My triumph over seafood!

Last night, I came home after work to an empty apartment. Randan is in California and Courtney was working the night shift at the hospital. I have come to find that I am very good at occupying my time by myself. I think this is a good quality to have, because then you are rarely bored. I doddled around the apartment for a while before deciding I was a bit hungry.* I had stocked up on meals at the grocery store earlier this week, and on my pre-planned menu, decided on Asian Grilled Salmon with roasted vegetables for dinner. Sounds daunting, but it is SO easy.


Before I move on to the recipe that was had, let me explain a little background on me and seafood. I started to move out of my land animal comfort zone to the world of sea creatures about three years ago, and I haven't looked back. One of my best friends from high school is to take credit for finally pushing me into the light. During a beach trip the summer after we graduated from Lexington High, her parents made Beaufort Stew.** Right then and there, Kaley MADE me peel shrimp for the first time. It was gross, but man, oh man, was it worth it! I still can't get myself to peel a large number of shrimp or eat the tentacles of calamari, but other than that, I am game for just about anything that had been swimming in a tank or the ocean just hours before. There are a few restaurants that I go to especially for the seafood. I always get excited when I go visit Adam in his hometown of Virginia Beach because of the fresh selection of seafood they serve in the restaurants there. Chicks' steamed combo of shrimp, clams, oysters and crab legs is my FAVE. But, you can't beat the mussels at Sequoia on the Georgetown Waterfront. And - for those of you in Columbia, SC -holy cow, have you tried Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish?!? Whoa!! My sister swears by them, and I think she would eat them everyday if she could! There are so many more places that I die over the seafood, but I digress.


So-- Asian Grilled Salmon. I adapted this recipe to my liking after finding it from the Barefoot Contessa. I had never bought a fresh slice of fish at the seafood counter before, but it was very easy. You just pick what you want and they reach in there and get it for you. It can be a bit expensive if you are buying for more people, but with just one filet, it's not too bad.*** I asked the nice man behind the counter if he could slice the outer layer of skin off because, frankly, I just don't like to think about scales being on what I'm about to eat. I kept it wrapped in the paper and stuck it in the fridge overnight. You can't keep fish for too long unless you freeze it, so eat it within a few days of purchase. Any who, here are some pictures and the recipes for what I made.


Asian Grilled Salmon with Roasted Vegetables


Ingredients:


1 filet fresh salmon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove minced garlic


Directions:


Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle half the marinade onto the salmon and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Cut the salmon filet into pieces if you can't fit in one dish to marinate.


Spray a large pan liberally with cooking spray and heat to medium-high on the stove. Lay the salmon in the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on one side. Throw out the rest of the used marinade. Take a wide spatula and carefully flip the salmon to the other side for another 4-5 minutes. It will depend on the thickness of the piece of fish, but if you can stick a fork in the fish and it flakes off and is slightly pinkish-white in the center, then it is done. Transfer to a plate and let it rest under tin foil for about 5 minutes. Drizzle the rest of the reserved marinade over the fish and serve with Roasted Vegetables. (Recipe below)


Roasted Vegetables


Ingredients:


1 yellow squash
1 zuccinni
1 small onion
1 package of sliced white mushrooms
Garlic salt or regular salt
Pepper
Olive oil


Directions:


Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with tin foil. Slice all veggies into similar sizes and toss them on the baking sheet with a liberal amount of olive oil until they are covered. Sprinkle garlic salt and pepper all over the veggies. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.


You can use whatever combination of veggies you like. This would also be really yummy with broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus or bell peppers! There are so many options!


This meal will serve two people, so adjust ingredients when cooking for more.

Salmon just after marinating and into the HOT pan.

After the first flip. The soy and olive oil create a crispy crust.

Veggies roasting!

Finished dish.. once again, I apologize for taking a few bites before taking the photo. :)

This dish was so yum! I ate and watched the Crimson Tide roll all over the Texas Longhorns! I'm a Gamecock at heart, but who doesn't love to see an SEC team win the National Championship!! I had leftovers and was really excited about eating it for lunch today, when my dad called me and said he and my mom had a layover in DC for a few hours on their flight to Detroit today! So, needless to say, I will be eating it for my dinner later tonight!

Hope y'all have a great weekend! Also, as a side note, please keep my Grandma Marshall in your prayers. She is very ill and your thoughts are very much appreciated by my whole family. :)

*When I say "doddled" I mean I cleaned the living room and my room and watched some TV and played a few rounds of MarioKart Wii. Yes, MarioKart. Laugh if you must, but I know a select handful of people I am friends with would thoroughly appreciate the above mentioned activity. And, watch out, because Yoshi and I are getting pre-tty awesome.


**For those who are not familiar, Beaufort Stew (which can go by many other names) is just unpeeled shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn on the cob all simmered together with some Old Bay and other spices. It is heaven!


***Plus, "one filet of salmon" can probably feed two people if you cut it in half, and serve lots of sides.