Marinated Salmon Kebobs

Salmon On A Stick
I am a big fan of grilled meat on a stick. Kebobs of any variety are always welcome on my dinner table. Though, I will admit that most of the time when I make kebobs the flavors lean heavily toward Middle Eastern. This should make sense considering most people, when they hear the word kebob, think of lamb and the flavors of the Mediterranean.

While those spices may dominate the wonderful world of kebobs, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy them. For instance, last night I was playing with a recipe that I came across for salmon kebobs which caught my eye. I honestly hadn’t given much thought about using fish to make kebobs beyond the obvious shrimp. Because, in my mind, it would just fall apart. The reality is there are a lot of types of fish that will work, it just has to be a firm-fleshed variety like tuna or, in this case, salmon.

If you have the good fortune to be in possession of a beautiful, wild-caught, fresh side of salmon, please don’t use it for kebobs! A really nice piece of salmon should be eaten with reverence and cooked simply such as in our recipe for Slow-Roasted Salmon or this one for Salmon Roasted in Butter.

However, if you come across some nice salmon fillets and have a hankering to try something new with your fish, give this recipe for Marinated Salmon Kebobs a go. For the record, the original recipe called for white wine vinegar which I replaced with white wine. I wasn’t a huge fan of the vinegar, but others may feel differently. You can try it either way.

Marinated Salmon Kebobs Recipe
Adapted from Plating Pixels
Yields 6 Kebobs Read more…

Blueberry Salsa à la Amy

Salsa Berry
I admit I am not a big blueberry fan. I don’t dislike blueberries, but they are not my go-to for a berry snack. I have raspberries for that. That being said, we’re getting into blueberry season when they are really good.

When I eat blueberries, most of the time they are in something and cooked like a muffin or pie. And, almost always it is something sweet. Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of sweet blueberry treats. But, I have been on the hunt for a recipe that is as savory as you can be with a sweet berry—but also doesn’t mess too much with the berry itself. I found salsa…

You can never go wrong with fresh tortilla chips and salsa, no matter what the salsa is made out of. Though some might disagree, a blueberry salsa really isn’t that crazy to me. After all I make salsa out of mangoes all the time. So, I know the sweet will work with the spicy.

There are plenty of versions of blueberry salsa out there if you are looking. A lot of them cook the tomatoes. I don’t. I prefer to dice everything up and keep the fresh flavor. But, it all depends on what flavors you like when eating salsa. It also depends on your tomatoes. If you have fresh tomatoes from your garden, just dice ‘em up. Those babies are gold…

Type of chili pepper is another point of personal preference. I like hot salsa but not super hot salsa. If it’s so hot that I can’t taste anything but the heat, what’s the point? I tend to go with jalapeños, or Fresnos if I want a tad more heat. I also add a little bell pepper because that’s what I do in my mango salsa and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Give this recipe a try next time you have some really great blueberries and want a snack, And, if you find this rolls into being your dinner, I won’t tell…

Blueberry Salsa à la Amy
Yields 6 to 8 servings Read more…

Red Pozole

Summer Soup Supper
When the weather starts to get warm, the last thing people think about for dinner is a bowl of soup. I mean who wants soup when it’s 90 degrees outside, right? And I agree for the most part. But, there is at least once exception to that rule. At least in my mind…

There are few dishes that are as quintessentially Mexican than a bowl of pozole. It’s a hearty, filling bowl of pork or chicken with hominy and the flavors of chili and lime. Pozole is everything you could want when you just have to have the flavors of Mexico. And, it is just as appropriate in winter when you need to something flavorful and filling to warm you up as it is in the warmer months outside on the patio for a relaxing dinner with a margarita. Just grab some from the fridge, give it a gentle warm up and enjoy a great meal al fresco with some fresh radishes from your garden—if you are lucky enough to have them.

Obviously, this is a make-ahead weeknight dinner as it takes more time to put together than we usually have on a Wednesday night. But, if you make this your Sunday project, all you need to do is prep the garnishes to add to your bowl for a fast and satisfying dinner. Any leftovers can be put in the freezer for another night.

Red Pozole Recipe
Adapted from the Mexican Food Journal
Yields 12 servings

This recipe yields an ample 12 servings—plenty to enjoy for dinner with leftovers for future meals. Pozole makes a rich and satisfying dish with your choice of meat in a mildly-spicy chile broth. Fresh garnishes complete the dish. Read more…

Panzanella With Fresh Burrata

Breaking Bread
If you like to bake bread, are just learning, or are trying to master a particular technique, chances are you have found yourself with extra bread that goes stale. Fresh, homemade bread is one of life’s great pleasures. But, it doesn’t last very long. So, you either have to eat it all immediately (not a totally awful idea) or find different ways to use it. Throwing all of your hard work away is just not an option.

There are plenty of ways to use stale bread. You can make fantastic croutons for your salad. French Toast is always delicious—depending on the type of bread. Though, I have been known to make French Toast out of anything that will hold its shape after dunking. Also, never underestimate the power of good bread crumbs when making some meatballs.

Now that we are heading into the warmer months where the tomatoes get better and the idea of a big heavy dinner is unappealing, my mind starts to turn towards meals that are light, don’t require heat to prepare them and still have a lot of flavor. And, if they use up any ingredients like say, stale bread, then so much the better. Panzanella is one of those options.

Panzanella is a classic Italian bread salad that comes in many iterations. I recently found the recipe below and my family is excited about it. Good tomatoes are the key to this recipe. So look for the best ones you can find.

Panzanella With Fresh Burrata Recipe
Yields 4 servings
Adapted from Tuesday Night Mediterranean by Christopher Kimball Read more…