Last week my fish market received its first seasonal shipment of Copper River salmon. It was gorgeous. Copper River salmon is bright orange or red with a firm texture and an excellent taste. It is also excellent cooked on a grill.

I purchased an 8 oz fillet and for dinner that night. I had also shopped for some seasonal vegetables to use for the week and thought a creamy spinach would make a perfect bed for the salmon. I wanted to flavor the salmon but not overwhelm it, and since I would be cooking it on the grill, I wanted to keep it moist. I like citrus flavors with fish, so I added citrus zest, chives (which are thriving in my garden right now), some truffle oil and wrapped the fillets in prosciutto. This turned out really well. I had leftover Pea Salad from last week, so that was a good side dish.

For dinner two, I made pork chops since I wanted to try a tip I had just picked up about soaking pork chops in buttermilk before cooking them to keep them tender. This works very well. The pork chops were delicious. I had leftover warm potato salad from earlier in the week to go with it and cooked fresh broccoli florets, also in season and on sale in my market, for a second side.

Hopefully you will like these recipes for two and, if you have a larger family, the recipes are easily doubled.

Dinner One

Prosciutto-Wrapped Salmon

2 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
• 8 oz skinless salmon fillet, cut in half
• 4 thin slices prosciutto
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Zest from 1/2 lemon
• Zest from 1/2 lime
• Zest from 1/2 orange
• 1 tablespoon truffle oil or olive oil

Directions

Cut a piece of heavy-duty foil large enough to fit the salmon. Coat lightly with cooking spray and pierce a few holes in the foil with a fork. Place the foil on a tray.

(I like to place fish fillets on the grill with foil underneath, so that the fish doesn’t fall apart.)

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, parsley, chives and citrus zest and mix thoroughly.

Lay the salmon fillets flat on the foil and drizzle with the truffle oil. Season with the salt and pepper and sprinkle with the citrus mixture. Wrap each filet in prosciutto. Place the salmon in the refrigerator until ready to grill.

Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high.

Slide the foil with the fish on it, onto the grill; close the lid and grill until the fish is cooked through, about 10  minutes.

Serve the salmon over creamy spinach.

Easy Creamed Spinach

Ingredients

• 10 oz package fresh baby spinach
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons 1/3 less fat cream cheese, plain or with chives
• 2 tablespoons reduced fat milk
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat oil in a deep skillet and add the garlic; cook 1 minute.

Add spinach in batches, pushing it down with a wooden spoon or spatula to help it wilt.

Keep adding more spinach until all the spinach is wilted. Cook the spinach until it is dry, then lower the heat.

Make a well in center of the spinach and add the milk and then the cream cheese.

Heat and stir until the mixture is dissolved. Mix throughout the spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spring Pea Salad

You can find the recipe here.

Dinner Two

Oven Fried Pork Chops

2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 bone-in pork chops
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup panko crumbs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Place the pork chops between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to an even 1/2-inch thickness.

Combine the buttermilk and hot sauce; add the pork chops and marinate for at least an hour in the refrigerator.

Mix the flour with the slat and pepper. Dredge the pork chops in the flour, dip in the buttermilk again and then coat in the panko crumbs.

Heat the butter and oil in an ovenproof skillet add the pork chops to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer the skillet with the pork to the oven. Bake until the pork chops are crisp on the outside and a meat thermometer inserted into the pork registers 150°F, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the pork chops to serving plates. Garnish with lemon wedges

Warm Potato Salad

You can find the recipe here.

Broccoli Sauté with Orange Zest and Almonds

Serves:  2

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon toasted, slivered almonds

Directions

Heat a medium skillet and add the almonds. Toast to a light brown. Remove and set aside.

Add the olive oil to the skillet and heat.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the broccoli, salt, pepper, orange zest and sauté with the olive oil and garlic mixture until the broccoli turns bright green and becomes tender.

Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle with toasted almonds and mix well.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in broccoli, Buttermilk, citrus, Fish, peas, Pork, potatoes, Prosciutto, salmon, spinach Tags: seasonal cooking for two