Grilled Salmon with Cucumber and Dill Cream Sauce

This simple dish is a splurge meal at our house.  It's the meal we make when something rare and happy happens, like a birthday celebration.  Or when we have dinner guests.  Or when my husband finishes a carpentry project.

Oh I kid.

It's a splurge because salmon here is $7.99 a pound, and we also have to get it out of town in the big city.  So it's a rare treat.  But my husband recently requested it for his birthday, so I made it again and I had forgotten how delicious it is and how well all the elements blend together.  Nothing new here under the sun.  Cucumber, dill, and salmon is a classic combination.  This is just how I put it all together.  Easy peasy.  Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

 
Here are my notes:

--I really should have taken pictures of how to deseed (is that a word?) the cucumber and shred it and squeeze it out, but basically I peel the cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise.  Take a small spoon and run it down the center and remove all the seeds.  Next, I grate it with a box grater, then I take handfuls of the grated cucumber and squeeze the water out.  This is important or your sauce will be too watery.

--All measurements are approximate.  I never measure anything when I make this.  You can totally adjust to taste.  Yes, you can certainly use fresh dill weed.  And while you're at it, do a better job of garnishing it than I did.  Not my strong point.

--About grilling the salmon.  The salmon I bought this time didn't have the skin on it, so I cooked it in foil so I could cook one large piece and it wouldn't fall apart.  You could also bake it or broil it.  Or you could cut it into smaller portions that would probably grill better.  But I liked using the foil because it was really hands off.  I did not measure seasonings, I just sprinkled.

--Salmon is really rich and I can only eat a small amount.  My husband can eat a ton though.  But mostly it just takes a little bit to fill most people up.

--I would like to say that even people who do not like cucumber will love the sauce, but my son-in-law proved this to be an untruth.  So if you are a cucumber hater, this probably isn't for you.

Grilled Salmon with Cucumber and Dill Cream Sauce

Printable Recipe

2-3 pounds salmon
6 tablespoons melted butter
Dried dill weed
Lemon pepper seasoning
Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper 

Cucumber and Dill Cream Sauce:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
3 finely chopped green onions
1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded
Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.  Lay out a large piece of heavy duty foil.  Place salmon on it and brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle with the dried dill weed, lemon pepper, and kosher salt and pepper.   Place another piece of foil on top, then roll up sides tightly to seal.  Place on grill for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily in center.

Meanwhile, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, and the green onions.  Grate the cucumber, then take a handful and squeeze out the excess water.  Add to the sour cream mixture, then repeat with remaining cucumber.  Stir into the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with salmon.

Cornmeal Dusted Crispy Smashed Potatoes

I had a totally awesome potato dish at a restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee this past spring.  The potatoes were boiled and smashed, then fried to a perfect crispy texture with a chimichurri sauce drizzled on them.  I kept telling myself I would try to recreate the dish at home, and I finally got a pocket of time a couple of weeks ago.  To add just a bit of oomph, I did what my grandmother used to do to her fried potatoes while I was growing up, which was to coat them in cornmeal.  They may not be all that pretty, but they are simple and delicious.

Here are my notes:

--Be careful when smashing them that you don't smash them too much.  They will break apart and they need to stay together.

--Do NOT overcrowd the skillet.  They will brown much faster if they are not overcrowded.

--Measurements are approximate.  There is no exact science here, just a little method.

--Yes, a variety of sauces and toppings would work on these.  Chimichurri, salsa, etc. would all be good drizzled on top.  I just left mine crispy and plain the day I cooked them.  A dollop of sour cream and bacon bits would definitely not be awful.

--There might be some cornmeal build up in the skillet that will burn after a couple of fryings, so watch it and scrape it out and add new oil as needed.

--I used a bag of very small, round, yellow skinned potatoes, but red would work too.

Cornmeal Dusted Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Printable Recipe

1 pound very small yellow or red new potatoes (or however many you want) 

1/2 cup butter, melted

Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

Yellow cornmeal (not cornmeal mix)

Vegetable oil for frying

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water.  Cook over medium high heat until fork tender.  Remove from water and place the potatoes on a baking sheet.  With a flat bottom glass or cup, gently smash the potatoes to flatten, being careful not to flatten too much or they will break apart.  Let them cool for about 15 minutes.  Spray the bottom of the glass with nonstick cooking spray if it starts to stick.

Brush the potatoes with melted butter, then season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with cornmeal.  Turn over and repeat on other sides.  

Pour oil to  depth of about 1/4 inch in a large cast iron skillet.  Heat over medium-high  until very hot.  Place 5-6  potatoes a time in the hot oil, being very careful not to crowd them.  Cook until golden brown and crispy, turning once.  Set aside on a baking rack that has been placed over a baking sheet to drain oil.  

Puebloan “Three Sisters” Deep Dish Skillet Pizza

It's been a bad week, y'all.

Truly, bad really doesn't even begin to describe it, but for lack of a better word, bad.

There are some people in my life who are struggling with some really hard stuff.  And I love these people with all my heart.  And if they hurt, I hurt.

So a bunch of us are hurting.

And we are asking questions.  Questions that we don't have answers to and that there are no easy answers to.

And we know that things look one way to others, but we know another side.

And it's been made abundantly clear to me this week about how important it is to extend mercy to people.  To not judge them by what you see.  

And it's not that I don't extend mercy to people.  I do.  Except when I don't.  Because I am human.  I get caught up in being judgmental and calling things like I see them.

Guilty.

But I am on the flip side this time.  I am needing mercy and compassion and to not be judged.  My loved ones are needing these things too.  Desperately.

Everyone needs that.  All of us.

I want to be a person who grants that to others.  Always.  

Lord, help me to be merciful and compassionate.  Always. 

Sometimes, when things are hard and tough and stressful, cooking can help me unwind.  And it did this week.  (A little.)  I was able to get in the kitchen and cook some yummy things.  And this pizza was one of them.  It was kind of therapeutic to make my own pizza dough from scratch.  And if I can do it, you can.

This pizza was inspired by my trip out west this summer.   When we were at Mesa Verde National Park and learning about the Pueblo Indian cliff dwellers, I was mentally taking notes about their diets while the tour guide was educating us.  Because some of that stuff sounded really good.

Some of the main food staples of the Pueblo Indians were what they called the "three sisters" which were squash, corn and beans.  They also grew peppers and ate pine nuts from the forest.  And that's my pizza.

I made it yesterday and my daughter kind of raved over it.  That made me feel good.

Here are my notes:

-I'm not saying this is the best pizza crust ever, but it's a good, easy, basic recipe, especially for beginners or people who are slightly intimidated by working with yeast.  (Like me.)

-This made a really thick crust in my 10 1/2 inch cast iron skillet.  You would actually be able to divide the dough into 4 parts to get a thinner crust.  But I like it thick.  The picture below will show you how thick it is.

-Just pat it in the skillet.  Easy.  I think it's easier than stretching it out on a stone.

-Pine nuts burn quickly.  Like *super* fast.  See:

It's probably better to toast them up in a dry nonstick skillet until light golden brown than to put them a baking sheet in the oven.

Puebloan “Three Sisters” Deep Dish Skillet Pizza

Printable Recipe

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting board

1 packet (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 cups ice-cold water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling bowl

1 medium ear corn, shucked and cleaned

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup zucchini squash cut into bite size pieces

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chile powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoons cornmeal

1/2 cup jarred roasted salsa verde 

2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained 

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Place the 4 cups flour, the yeast, and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt in the bowl of a electric stand mixer; beat at low speed using the paddle attachment until blended. Switch to the dough hook, and slowly add water and oil in a steady stream.  Beat at low speed about 3 minutes, then beat at high speed for 5 minutes.

Transfer to a large bowl that has been wiped with olive oil.  Brush the top of the dough with olive oil and cover dough with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until almost doubled in bulk.  Dough will be springy when lightly touched. Punch dough down, and turn out onto a cutting board that has been dusted with flour.  Shape into a large ball; cut dough into 3 equal pieces, shaping each piece of dough into a ball.  Cover two of the balls with plastic wrap and place in fridge for another use.

Place 1 dough ball on a lightly greased baking sheet, and dust with flour. Cover with a damp towel. Let stand in a cool place 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cut the corn off the cob.  Heat a 10 1/2 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, then add corn.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring several times, then add the onion and zucchini.  Cook until vegetables are crisp tender, about 3-5 minutes.  Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, the black pepper, chile powder, and cumin and stir to evenly coat.  Remove from heat and transfer to a plate.  Let skillet cool, then wipe clean with a rag or paper towels.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  When pizza dough is ready, spray the skillet with cooking spray, then sprinkle 1 tablespoon cornmeal evenly in the bottom.  Press the dough in the skillet evenly all the way to edges.  Spread the salsa verde on pizza leaving about a 1/4 inch space around perimeter.  Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.  Spread the corn mixture on top of the cheese evenly, then sprinkle with the black beans.  Add the remaining cheese in a single layer on top.  Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is light golden brown.   (Place under broiler for a minute if necessary to get cheese golden brown on the top.) When pizza comes out of oven, sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.  Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.