Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Salmon with Quinoa and Kale, and a Roasted Shallot and Cherry Vinaigrette


I was watching the food network the other day.  I have been stuck in a rut...cooking the same recipes.  They are all good, but I missed the the fun of cooking something new.  Emeril's Table was on and I had never seen it.  (Reminds me of Molto Mario...copy cat Emeril!)  Anyway, he had a show that I really enjoyed.  He had these nutritionists on and they were raving about quinoa and kale.  Quinoa we make a lot...it's fantastic.  I love it, the kids love it, and my hubby loves it too.  I make mine with chicken broth to add flavor to it.  This recipe used balsamic vinegar and dried cherries.  Talk about flavor!  If you are wondering what quinoa is...google it.  Then go out and buy some and enjoy!  


I got the quinoa started first.  Simple:  balsamic vinegar, dried cherries, then quinoa, chicken broth and a shallot I roasted in the oven.  Simmered and fluffed with a fork when done.

Kale is another story...we've never had it.  I went ahead and got it when I did my grocery shopping that same day.  It looks like curly parsley gone wild.  It tastes like a cross between spinach and broccoli, but it has it's own taste.  Definitely give it a try!


Here I've sauted some onion and fresh thyme in a skillet and added the chopped kale.  It's such a bright green!  Later I added chicken broth and dried cranberries to it. 

Another favorite at our house is salmon.  I love it any way you want to cook it.  Its great grilled, sauted, baked, steamed...oh I love salmon!  This time I grilled it in a grill pan about 3 minutes on each side and only seasoned it with salt and pepper.   It's so good on it's own it doesn't need anything really.


To plate the dish you put the quinoa mixture on the bottom, top with kale and then the grilled salmon.


It got a thumbs up from my 10 year old son, Nicholas.


Even Marcus was ready to dig in.  (He's 7!)


I topped my plate with an amazing Roasted Shallot and Cherry Vinaigrette.  Easy to make and really complimented the salmon.  Enjoy!  This is a delicious and healthy dish!


You can find the recipes at Emeril's Table: