HOW TO COOK SALMON

Posted on July 4, 2011 by admin

Many people are wondering how to cook salmon. What they don’t know is there are several ways to cook and prepare this delicious fish  - by broiling, poaching, grilling, or just simply baking it.But the key to a delicious Salmon recipe is by not overcooking it, “just enough” is the key.

When buying Salmon, make sure to look for the following:

1. The skin is still on/intact.

2. 6 ounces per person is the right amount per serving.

3. Ask your fish person to have it “center cut,” then just cut it into  appropriate servings.

4. Choose between “Farmed” Salmon or “Wild” Salmon (Farmed Salmon are not wild, but has many controversial reasons, mainly about helath issues. Wild Alaskan Salmon, on the other hand, is wild, but it protects us against overfishing, habitat damage, and pollution).

Unlike other fishes, Salmon is the easiest to cook due to several reasons:

- It has more oil content than any other fish so it less likely to dry out;

- It has a strong and unique taste so no need to add any spices anymore;

- Many people likes Salmon (its taste, texture, etc);

- It’s considered to be a unique dish, and can make a good impression in   itself;

- There are several ways to cook this amazing and delicious fish.

Once you’ve picked and bought your fresh Salmon, you’ll now decide on how to cook it.

There are many ways in cooking this delicious fish:

a. STEAMING   - You can use a Steamer or a Steaming Basket. Place the Salmon cuts on a rack, then pour over your favorite liquid (broth, water, etc) on the fish. Lightly flavor the Salmon and add the herbs and spices to taste.  Cover and bring to a boil until cooked. One minute per ounce is the desired time for cooking over medium heat.

b. BROILING   - Preheat the oven and pan at least 10-15 minutes.Wash the Salmon cuts in cold salt water, then dust with flour and spread on the butter (together with the seasoning/spices). It’s okay not to turn the salmon fillets while broiling, but make sure to keep an eye on them and often spread butter on top.

c. PAN FRYING   - Salmon tastes good when pan-fried. The key to a delicious Pan-fried       Salmon are the oils and butter. Allow them to heat first before frying the fish.

d. POACHING   - Mix the liquid seasonings of white wine, water, and broth (any will do).     Just be sure that there is enough water to cover the fish. When done, you can serve this with dill sauce or just put it in the fridge then serve cold (just like at the hotels!)

e. BAKING   - The most easiest way to cook the Salmon is by Baking. You can add herbs     and spices and then place it on a baking sheet. When the Salmon gets flaky, then it’s done.

Indeed, there are several ways on how to cook salmon. Try it on your next dinner recipe and for sure, your family will love it.

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Cooking Salmon – 2 Salmon Recipes You and Your Family Will Surely Love!

Posted on June 13, 2011 by admin

The most important rule in buying fish is to have it fresh as possible. A fresh, whole fish have clear eyes and red (or pink) gills (and it also has to smell like the sea, and not the usual “fish” smell, so to speak).

Cooking Salmon is not just fun and rewarding, it’s also healthy! No other fish has more omega-3 fatty acids (and Vitamin D) in helping clear the arteries and making the heart stronger other than Salmon. For the past decades, the fatty acids found in Salmon helps strengthen the immune system and eyesight, and it may even help to improve mental health.

Salmon is a sturdy and fat fish, and it can be cooked in a lot of different ways like poaching, grilling, baking, or pan-frying. But the most important rule when cooking this fish is to not dry it out. When baking, make sure to cook this until it flakes (about 10 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness). When grilling, on the other hand, cook it for about 5 minutes on each side.

Here are a few easy Salmon recipes for you to start cooking:

a. Honey-Mustard Basil Salmon

  • 4 pcs Salmon Steaks, about 1″ thick
  • 2 tbsps Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsps Lemon Juice
  • 1 tbsp Honey Dijon Mustard
  • 2 pcs Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Basil,
  • chopped Salt and Pepper, to taste

cooking salmon image

Place Salmon steaks in a baking dish. In a small bowl, put together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic. Mix in basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture over the steaks. Then, place it on a plate, covering it loosely to allow to marinate for about an hour (refrigerated). Then, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and bake it for 12 minutes, or until the Salmon becomes flaky when pressed with a fork.

b.  Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Salad

  • 500 grams Fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2cm/piece
  • 60 grams Pecans, broken into pieces
  • 4 heads Lettuce, rinsed and torned
  • 90 grams Green Peas
  • 125 grams Smoked Salmon, cut into 2cm/piece
  • 4 tbsps Olive oil
  • 2 tbsps Lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly ground Black Pepper

salmon recipe image

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the asparagus and cook for 5 minutes, just until tender. Drain and set aside (shock with cold water to maintain the “greenness”). Then place the Pecans in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, just until it’s slightly toasted. Then after, in a large bowl, toss together the asparagus, pecans, lettuce, peas, and smoked salmon. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustrad, salt and pepper. Toss with the salad or serve on the side.

Indeed, Salmon works with a variety of flavors. You can easily whip up a recipe like Salmon Pesto, Salmon curry, or simply just a squeeze of lemon or lime. You can also use any fresh herbs that you think tastes great with it. So make your own Salmon recipe now and I assure you, it will be a lot of fun making it.  There are many ways of cooking Salmon, if you have some free time, I recommend looking it up on the internet!

 

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Must Have Home Baking Pans

Posted on June 11, 2011 by admin

When it comes to being a proficient home baker, you need to keep your kitchen fully stocked with all of the essentials. As you build your collection of baking pans, I recommend investing in high quality bakeware so that it will perform beautifully and last for years.

You will need the following baking pans to accommodate most of your baking needs.

Square Pan – 8 x 8 x 2″ or 9 x 9 x 2″ in size

Rectangular Pan – 9 x 13 x 2″ in size

Two Round Cake Pans – 9″ by 1″ in size

Loaf Pan – 9 x 5 x 3″ in size

Pie Pan – 9 by 1 1/4″ in size

Casserole Dishes – 1 quart, 1 1/2 quart and 2 quarts in size

2 Muffin Pans – 6 and 12 cups capacity

2 Baking Sheets (cookie sheets) – 11 x 17″ in size

2 Round Bundt Pans – 6″ and 12″ in size

Angel Food Cake Pan – 16 cup capacity

2 Round Springform Cake Pans – 7″ and 9″ in size

Jelly Roll Pan – 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 1″ in size

4 Ramekins – 1 and 2 cups in size

Quiche Pan – 1.7 quart in size

2 Round Pizza Pans – 14″ and 16″ in diameter

2 Roasting Pans – 1 oval and 1 rectangular with lids

Optional Baking Pans:

Mini Muffin Pan – 12 mini cup capacity

Mini Loaf Pans – 6 mini loaves capacity

Souffle Dishes – various sizes

What kind of bakeware should you purchase?

To be honest with you, I own several kinds of baking pans…from silicone, non-stick metal, ceramic, ironstone, terra cotta etc. I like them all for different reasons and for different uses. I think it all comes down to personal preference, but I think it is important to invest in high quality bakeware items. You know the old saying, “You get what you pay for.”

Keeping your kitchen well-stocked with all of the Must-Have Baking Essentials will save you time and frustration in the kitchen. When you come across a recipe that you want to make, you will have the pan needed already on hand.

 

 

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Cabbage Soup Recipe – Tasty, Healthy, Cheap

Posted on June 11, 2011 by admin

Cabbage soup recipe choices are tasty additions to any table. And cabbage is a super food packed with nutrition that’s good for anybody, dieting or not. If you’re looking for a way to stretch your food budget, look no further.

Tasty

Cabbage soup has a reputation as a somewhat smelly, stinky, bland sort of concoction. But it isn’t necessarily any of those. The taste of soup largely depends on the ingredients including spices, so good soup is dependent on the materials you use.

Try this to get started.

Cabbage Soup Quick and Easy

  • 1 large head of cabbage
  • 1 large bunch celery
  • 2 bunches green onions
  • 1 large can whole tomatoes
  • 2 cans of chicken broth (13 oz)
  • 3 large bell peppers
  • salt and pepper to taste

 

Clean all the vegetables, slice, chop, and add in large pot. Add whole tomato, chicken broth and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until tender.

Healthy

Cabbage is high in calcium, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and much more. The raw juice is used for colon disorders and is quick acting. The cabbage soup diet is an old quick weight loss plan used to lose 10 pounds in a week. The soup is used as a filler and strict meal plans are provided for each day. Raw in salads, in juices or cooked in soups, cabbage is an important healthy food.

Cheap

There’s a reason cabbage is a staple of peasant people in cool climates. Cabbage is easy to grow in cold climates, but not so easy in warm weather where pests attack. Because it’s easy to grow and a high yielding crop, it’s cheap. Peasant diets often are more nutritious than the processed diets of seemingly more affluent folks. So as you sit down to enjoy cabbage soup spiced just to suit your tastes, wonder what the rich folks are eating.

 

 

 

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The Best Kitchen Knives Set

Posted on June 11, 2011 by admin

Definitely, it is very difficult to pick and choose the apparent winner and reduce it to such a plain list as soon as one has gone through all the topmost quality kitchen knives set reviews including Wusthof, Forschner Victorinox, Henckels, Global, Shun, Chicago Cutlery, Minoso, Ginsu and many more. However, those highly recommended kitchen knives are continually being rated as the top ten kitchen knife set; and that most moms have used this personally and have come to love it.

Without a doubt, a best chef knife is certainly considered a very good investment for moms given that it is the one of the most significant kitchen utensils that moms often use when they are cooking. Furthermore, the good thing about this is that the best kitchen knives can even last for a lifetime. In the succeeding paragraphs, the top 4 recommendation for forged and embossed best knife guide and their concise descriptions are provided for your consideration.

To find quickly the best kitchen knives, provide below is the list of all the best kitchen knives according to their product name:
1. Shun Classic – Suggested Knives
2. Rachael Ray Knives- Recommended by renowned chefs
3. Misono – Best Kitchen Knives
4. Forschner Victorinox Knives – Budget Kitchen Knives
5. Wusthof Classic Knives – Best Knives Recommend by Consumer Report
6. Global Knives – Recommend by Top Chefs
7. Chicago Cutlery Metropolitan Knives – Best Budget Knives for New Graduated and Newlyweds

On top of it, to have more information about quality kitchen knives, one can categorize kitchen knives into this 2 general main areas:

• Its composition: How it is made; is it Forged or Stamped?
• The Materials used: Stainless Steel, Carbon Steel, Laminated, Ceramic
In the same token, every kitchen knife has a different price and advantage. In totality, there are a lot of good kitchen knife brands to choose from that include Rachael Ray, Forschner Victorinox, Henckels, Chicago Cutlery, Global, Wusthof, Ginsu and many more.

In singling out the best kitchen knives, consider using the following standard to appraise their quality:

1. Its sharpness; and it should have a finely ground surface
2. Its cutting edge retention
3. Its craftsmanship
4. Its comfort and safety
5. Its balance
6. Its material and corrosion resistance
7. Its being easy to wash

Furthermore, noteworthy to make mention are three feasible methods on how to hone a knife including the sharpening using a whetstone, honing using a grinder, and honing using a sharpening steel.

Moreover, a number of chefs are fond of sharpening their knives before they begin to cook as this will definitely aid to keep their knives to remain sharp. However some moms sharpen their knives only when these knives become dull. And what is remarkable is the fact that once you know the trick on how to hone the knife, it will only take you 5 seconds honing it.

Above all, one more important thing to note are the Japanese Knives, which are sharpen using the whetstone and that these should never be hone on a wheel or sharpen with sharpening steel as these might break and become dull.

 

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Raw Cashew Cheese Recipe

Posted on June 11, 2011 by admin

As discussed in an earlier article, soaking and re-hydrating nuts makes them easier on your digestive process. When you are making a raw food product like cashew cheese, pre-soaking the nuts also makes them softer, allowing for easier blending in the food processor or Cuisinart. There is a bit of planning involved with this recipe, as the cheese must set up for a period of around 24 hours before it is ready for eating. Prior to that, the nuts themselves must be allowed to soak for a period of time in purified or distilled water. Make this cheese as a perfect snack or hors d’oeuvre for a party, just make sure to plan a couple of days in advance. This shouldn’t be considered the “make it an hour before the guests arrive” kind of dish.

For a recipe yield of about 1 ¼ cups of Raw Cashew Cheese, follow these instructions. Consider doubling the recipe for a small party of ten or less guests; for a snack item for the week, make this amount and keep the cheese stored in the refrigerator.

Ingredients for Making Raw Cashew Cheese

1 ½ cups raw cashews

1/3 cup water

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon sea salt

Put the cashews in a bowl and add enough cold, distilled water to cover the nuts by about two inches. Soak the cashews for around 2 hours, and then drain them.

Combine the cashews, 1/3 cup water, lemon juice, garlic cloves and sea salt in a food processor and blend them together. Be careful to scrape down the sides of the blender. Continue to blend the mixture for about 5 minutes, or until all of it is very smooth.

Place the cheese in a small bowl or Tupperware, and cover it, allowing it to stand at room temperature for between 24 and 48 hours, but not longer. After the 24 hours, refrigerate the cashew cheese until you are ready to eat it. The cheese will keep for not more than 5 days, if kept covered and refrigerated.

 

 

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