Dinner for July 5, 2013

I'm sorry I haven't written. Dinner has been unremarkable these past few nights--Wednesday was leftovers, and Thursday was hot dogs, which I wouldn't eat 'cause I'm vegetarian.

Salmon Nicoise Salad

Meal: Dinner

Who made it: Me

Tastyness: 7/10

Healthyness: 9/10

Comments: This salad would have been better if I hadn't under cooked the potatoes. (The picture on top is what we ate. On the bottom is the magazine picture. Not bad, huh?) Also, I didn't like the salmon much, and the lettuce, although garden-fresh (yes! I grew it!), got kind of wilted because of the heat of the salmon and potatoes and everything. But my dad loved it. He completely cleaned his plate. It was really healthy, too!

Here's the recipe (it isn't the exact recipe because I couldn't find that one online, but it's pretty close):

Salmon Niçoise Salad

Serves 2

Salad:

2 salmon fillets, pan-seared in olive oil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper

2 cups mixed field greens

1 cup green beans, blanched in boiling water for 90 seconds and then chilled in an ice bath

4 baby potatoes (about 1 cup sliced potato), sliced, boiled until tender, drained, and cooled

6 baby Roma tomatoes, halved (or any tomatoes you like)

6-8 black good quality olives (such as Niçoise or Kalamata)

8 soft-boiled (or hard-boiled, if you prefer) quail eggs*

Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice)

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Pinch salt and pepper

*If you can’t find quail’s eggs, you can use 2 hen’s eggs (1 per person, since 4 quail eggs equals about 1 hen’s egg).

To soft boil the quail’s eggs, bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil.  Carefully add the quail’s eggs and boil for 2 1/2 minutes.  Transfer the eggs from the boiling water directly into an ice bath (a bowl of cold water filled with ice).  Cool completely, then crack and peel, being a bit careful because the membrane between the egg white and shell is a little thicker than in a chicken’s egg.  (To make medium-boiled quail’s eggs, boil for 3 minutes; for hard-boiled, boil 4 minutes. )

Arrange all salad components on two plates in any decorative way you like.  Whisk together all ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl and drizzle on top.  Serve immediately, with fresh ground black pepper on top.

Hope you enjoy! 

Sincerely,

Ms. Foodie