Walnut & Herb Crusted Salmon

Crusted salmon was for dinner but I was far too exhausted to notice. In a half coherent state I sat at the table. Sitting felt good--I could stay a while. There wasn't much for conversation that night, neither of us had the energy. But we ate, filling our bellies with nourishment. 

With each bite my eyes grew more weary, begging my head to find a pillow. My fork would waver, just above my next bite, and then hesitate as I mustered every ounce of energy to slice off a piece. Have you ever been so tired? Somehow I managed my way through a few more bites, until my eyes just would not stay open any longer, and I slumped in my chair.

In my next moment of consciousness, my dad is waking me with a start: Caitlin! Caitlin. I jolted upright. Where am I? It took a few seconds for me to realize what had happened. My plate, still warm, sat in front of me unmoved. I rubbed my eyes. Sleep, I just wanted sleep. My dad took the sign and sent me to bed, dinner half eaten. Sleep. I love sleep. 

I was recently reminded of how much I love sleep, so I remembered this story. I was too tired to know what was for dinner that night, but this is a dish that my dad would serve regularly: salmon crusted with a nutty herb topping. I think his recipe used Panko and pecans--or maybe not, I can't quite remember. This version uses walnuts, parsley, and oregano, and it echoes my memories from that same dinner table where I fell asleep half way through dinner. 

Walnut & Herb Crusted Salmon

Paleo, Primal, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

Salmon is topped with mixture of walnuts and herbs, which forms a crispy crust.

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 pound salmon fillet
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup parsley, minced
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon each of salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place salmon on top. Set aside.
2. Place walnuts, parsley, oregano, garlic, lemon zest, and salt & pepper in food processor. Pulse until a fine crumb forms.
3. Using your hands, pat crumb mixture oven the fleshy side of the fish, creating an even layer (watch the video above!)
4. Place salmon in the oven and bake for 8-15 minutes, until salmon is flakely and opaque (8 minutes for a thin fillet, 12 for a medium fillet, and 15 for a thicker fillet). Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Lady Grey Tea Dark Chocolate Truffles

The afternoon feels long and slow today. My desk by the window is letting a warm (slightly too warm) light in, despite a howling wind on the other side. I'm not one to let sleep go by the wayside, so despite a full nights rest, I'm feeling rather drowsy. 

I reach for a bag of tea, and heat up some water. It's too late for coffee, but tea and a truffle will wake me up a bit (that's the hope, at least). I grab a truffle, and take a bite. 

With the chocolate still in my mouth, I take a swig of tea, and let its warmth melt the truffle in my mouth. It is rich, but there are light notes of flowers and bergamot. This is probably the perfect time to enjoy a truffle: a moment when you have nothing to think about other than what it tastes like. 

I've made these truffles twice this month and am going to keep making them. They appeal perfectly to my inner chocoholic but are simple, and easy to put together... just watch below! They're the perfect last minute Valentine's Day gift (that's today!!) or indulgence for your every day (that's tomorrow!)

Happy day to everyone! 

P.S., I'm still super new to this video thing! What do you guys think? Do you like seeing Foraged Dish recipes in video form? Any tips or suggestions? 

Lady Grey Tea Dark Chocolate Truffles

Paleo, Primal, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

Lady grey tea lends a faint but floral note to these truffles.

Yields: 16   |    Total Time: 60 active minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons loose leaf lady grey tea
• 1/16 teaspoon salt
• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar chopped, or chips
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Heat cream over medium heat while stirring continuously until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat, add tea and stir. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine chocolate, salt, butter, and vanilla. Strain cream through a fine-mesh sieve into the mixing bowl. Allow the warm cream to warm the chocolate by letting it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Use a spatula to stir the mixture until it is smooth. If needed, heat the mixture in the microwave at 10 second intervals to melt the chocolate further. After stirring for about 10 minutes, you should get a thick, glossy ganache. Scrape mixture into a tupperware and place, covered, in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
4. After chilling, the ganache should become firm, but remain somewhat malleable. Use a spoon and your hands to roll the ganache into spheres.
5. Pour cocoa powder in a bowl or deep plate and toss each truffle in cocoa. Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Easy Herb De Provence Roasted Mushrooms

This recipe was made on a whim as a side dish for dinner with my mom. It was our pre-Christmas dinner, since we were both traveling for the holiday, so she went to a local butcher shop and got what they recommended (a roast and some sausage prosciutto rolls), and I got to work on side dishes. 

Honestly I forget every other side dish I made because I became so obsessed with this one, vowing to make it the next time I found myself looking at a container of mushrooms in the grocery store. So I did exactly that, and was again licking my lips and filling my plate mostly with mushrooms.

Easy Herb De Provence Roasted Mushrooms

Paleo, Primal, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

It’s amazing how easy it is to make this dish, and how delicious the mushrooms turn out!

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 20 ounces mushrooms (I used crimini)
• 2 tablespoons herbs de provence
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 450°F.
2. Wash mushrooms and spread in an even layer in a baking dish or oven-safe skillet.
3. Cut butter into thin slices and place, evenly spaced, over mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs de provence.
4. Place pan in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked through and juicy. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot as a side dish for chicken, over grilled red meat, or even on a bed of quinoa.