Sunday, April 14, 2013

Seared Salmon with Balsamic Glaze and Dandelion Greens with Warm Balsamic Vingairette

I was in the mood for Balsamic something yummy. I realized I had in the freezer some Costco Salmon fillets and some Dandelion greens in the fridge. I thought those could be good together and started looking for ideas online. I really liked how the Salmon turned out in just following the recipe. The only change I might make is mix it up by throwing some pecans in the pan before reducing the balsamic glaze. The Dandelion Greens were good, but as dandelion greens are pretty bitter I would change this recipe a little, and I added my changes as a note.  I may be posting this recipe more for myself than anyone else, but I hate losing or forgetting about recipes I enjoyed so I’m posting this for future reference. I also realize making two balsamic dishes together may be overkill for some… like I said I was in the mood! (And pregnant might I add… what baby wants, baby gets)
Seared Salmon with Balsamic Glaze
INGREDIENTS
  • 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegairette
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp packed brown sugar
  • 4 salmon fillets (skin can be left on)
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tsp olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Stir together balsamic vinegar, water, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a small bowl.
  • Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat, not smoking. Increase heat to high, add salmon skin side up, and sear until well browned, about 4 minutes.
  • Turn fish over and sear until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more.
  • Transfer salmon to plates and carefully add vinegar mixture to skillet (liquid will bubble vigorously and steam).
  • Simmer, stirring, until thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes.
  • Spoon glaze over salmon. Serve and enjoy!
http://www.food.com/recipe/seared-salmon-with-balsamic-glaze-118010
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Dandelion Greens with Warm Balsamic Vinegairette
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 1/2 pounds dandelion greens
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
METHOD
  • Trim off thickest part of the stems and discard along with any tough leaves. Roughly chop remaining greens and transfer to a large salad bowl.
    Heat oil in a small heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add garlic and hazelnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden. Stir in vinegar and salt and pepper.
    Pour hot vinaigrette over greens and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
NOTE: We made this with pecans instead, which was good, and we ended up tossing in a good amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar even after tossing the greens with the warm vinegairette. So that’s the bad note, which is that there was hardly any "vinegairette" to speak of. It mostly was just toasted nuts, and maybe over toasted garlic. Next time I would use Much more Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar. Also because the dandelion greens are just so bitter, I would mix in maybe a tbsp of brown sugar (mix into the vinegar before throwing it in the pan). Sugar balances the bitterness nicely

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/dandelion-greens-warm-balsamic-vinaigrette