Market Recipe/ Gluten & Dairy Free Salmon topped with Ramp Pesto served on a bed of Arugula Quinoa Salad

Market Recipe/  Salmon topped with Ramp Pesto served on a bed of Arugula Quinoa Salad
Dietary Consideration/ Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free, Low Fat, Low Calorie
Wine Pairing/ Chardonnay from California 

Yes it is (was) that time of year again... the 2 weeks per year that we indulge in spicy, garlicky and sweet sweet culinary gold that is the RAMP. Lets just say this was fantastic and you should make it... best of all its super easy! Use the ramp pesto recipe from last year's post on the ramp and follow the directions below. Click the above link to learn what a ramp is.

Pan Seared Salmon on a bed of Arugula Quinoa Salad topped with Ramp Pesto
Serves however many you would like depending on the quantity of ingredients you buy

Ingredients/
Ramp Pesto
1 box of quinoa (1 cup uncooked serves 4 people)
1 bag of arugula
1 6oz piece of salmon per person
2 Lemons
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions/
Step 1/ Make ramp pesto from my previous post Vegan Ramp Pesto and the Island of Culinary Gold

Step 2/ Prepare quinoa according to the instructions on the box

Step 3/ Pan sear salmon, 4 minutes per side

Step 3/ Pile quinoa and arugula on each plate season with fresh squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper

Step 4/ Place cooked salmon on top of the quinoa salad and spread tops of the fish with the pesto and some fresh squeezed lemon juice

Step 5/ Serve and Enjoy!

Market Recipe/ Light and Healthy Herbed Fish and Ratatouille

Market Recipe
Ingredient/ Lavender
Recipe/ Light and Healthy Herbed Fish and Ratatouille
Dietary Consideration/ Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Low Fat, Low Calorie (and tasty!)

Lavender, along with other floral herbs, is a pretty interesting one for me because while on one hand, if eaten, can taste like I am chugging down a bottle of perfume... on the other hand, if done right, it can have a wonderfully fresh and unique flavor to it. Today I decided to raid the herb section of the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv for a new mix of flavors for a Healthy and delightful twist on Herbed Fish and Ratatouille. Recipe below

Herbed Fish and Ratatouille
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients/
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon chopped fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped dried lavender
1 1 1/2-inch-diameter zucchini, cut into eight 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 unpeeled slender eggplant, trimmed, halved lengthwise, cut into eight 1- to 1 1/4-inch pieces
8 mini plum tomatoes or large cherry tomatoes
16 mini bell peppers in assorted colors
1 small red onion, cut into 4 wedges, each wedge halved crosswise, layers kept intact
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds halibut, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/3 cup dry white wine
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Directions/
Mix first 7 ingredients in small bowl. Place zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and onion in large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon herb mixture and 1 tablespoon oil to vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Place fish in medium bowl; sprinkle 2 tablespoons herb mixture over. Add 3 tablespoons oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, and garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, tossing occasionally.

Simmer wine, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice in small saucepan until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 3 minutes. Stir in veggie mixture. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper and stir fry until desired level of readiness. Set aside.

Spray pan with nonstick spray; Cook fish until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

I Don't Want to TACO About it...

Sorry for the lack of posts the past few weeks but we we sent on a culinary adventure to Baja. WOW was it amazing! Check out our other blog to read about of travels through Baja's wine country and all the amazing food we ate! CLICK HERE

Just a Normal Monday Night...

Now I don't normally blog about the so called "main dish" but I just had to this time! Not to brag or anything... OK I will! It's pretty awesome dating a chef I will say that! Even if its just your standard monday night dinner, a) its always perfectly plated and b) it AWALYS tastes mind bogglingly delicious!! This time he made seared sturgeon that rested on top of blanched asparagus and an asparagus puree. It was topped with roasted truffles and morel mushrooms, and finished with some wild baby greens from the farmers market. Mouth watering yet?