Seared Salmon with Sugar Snap Fennel Slaw
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1 large fennel bulb, with fronds
2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 1/4 pounds wild Alaskan salmon, skinned
2 teaspoons minced fresh chives
Combine lemon juice, 2 1/2 tablespoons oil, shallot, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Set aside 4 teaspoons of the dressing in a small bowl.
Slice top off fennel bulb. Chop 2 tablespoons of the fronds and add to the large bowl. (Reserve remaining fronds for garnish.) Halve, core and thinly slice the bulb. Thinly slice snap peas into long matchsticks. Toss the fennel and peas with the dressing in the large bowl; let stand while you cook the salmon.
Cut salmon into 4 portions and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon and cook for 2 minutes. Gently turn and continue cooking until just opaque in the center, 2 to 4 minutes more.
Divide the slaw and salmon among 4 plates. Drizzle each portion with 1 teaspoon of the reserved dressing and top with 1/2 teaspoon chives and fennel fronds, if desired.
Recipe found at: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/salmon_sugar_snap_fennel_slaw.html
**Note: Copper River Salmon is currently in season and has arrived in the Seattle area! Check with your local seafood market to find availability. Gemini Fish Market in Issaquah is carrying this delicious Alaskan Salmon. Make sure whichever salmon you chose, it is wild caught and not farmed. To learn more about sustainable seafood practices, check out the Monterey Bay Aquariums Seafood Watch Program! http://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-recommendation.
Kale Ricotta Dip
1 bunch green kale, stems and tough ribs stripped out and discarded, leaves sliced
1 small onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
Lemon zest to taste
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
In a large saucepan, combine kale, onion, garlic and 1/4 cup water. Set over medium heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 12 minutes; add more water a tablespoon at a time if the pan dries out.
Transfer vegetables and any liquid in the pan to a food processor or blender and let cool a few minutes. Add ricotta, parmesan, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper flakes. Process until smooth.
Transfer to a bowl and serve.
Recipe found at: http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Healthy-Creamy-Kale-Dip-Recipe-26264394
**Serve with snap peas and other veggies, crackers, or pita bread for dipping!
Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes
12 to 15 baby red or yellow potatoes (about 1-1/2 oz. each; 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter)
2-3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Boil the potatoes:
Put the potatoes in a large saucepan (preferably in one layer) and cover with at least an inch of water. Add 2 tsp. kosher salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook the potatoes until they are completely tender and can be easily pierced with a metal or wood skewer. Make sure they are cooked through but don’t overcook. The total cooking time will be 30 to 35 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, set up a double layer of clean dishtowels on your countertop. As the potatoes finish cooking, remove them individually from the water, and let them drain and sit for just a minute or two on the dishtowels.
Flatten and cool the potatoes:
Fold another dishtowel into quarters, and using it as a cover, gently press down on one potato with the palm of your hand to flatten it to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Repeat with all the potatoes. Don’t worry if some break apart a bit; you can still use them. Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; put a sheet of parchment on top of the foil. Transfer the flattened potatoes carefully to the baking sheet and let them cool completely at room temperature.
Roast the potatoes
Remove the pan of potatoes from the refrigerator, if prepared ahead. Heat the oven to 450°F. Alternatively, if you have a convection function, turn it on and set the temperature at 400°F. Sprinkle the potatoes with about 3/4 tsp. salt and pour the olive oil over them. Lift the potatoes gently to make sure some of the oil goes underneath them and that they are well coated on both sides. Roast the potatoes until they’re crispy and deep brown around the edges, about 30 minutes if using a convection oven, 30 to 40 minutes if roasting conventionally, turning over once gently with a spatula or tongs halfway through cooking. Serve hot.
Make Ahead Tips
Do the busy work—boiling and flattening the potatoes—up to 8 hours ahead. Let potatoes cool completely, and store them on the pan, lightly covered, in the fridge. Then all you have to do at the last minute is coat with oil and salt and roast.
Recipe found at: http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/crispy-smashed-roasted-potatos.aspx
**Tips and Hints for this week’s box:
Fennel- Full of fiber, potassium, molybdenum, vitamins B and C, and folate, fennel is great for a healthy heart and cholesterol level. Try substituting fennel for celery in any recipe. It is very versatile and can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, baked, or sautéed. Fennel leaves can be dried and used in place of dill in many dishes. Try a yummy sauté of fennel, artichoke hearts, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, with salt and pepper.
Kale– According to “From Asparagus to Zucchini, 3rd Ed.”, kale is the oldest member of the cabbage family and among the earliest cultivated. It was a favorite vegetable in ancient Rome, and has remained popular in Scotland and Ireland for many centuries. Nutritionally, kale is vastly superior to most vegetables. It is very rich in vitamins A, C, and calcium, contains vitamin B and many other minerals, and has the highest protein content of all the cultivated vegetables.
Kale can be eaten raw in salads (massaged with lemon juice or dressing works well to give it a softer texture) or smoothies, steamed, sautéed, added in to soups, casseroles, omelets, or pasta dishes. Substitute kale in any recipe using leafy greens such as spinach, or chard.
Jubilee Farm 