My friend Marley is visiting today and sharing her gorgeous Salmon pics and recipe.
From guest blogger, Marley, on Salmon....
I admit it, I’m a salmon snob.
But it’s because I love the silvery fish with the succulent pink insides sooooooo much! It’s so versatile and can be cooked for a special occasion or just a regular Tuesday night meal. And, it’s good for you. Salmon is chock full of the Omega -3s, the essential fatty acids that our bodies cannot create without first obtaining them from certain foods. Omega-3s are highly polyunsaturated fatty acids that have been known to lower triglycerides, reduce abnormal heart rhythms, reduce blood pressure and improve blood clotting function. The American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association advocate eating fatty fish, such as salmon, as a safe way to obtain heart healthy benefits of Omega-3s.
In fact, regularly adding a fish like salmon to your diet can...
· Reduce the risk of heart disease
· May prolong life after a heart attack
· Lowers blood triglycerides (fats)
· May improve heart function and reduce damage from heart disease
· Can lower blood pressure
· May improve symptoms of inflammatory diseases, arthritis and psoriasis
So, I try to work a delicious salmon dish into our weekly meals, while still watching fat and calorie content.
As I said, I’m a salmon snob. Recently, in a local grocery chain, I saw salmon in the seafood counter that was “Atlantic Farm Raised Salmon – previously frozen, with ‘color added.’” Sorry, but that was just wrong and it grossed me out. It’s bad enough that the chains are pushing farm-raised salmon on us, but adding color? Why? What are they doing to the fish that they need color added back in? Avoid purchasing salmon that has been altered in such a manner. What you want to look for is a nice, healthy, realistic pink color from Atlantic Salmon. Farm raised is okay in a pinch, but if you can get Atlantic, Alaskan, Wild, Canadian, Sockeye salmon...buy it and not the farm raised. The taste will make all the difference in the world.
Usually – when the weather is nice, which is never these days – I like to simply grill my salmon. Soak it for an hour in a couple of tablespoons of key lime juice, some salt and pepper and this amazing seasoning I found in Miami called “Aunt Cora’s Soulful Seasoning.” Then, I spray with extra virgin olive oil from my mister and then grill them 8-10 minutes per side.
But, lately, I wanted to mix things up and find some more interesting ways too cook the salmon. My dear friend, Megan – knowing that my hubby and I like to watch our weight and food intake – sent me this awesome Weight Watchers “Winner’s Circle” cookbook for Christmas. I literally opened the book to page 97 and there, staring back at me was Herb-crusted Salmon with Roasted Asparagus Sauce.
I was in love! I had to try it right away.
We went to Whole Foods and I got some of the prettiest wild Alaskan salmon. I usually buy a pound and a half or two pounds so my hubby and I can get two meals out of it, cutting the salmon into about two in wide chunks.
Here is the award-winning Weight Watcher recipe that I have modified for my own taste and preference to make it more of my recipe...
Herb-Crusted Salmon with Roasted Asparagus Sauce
Sauce
1 pound fresh asparagus, ends off
1 cup fat-free half and half
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoons tarragon
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (dried or fresh)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Salmon
½ cup dried bread crumbs
I teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon dill (dried or fresh)
1 teaspoon chives (dried or fresh)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 four-ounce salmon fillets
SAUCE:
To make the asparagus sauce, preheat the oven to 450˚F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray, preferably olive oil flavored. Wash the asparagus and dry them and then break the rough bits/stems off. Just as Julia Childs used to say, the asparagus will tell you where it wants to break. Hold it firmly in your hands and bend until it breaks. Put the asparagus in a Ziploc bag with the olive oil, chopped garlic and ½ teaspoon of salt. You can add pepper to taste. Shake the bag and completely coat the asparagus. Arrange the asparagus on the sheet and bake until the asparagus are crisp-tender, about 10-12 minutes. Cut off the tips and put on a plate (you’ll want to re-warm them before serving.) Put remaining bit of asparagus into a food processor and blend. With the processor running, slowly incorporate the fat-free half and half through the feeder tube and mix until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan and set over low to medium heat. Stir in the mustard, tarragon, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cook until heated through – DO NOT BOIL – about 3-5 minutes. Keep warm.
SALMON:
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine the bread crumbs, dill, chives and tarragon in a bowl. Salt and pepper salmon to taste, then top each salmon fillet with ¼ of a cup of the bread crumb mixture. Lightly (carefully) spray top with nonstick spray and bake until the top is browned, about 15-20 minutes. If skin is still on, remove before serving.
Spread ½ a cup of asparagus sauce down on plate, layer salmon on top and then scatter warmed asparagus tips on top. Serve with rice, pilaf or, as show, mashed potatoes with chives.
Nutritional information:
Serves: 4
Calories: 200
Fat: 6 grams
Saturated Fat: 1 gram
Trans Fat: 0 grams
Cholesterol: 65 mg
Sodium: 456 mg
Carbs: 9 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Protein: 28 grams
Calcium: 8 mg
Weight Watcher Points: 5 POINTS®