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.
koolaidmoms
The salmon looks delicious! I had never heard of it before. Our salmon tends to be orange. I will need to look for other types!
Jovina Coughlin
Thank you. There are several types of salmon and here is an excellent article from Eating Well on choosing salmon – http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/food_news_blog/which_salmon_should_i_buy
The kind I used in the recipe is sockeye also called copper river as described in the article.
koolaidmoms
Thank you so very much!
Anne
I sometimes have a problem when cooking pork chops, and they get tough from over cooking. I really like the idea of your recipe. You mention pounding the chops, but I have never pounded bone- in chops. Is that a typo? All of the other r cites look great, too.
Jovina Coughlin
No typo. I always pound them lightly to make them an even thickness. I have found the same thing with pork chops- that they can be tough. I learned not to overcook them also – a quick browning in the the skillet and finish in the oven. These were really tender, so I think buttermilk is a good tip.
memadtwo
Never thought of wrapping salmon in prosciutto, going to try it (with wild salmon only, hate farm raised).
Jovina Coughlin
Agree. I only buy wild salmon also. The prosciutto added such a great crispy flavor.
ravenhawks magazine
Reblogged this on ravenhawks' magazine and commented:
Love the pork chop recipe doing that for dinner tonight. Thanks:)
Jovina Coughlin
I hope you like it.
ravenhawks magazine
The pork chops were wonderful!!! great recipe
Jovina Coughlin
Thank you so very much for letting me know.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
I wish I had some of your dishes right now. This week has been a marathon what with putting out 95 bags of mulch. I like the concept of cooking for two (which we do). If we make more it’s for lunch. All of your recipes sound delicious!! In face we’ve had salmon this week, spinach, broccoli, and pork chops. We must be mentally in tune :-). Tonight we’re having drumsticks on the grill — what are you having? Have great evening!!
Jovina Coughlin
We went out for dinner with friends tonight but the rest of the week we ere on the same wavelength. Don’t work to hard in the garden.