Although I'd like to say that every meal we create in our house is a culinary masterpiece, nothing could be further from the truth in the Troutman abode. In fact it's often a struggle to get a hot, fresh meal on the table with divergent schedules and no one with the time to sit down to enjoy it. That said, we're making it a conscience decision this winter to find meals that can be made quickly and easily, yet contain a balance of proteins, carbs and fresh veggies. Thus we're making this the start of the Quick & Easy Weekday Meals series that highlights whatever it is we create and share. Most of these can be made in less than one hour or as little as 30 minutes.
First up is one I've actually made on several occasions, Salmon Florentine. The salmon can be cooked in a number of ways; smoked, grilled, pan fired, oven baked or poached. For this recipe we chose smoked, other methods may certainly help reduce your over all cooking time even further. In this case, I was going for the big, bold flavor that a kiss of smoke puts on salmon.
This basic meal can also be paired with a variety of pastas (I chose spaghetti here), egg noodles or even rice. So not only is this a quick and easy recipe, it's a versatile one as well. But don't let the ease of cooking fool you, the flavor profiles are dynamite and one you will agree is worthy of being added to your weekday lineup!
Smoked Salmon Florentine Over Pasta
Course. Lunch or Dinner.
Cuisine. American
Makes. 4 to 5 servings
Takes. Stew: 30 minutes’ prep and 30 minutes’ combined cooking time.
Ingredients
3-4 salmon filets (5-6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons butter
Medium onion chopped
3-4 garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons capers
2-3 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 cup whipping cream or half & half
1/4 cup white wine
12 ounces cooked pasta
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions
Begin by taking a whole filet of salmon and carve it into approximately 2 inch strips that are about 5-6 ounces each, or individual portions. Along side the filets, cook the odd narrow ends and enjoy later on a salad or in a sandwich.
Next, choose a method by which you will cook your salmon. I chose smoked, so I fired up my kettle with a two zone setup with about half a chimney of lite coals and a couple of chunks of apple wood (or other fruitwood like cherry). I left the vents wide open to encourage a hot oven affect and smoked the fish until they reached about 130*F internal (approximately 15-20 minutes). Once cooked I placed them in a warm oven while I finished making the sauce and pasta. Carry over should take them to about 135*F. Do not cook any further and risk drying out your fish. Nothing is worse then taking a juicy and delicate cut of seafood and turning it into dry, sticky sawdust!
While the salmon is smoking put a pot of water for the pasta to boil. Also place the cream in a small pot over a low flame to gently warm it up for the sauce. For the sauce, take a large skillet and begin by sautéing the onion in butter until they are golden brown, then add the capers and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste in this first and all subsequent layers. Begin to build your flavor profiles in steps rather than all at once. When the garlic is fragrant and all ingredients are combined, deglaze the pan with the white wine.
Continue cooking until all of the alcohol has cooked off and the wine has reduced substantially, 4 to 5 minutes. Next add your spinach leaves and continue to cook those all the way down until they are completely soft and reduced, 6 to 7 additional minutes.
When the spinach is completely cooked down add the tomato halves. I do not like to cook the tomatoes very long, they tend to get mushy and fall apart, so maybe another 2 minutes or until softened but still a little firm. Next add the warmed cream and stir checking once again for salt and pepper seasoning. Cook the sauce down an additional 2-3 minutes or until it's slightly thickened.
At this point add the parmesan cheese and stir in to thoroughly combine. The sauce should remain thin, if too thick add some additional cream. Lower the fire to a low simmer. By this time the salmon should be done. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for the prescribed amount of time, approximately 6-8 minutes.
To assemble and serve, lay down a few ounces of the pasta and cover with a small amount of the sauce. Lay a filet of the smoked salmon on top and cover that with a few additional ounces of sauce. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese as a garnish and serve.
Hope you give this quick and easy recipe a try. As stated, it's not very difficult but ends up somewhat elegant and delicious none-the-less. Until next time when I whip out my wok for yet another offering, Troutman is out !!!!
First up is one I've actually made on several occasions, Salmon Florentine. The salmon can be cooked in a number of ways; smoked, grilled, pan fired, oven baked or poached. For this recipe we chose smoked, other methods may certainly help reduce your over all cooking time even further. In this case, I was going for the big, bold flavor that a kiss of smoke puts on salmon.
This basic meal can also be paired with a variety of pastas (I chose spaghetti here), egg noodles or even rice. So not only is this a quick and easy recipe, it's a versatile one as well. But don't let the ease of cooking fool you, the flavor profiles are dynamite and one you will agree is worthy of being added to your weekday lineup!
Smoked Salmon Florentine Over Pasta
Course. Lunch or Dinner.
Cuisine. American
Makes. 4 to 5 servings
Takes. Stew: 30 minutes’ prep and 30 minutes’ combined cooking time.
Ingredients
3-4 salmon filets (5-6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons butter
Medium onion chopped
3-4 garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons capers
2-3 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 cup whipping cream or half & half
1/4 cup white wine
12 ounces cooked pasta
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions
Begin by taking a whole filet of salmon and carve it into approximately 2 inch strips that are about 5-6 ounces each, or individual portions. Along side the filets, cook the odd narrow ends and enjoy later on a salad or in a sandwich.
Next, choose a method by which you will cook your salmon. I chose smoked, so I fired up my kettle with a two zone setup with about half a chimney of lite coals and a couple of chunks of apple wood (or other fruitwood like cherry). I left the vents wide open to encourage a hot oven affect and smoked the fish until they reached about 130*F internal (approximately 15-20 minutes). Once cooked I placed them in a warm oven while I finished making the sauce and pasta. Carry over should take them to about 135*F. Do not cook any further and risk drying out your fish. Nothing is worse then taking a juicy and delicate cut of seafood and turning it into dry, sticky sawdust!
While the salmon is smoking put a pot of water for the pasta to boil. Also place the cream in a small pot over a low flame to gently warm it up for the sauce. For the sauce, take a large skillet and begin by sautéing the onion in butter until they are golden brown, then add the capers and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste in this first and all subsequent layers. Begin to build your flavor profiles in steps rather than all at once. When the garlic is fragrant and all ingredients are combined, deglaze the pan with the white wine.
Continue cooking until all of the alcohol has cooked off and the wine has reduced substantially, 4 to 5 minutes. Next add your spinach leaves and continue to cook those all the way down until they are completely soft and reduced, 6 to 7 additional minutes.
When the spinach is completely cooked down add the tomato halves. I do not like to cook the tomatoes very long, they tend to get mushy and fall apart, so maybe another 2 minutes or until softened but still a little firm. Next add the warmed cream and stir checking once again for salt and pepper seasoning. Cook the sauce down an additional 2-3 minutes or until it's slightly thickened.
At this point add the parmesan cheese and stir in to thoroughly combine. The sauce should remain thin, if too thick add some additional cream. Lower the fire to a low simmer. By this time the salmon should be done. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for the prescribed amount of time, approximately 6-8 minutes.
To assemble and serve, lay down a few ounces of the pasta and cover with a small amount of the sauce. Lay a filet of the smoked salmon on top and cover that with a few additional ounces of sauce. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese as a garnish and serve.
Hope you give this quick and easy recipe a try. As stated, it's not very difficult but ends up somewhat elegant and delicious none-the-less. Until next time when I whip out my wok for yet another offering, Troutman is out !!!!
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