Very first posting for my blog. For anyone who will be reading this blog thank you and welcome. With this blog, my goal is to use my tableware pieces in my cupboard I collected over the years and share my food recipes.
Tableware
For this post I’m using my Italian earthenware dinner plates, green milk glass and retro style tumblers.
- I have a thing for Italian plates and their bright colors and patterns. These earthenware dinner plates are made in Italy and came from Williams-Sonoma. They have a good selection of Italian dinnerware, but for even greater selection, you can search for online retailers that specialize in Italian ceramics.
- Green milk glass plates are from Sur La Table and yes I became a fan of milk glass dinnerware from watching Martha Stewart show.
- Glass tumblers are from a local home accessories store which is no longer in business but these styles are popular right now and you can find similar styles on Etsy or other online stores.
Salmon Croquettes Using Fresh Salmon Fillet
To match my colorful tableware, I decided to make salmon croquettes, grilled vegetables and grapefruit and avocado salad. Salmon croquettes used to be one of my least favorite dishes. I made them several times in the past by first cooking the salmon fillet, form the salmon into patties then pan fry them. Every time I cooked the croquettes this way though, I noticed it turned out to be very fishy even though I used fresh wild salmon. There’s nothing worse then fishy fish dish. So I came up with another method and now this is one of my favorite salmon dishes.
What I do now is I don’t pre-cook the salmon. I just cut fresh salmon into cubes, mix it with basil and lemon zest, then pan fry them. They taste so much better this way, no more fishy tasting croquettes. Also adding condiments like Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard will keep the croquettes moist and tender.
Pan-Seared Vegetables and Side Salad
I usually have to have my fill of veggies with my meals and for a side dish, I pan-seared broccoli, Brussels sprouts and pearl tomatoes in a cast iron skillet and finished it off with some balsamic vinegar. I think vegetables taste great when its charred a bit, especially Brussels sprouts and broccoli.
I know there’s already a side veggie dish with the croquettes, but I usually like to add a salad with my meals. I made individual salads with iceberg lettuce, avocados and pink grapefruit. I just assembled some chopped iceberg lettuce, grapefruit pieces and sliced avocados on a plate. Dressing is just a drizzle of olive oil, squeeze of some lemon juice, pinch of salt and pepper. Simple and easy.
Salmon Croquettes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs wild salmon fillets
- 2 tbsp non-fat greek yogurt
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard (whole grain)
- 2 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1½ tbsp flour
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Chop salmon in 1/2 inch cubes and place in a mixing bowl.
- Add chopped basil, lemon zest, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and flour into 1 and mix the ingredients.
- Form salmon mixture in 3 inch patties. Cover patties with bread crumbs.
- Place skillet over medium low heat and add olive oil. When the olive oil starts to sizzle, place croquettes gently in a skillet. Cook croquettes for 3-4 minutes each side or until both sides are golden brown.
Pan-Seared Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar
Ingredients
- 4-5 stems asparagus cut in 2 inch pieces
- 1- 1½ cups pearl or mini tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh broccoli
- 1 cup brussels sprouts cut in half
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place cast iron skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add pearl tomatoes in the pan and grill for 3 minutes, turning them over occasionally. When tomatoes are blistered and skin have char marks, take it out of skillet and set it aside.
- Place Brussels sprouts, broccoli and asparagus flat in the pan and grill for 3 minutes. Place cover and do not disturb. Turn vegetables over and cook for another 3 minutes and place cover. Take the cover off when vegetables have some char marks. Put tomatoes back in the pan and add balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.