Thai salmon noodles

Despite what you might think I don't rely on chicken and bacon in all my dinners.

Fish is good too (I just wish it was a bit less expensive!). This recipe comes from BBC Good Food (again! well, what can I do? This website rocks!) I grew a bit tired of eating the same noodles with stir fry sauce over and over again and when I saw the salmon and sweet potato combination I knew I had to try it. I wasn't disappointed - the dish is incredibly fragrant, with the red Thai curry sauce complimenting the fish and potatoes and coriander adding freshness. 

To make enough for two you'll need:

1-2 salmon fillets, skin removed

1-2 tsp red Thai curry paste

4-5 spring onions

2-3 cloves of garlic

500 ml vegetable stock powder

250 ml milk

1 sweet potato

fine egg noodles

fresh coriander

black onion seeds, to garnish

Start by prepping your ingredients. Slice salmon fillet into 1'' cubes, mince garlic and chop spring onions.

Peel the sweet potato and cut into small cubes.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan (or a wok) and fry off the Thai curry paste. Add garlic and spring onions and keep frying.

Pop cubed sweet potatoes in the pan, add milk and stock and turn the heat down. Simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

While the sauce is simmering, boil a pot of salted water for noodles and throw them in. Most fine egg noodles only need 3 minutes.

While the noodles are cooking add salmon to the pan and gently stir it in. Cook for another 3 minutes - the salmon is very delicate and cooks quickly.

Drain the noodles, divide between two plates, then spoon the sauce over (it should be quite liquidy!). Sprinkle with coriander and black onion seeds. Eat!

Last week I made this dish with onion instead of spring onion and prawns instead of salmon - equally delicious - one dish two ways.

Super smoked salmon salad

Ha! See what I did there? Alliteration (all these years studying English literature finally paying off). While going through my recent recipes I noticed that meat's been sorta in the spotlight, so here's some fish for ya. 

I have a confession to make. Here goes: I love fish, but don't cook it often enough. And there's only one reason: bones! I just don't have the patience to pick them out. Smoked salmon wins when it comes to easy dinners: no bones, no cooking, just open the packet and bam! Dinner is ready. Well, almost. But you know me - I refuse to slave away in the kitchen on a weekday night.

Incredibly light and fresh, this salad can be thrown together quickly and packs some great flavours.

To make enough for two you'll need:

150 g smoked salmon

500 g waxy potatoes (I used Charlotte potatoes)

2 handfuls of watercress

2 handfuls of lamb's lettuce

half a cucumber

handful of broad beans (I used frozen)

2 beetroots (I buy them cooked, peeled and vacuum packed)

1tsp of mixed herbs

salt, pepper to season

half a lemon

olive oil

Start off by heating up the oven to 190 C and start boiling water for potatoes and broad beans (in separate pots). We're multitasking here, but you're hungry, correct? Line a small tray with baking parchment.

Slice beetroot into 1cm thick slices and arrange on the baking tray. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Pop into the oven for about 20-25 minutes. 

 

Chop potatoes into smallish wedges and cube the cucumber.

Pop potatoes into a pot (seriously, what's with this alliteration today?) and boil them until soft. Use waxy potatoes because they hold their shape better and won't turn into mush (technical term). And while you're popping things into pots give your broad beans the same treatment and boil until soft (this should take about 20 minutes if they are frozen).

Right, while the vegetables are roasting and cooking, you have some time to cut salmon into smaller pieces (use kitchen scissors). Arrange watercress and lamb's lettuce on a plate and add a squeeze of lemon. 

Scatter cucumber cubes on top. Now drain your potatoes and take beetroot out of the oven (you almost forgot it was there, right?). Drain broad beans, give them a quick rinse with cold water and shell them. Arrange beetroot and potato slices on top of the greens, season with salt, pepper and a few squeezes of lemon, top with salmon, broad beans and parmesan shavings. A drizzle of olive oil and you can tuck in!

This post doesn't contain photos of particular stages of the process. Hungry husband breathing down my neck does not a good photo environment make ;) While he was munching away I was left in the kitchen to snap some more pics, so here goes one more (okay, two)!

Since it's been meat, fish and savoury things for the last few weeks expect a recipe for cake soon!

Simple dinners: Salmon

 

Fish is good for you. Fact. If you don't like fiddly bones salmon is a perfect choice. And let's face it - who wants to eat meat every day? Well, probably my husband whose idea of heaven would be to have Steak Mondays, Burger Tuesdays, Meatball Wednesdays - you get the idea. Since I'm doing all the cooking he has no choice but to accept Fish days - but he's a sweetie and there are no complaints so far! Because hey, fish is tasty. Fish doesn't need culinary fireworks. It's best when cooked simply with a touch of salt, pepper and a bit of oil or butter, served with some potatoes and veggies. Pretty ordinary, right? But add a little beetroot into the mix and you'll be in for a nice surprise. Mixed with a few tablespoons of creme fraiche it adds a little sweetness and livens up the salmon. Not to mention it's pink and pretty!

If you fancy something healthy and quick for dinner give this recipe a go. 'Cooking takes too much time and is complicated' excuses won't cut it here. So heat up your oven to 200 C and let's get started.

To make delicious dinner for two you'll need:

2 salmon fillets (smoked salmon works too - perfect if you're veeery lazy)

new potatoes/charlotte potatoes cut in half - enough for two people

1 bag of fine green beans

butter or olive oil

3 tbsps creme fraiche

2 small beetroots (you can buy them already cooked and vacuum packed)

1/2 lemon

salt

pepper

While the oven is heating up, prepare the salmon. Sprinkle it with a bit of salt and pepper and place on a small baking tray lined with kitchen foil. Drizzle a little oil on top, cover with foil and seal the edges so that salmon steams and doesn't dry out - it's a delicate bugger! Pop the tray into the oven and start boiling a pot of water for potatoes and beans. Wash them and cut potatoes in half lengthwise - they will cook quicker meaning you get food in your belly faster - win win! As soon as the water starts boiling put potatoes and beans in, add a tsp of salt and cover with a lid. Grate beetroot into a small bowl, add creme fraiche, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Salmon should be ready after about 15 minutes - it should flake away easily when poked with a fork. Once it's ready take it out of the oven and pop on the plates, then check and drain potatoes and beans. Finally, add a blob of beetroot creme fraiche and voila. You just added fish to your diet. And it only took 15 minutes. Easy peasy.

Oh, apologies for no ingredient pictures - I was ravenously hungry when making this! 

And when you're *that* hungry, every second counts:)