Salmon Baked in a Foil Parcel with Green Beans and Pesto,
Lemon and Mint Baby Potatoes
and Caramel Custards
I know I've been talking about food a lot lately but that's just a big part of life, no matter how you look at it! I tried some new recipes which are mostly from Jamie Oliver's new cookbook: Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals. I'm not quite a huge fish lover having grown up land-locked in Ohio, so I'm developing my taste for things now as an adult. This recipe is super easy and sooo good! It's also very fresh and healthy and makes the kitchen smell fabulous! We loved it. I thought you would too.
Salmon Baked in a Foil Parcel with Green Beans and Pesto
Serves 2 (Split in half for one, double for 4)
2 handfuls of green beans
2 lemons
2 7-oz. chunky salmon fillets, skin on, scaled and bones removed (fresh water)
2 heaped tablespoons green pesto
Olive Oil
Sea Salt (or regular table) and freshly ground black pepper
To prepare your salmon: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Trim your beans by cutting off the stalk ends but leave the wispy tips on. Halve one of the lemons. Get a large piece of aluminum foil and fold it in half to give you two layers. Put a handful of green beans in the middle of the aluminum foil. Lay a salmon fillet, skin side down, across the beans and spoon over a good tablespoon of green pesto. (Check the salmon for bones by bending it in an arc... you will feel them if they are still in there!) Drizzle with Olive Oil (Extra Virgin), squeeze over the juice from one of the lemon halves, and season with salt and pepper. Pull the aluminum foil edges together and scrunch them up to seal the parcel. Repeat to make the second salmon parcel and place both on a sheet pan.
To cook and serve your salmon: Put the sheet pan into your hot oven and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it stand for a minute before carefully unwrapping and checking that the salmon is cooked through (mine took longer!). Nice served with lemon wedges and baby potatoes.
Lemon and Mint Baby Potatoes
Get a handful of baby potatoes (this doesn't have to be exact!) for each serving you are making. Scrub them (if you leave the skin on, that's added vitamin C!). Boil them in a large saucepan with a pinch of salt. Drain them and add a pat of butter per serving. Season with salt and pepper. Pick several, leaves from fresh mint and finely chop. Add to the bowl, and then squeeze over the juice of half a lemon for each serving, and toss well. You can use any leftovers cold as a salad.
Caramel Custards
This recipe is from May 2010 Martha Stewart Living
Makes 4
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Coarse salt
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until deep amber, about 7 minutes. Carefully and slowly whisk in milk and cream while pan is still over heat.
2. Whisk together yolks, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Slowly pour caramel-milk misture into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Skim any bubbles from the top. Divide evenly among four 6-oz. ramekins.
3. Set ramekins in a 9-inch square baking dish. Pour boiling water into dish to come a third of the way up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set but jiggle slightly, 27 to 30 minutes. Remove from water using tongs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
