you have a fresh loaf sitting around, it’s hard not to want soup for dinner, just because of the bread-dipping action.

Tomato Basil Soup from Canned Tomatoes

Published March 19, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 3-4   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

2 tablespoons flour (optional, makes a thicker, creamier soup)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 28-ounce (or 2 14-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2-3 cups vegetable broth

4 sprigs thyme

Salt

Pepper

Optional: 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Optional: 1/4 cup fresh basil, cut chiffonade, with one tablespoon reserved for garnish

For serving: grated Parmesan, grilled cheese, croutons, etc.

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and diced onion, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent.
2. Add flour to the pot, and continue to cook, stirring, until onions are coated and just starting to brown. Add tomato paste, and stir to incorporate. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Add canned diced tomatoes, thyme, and broth. Season with a generous pinch of salt, a few cracks of freshly ground pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
4. Place lid on pot, and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes to incorporate flavors.
5. Using a slotted spoon or fork, remove thyme from soup. Discard.
6. Purée the soup: if you have an immersion blender, use it to blend the soup until puréed. If you have a countertop blender, ladle soup into blender jar in batches, and purée. Ensure the lid is on very well!
7. Stir sliced basil (reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish) into soup. Taste, and season as needed with additional salt, and/or pepper.
8. Ladle into bowls, and serve to your preferences (i.e., topped with parmesan, with croutons, a grilled cheese, etc).

Greek Chicken Kabobs

There are two ways to cook this mix of chicken and veggies in a lemon-oregano marinade: grilled, or baked.

Grilled, string everything onto skewers for kabobs. Roast on high until the juices run clear — about 12 minutes total, 6 on each side. You’ll get that fire-touched smokey flavor on the chicken and the onions and the tomatoes. This option is wonderful in the middle of summer, when you are out exploring (camping, at a park, at a potluck, etc), or when you just want to avoid turning on the oven.

Baked, you can skip the skewers and spread everything out on a sheet pan. Roast it all at 450°F for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. On a sheet pan, the juices from the tomatoes, mushrooms, and chicken swirl together in the pan, creating a flavorful pan sauce. It makes the dish juicy which is delicious over rice. This version is best for weeknights or wintertime — when lighting the grill (or even going outside) is off the table.

In both versions, the chicken turns out super tender, thanks to the lemony marinade. That same marinade is what gives the whole dish it’s Greek-inspired flavor. They are a little spot of sunshine in the middle of a wintery week, but also perfect for summer grilling season (once that finally arrives!).

Greek Chicken Kabobs

Published January 29, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 6   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the chicken:

Juice from 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Sprinkle of red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound chicken breast, cubed

For the kabobs:

1 red onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 bell peppers, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 cup mushrooms (crimini, baby bella, or white)

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup Kalamata olives

1 tablespoon olive oil

Garnish: 2 tablespoons minced parsley

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken: in an airtight container, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and salt. Add chicken, and stir to combine. Close container and place in fridge for at least 4 hours (up to 24).
2. For grilling: Light and preheat grill to high.
3. For oven: Preheat oven to 450°F.
4. Place chopped veggies and olives in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and stir so everything is coated.
5. Assemble kabobs: Working with one kabob stick at a time, skewer chicken, vegetables and olives in an alternating pattern. (If you plan to roast in the oven, you can skip this step, and simply spread everything out on a sheet pan).
6. For grilling: Place kabobs on preheated grill and reduce heat to medium-high. Grill, with the lid closed, for 6 minutes, and then turn kabobs and grill on second side for another 6 minutes. Juices should run clear and chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from grill and serve hot over a bed of rice. Garnish with parsley. For oven: Place sheet pan in pre-heated oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from oven and use a spatula to serve over rice. Spoon juices from pan over top. Garnish with parsley.