Lately, I have had smoked salmon on my shopping list a lot.
My husband seems to be addicted to a meal of a toasted onion bagel, spread with cream cheese, dotted with capers, then a few very thin slices of red onion, then a final layer of smoked salmon.
There are a lot of different kinds of smoked salmon, such as cold-smoked or hot-smoked. Some of the salmon is sliced and looks kind of raw, and others are more firm. It comes peppered, Cajun seasoned, sweetened, skin on and skin off.
When I shop, the choices in the refrigerator case often vary, and I don’t always get the type of salmon I had hoped for. But I am one of those people who prefer not to drive around from this store to another. I will if I must, but I try to avoid that.
A friend of my mom’s used to make me smile to myself, when he told us that he drives clear across town because one store had head lettuce maybe 10 cents cheaper. And he would drive to that store, buy one head of lettuce, and then go back home. He was not poor, by any means. I just can’t do that. So, I usually make do with what’s available.
Hope you are enjoying your summer so far.
Cat’s smoked salmon and asparagus penne pasta
For this recipe I used the sliced, smoked salmon that has a raw look to it, but you can use any type, including the dryer, firmer smoked salmon.
1 box or bag dry penne pasta (about 1 pound)
About 1 pound smoked salmon fillet
1 jar (16-oz.) Classico Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce (see note)
1 pound fresh asparagus, washed and tough ends removed
1 teaspoon paprika
Seasoned salt, to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Note: I am not sure this product is still available, so if you can’t find anything similar, you can try blending some roasted red bell peppers and adding the puree to regular Alfredo sauce.
1. Cut asparagus into pieces about 2 inches in length. Saute or steam until tender but not overcooked. Meanwhile, separate the salmon (if it comes pre-sliced) and place on a microwave-safe dish. Cook just until it turns opaque, being careful not to get the edges too tough and overdone. The salmon is edible just as is, but holds up better in the recipe when cooked a bit. Set aside.
2. Heat water in a large pot to boiling; add pasta and stir occasionally until done, according to package directions. Drain pasta in a colander, then return to the pot.
3. Pour Alfredo sauce over pasta, adding seasoned salt (not too much because the salmon has salt in it) and paprika; stir to blend evenly.
4. Carefully add salmon. It will break into chunks as you stir. Add cooked asparagus and toss gently. Add to a serving dish and reheat briefly. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve. Should provide 6 servings, but it depends on the size of each serving.
Smoked salmon sushi bowls
Sushi rice (recipe follows)
Sushi bowl toppings:
8 ounces smoked salmon
4 ounces surimi (imitation crab), optional
1 carrot
1 cucumber
1 avocado
1 package nori snack (seaweed snack pack), cut into strips
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted
2 green onions
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
Sriracha mayo:
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
1. Prepare your toppings: Peel and shred the carrot, slice the avocado, slice the cucumber, and have the smoked salmon and surimi, if using, ready to use.
2. Prepare the Sriracha mayo sauce by whisking the mayonnaise and Sriracha sauce together until well blended. Set mixture aside.
3. Assemble your sushi bowl, starting by placing 1 cup of the prepared sushi rice into a bowl. Top the rice with some shredded carrot, cucumber slices, smoked salmon, surimi, avocado and some nori strips.
4. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top and drizzle the Sriracha mayo sauce over the top. Makes 4 servings.
Sushi rice
2 cups dry sushi rice
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1. Wash the rice several times until the water runs fairly clear when draining. Allow the washed rice to drain for about 30 minutes. Transfer the rice to a pot or Japanese electric rice cooker and add the measured water.
2. For electric rice cookers, turn on and wait for rice to finish cooking. For stove top cooking, heat to boiling, cover tightly and simmer at lowest heat, allowing the rice to cook for 18 minutes. You must leave it covered. Remove pot from the heat and allow to stand covered for another 15 minutes.
3. Mix the vinegar, sugar and salt together in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let the sushi vinegar cool to room temperature.
4. Take a wooden spatula or spoon and cut and fold the rice. Be gentle as you do not want to smash the cooked grains.
5. Put the hot rice into your mixing bowl and add 1/4 of the sushi vinegar solution. Mix with a folding motion so as to not smash your perfect sushi rice. Repeat until all sushi vinegar is used.
6. After mixing, fan (electric fan will work) the hot rice mixture for about 5 or 6 minutes in order to remove excess moisture and create a glossy shine to your rice. Your rice should have a slight chewiness and be sticky to the touch. The sushi rice is then ready to use.
Smoked salmon dip
For dip:
1 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
6 ounces smoked salmon, diced
2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh dill weed, finely chopped
1 teaspoon capers
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
For bagel crisps:
1 bagel
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 teaspoons “everything” bagel topping
1. For the dip: In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. Allow mixture to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving with the bagel crisps.
2. For the bagel crisps: Preheat oven to 375. Slice bagel into thin 1/8-inch slices, working around the bagel, forming small chips. Place the chips onto a baking sheet.
3. Drizzle olive oil, salt and everything seasoning over the bagel pieces and toss to coat.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and become crisp. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then serve with the dip. Makes 6 servings.