Sasha's Kitchen: Pan Seared Salmon with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

This new salmon recipe is the perfect recipe for a week night - one I came across that is simple and delicious from my monthly subscription of bon appetit magazine.  You can find the original recipe here on their website.  This recipe is lovely and seasonal with the pumpkin seed pesto, but perfect for those nights when you just don't have the time to cook a complicated meal.  The pesto is delicious, and would be perfect on chicken, steak and vegetables.  But it works nicely with some high quality organic salmon as well!

Pan Seared Salmon with Pumpkin Seed Pesto
2-4 6-8 oz filets of salmon
2 1/4 tsp plus 1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup firmly packed cilantro
1/2 tsp cracked coriander seeds (I used dried coriander powder)
1/2 garlic clove
1 T lime juice
kosher salt and black pepper
1 lime, cut into wedges.

Heat the 1 1/2 tsp oil in a nonstick pan and saute the pumpkin seeds for about 2 minutes until they are brown and pop.  Transfer to a paper towel.

Pulse in a food processor the pumpkin seeds, coriander, cilantro and garlic.  Add the lime juice and oil and water, pulsing after each addition to emulsify.  Season with salt and pepper and more lime juice if desired, and voila - there's your pesto.  It's that easy!

Heat the remaining 1 tsp of oil.  Season the fish and cook on both sides until just opaque in the center, about 3-4 minutes on each side.  Serve hot.

Sasha's Kitchen: Pan Seared Salmon with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Sasha's Kitchen: Miso Glazed Salmon with Passion Fruit-Ginger Glazed Carrots

I really find cooking, and especially baking to be cathartic. When there are other things that are really giving me trouble or that I am struggling with in my life, it provides such a good release, and distraction. Sometimes the more I bake, the more it helps relax me from some of the other things going on. People wonder why I cook so much even during the week, and really that's the explanation. Anyhow, recently I tried this new salmon dish - it sounds complicated - miso glazed salmon with passion-fruit-ginger glazed carrots and creamed mashed potatoes, but it's really not that difficult. It makes a lovely, full dinner with side dishes, and is do-able on a busy week night. The ginger glazed carrots came out really well for my first time making them, as I was quite pleased. I may try to fine tune this recipe in the future to see if I can make ginger glazed carrots without any butter at all - but they were oh, so good.

Sasha's Sockeye Salmon with Passion Fruit-Ginger Glazed Carrots and Creamed Potatoes


1/3 cup white miso paste
1 T sesame oil
1 T canola oil
1 T honey
3 T rice vinegar
3 T soy sauce
sesame seeds
1 lb mini carrots
1 cup passion fruit juice (you could also use orange juice)
3 T butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 T sugar
2 T grated ginger
2 lb bag new potatoes or small red potatoes
1 /2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
 4 T creme fraiche or fat free sour cream

To prepare the  miso glazed salmon, combine the miso, sesame oil, canola oil, honey, rice vinegar and soy sauce with a whisk. Using a brush, coat the salmon, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and bake/broil the salmon as desired.

To prepare the carrots, in a saucepan, add the carrots, fruit juice, sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Bring to a boil. Then simmer until reduced and the carrots have a nice glaze to them. The liquid should be mostly gone at this point and the carrots should be cooked al dente - this process takes about 20 to 25 minutes.

To make the potatoes, cook the potatoes by adding to a large pot and covering with water, adding a pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil and boil for about 10-15 minutes. Then mash the potatoes with a fork or (as I did ) in the KitchenAid stand mixer. Mix in the fat free sour cream or creme fraiche, garlic and chopped parsley.

Sasha's Kitchen: Miso Glazed Salmon with Passion Fruit-Ginger Glazed Carrots

Sasha's Kitchen: Salmon En Papillotte Salad

This is a healthy salmon salad that is just delicious, and is the perfect meal for a weekday dinner that is both health and satisfying. Next time I make this, I might try adding some crunch string beans as well. The combination of the tangy fruits and avocado with the salmon, salad and dressing is scrumptious and the perfect after-work meal that doesn't take to long to prepare. The En papillotte method of preparing salmon results in a moist and delicious fish that is preferable to many other methods of preparation which dry out the salmon. It's also quite easy, as well.


Sasha's Salmon En Papillotte Salad
2 6-8 oz filets of salmon, skinned
mesculin field greens or other mixed greens
1 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 cup of sweet corn
juice of one lemon, plus 2 T lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, diced
1/2 cup canola oil
3 T balsamic vinegar
parchment paper

First, season the salmon filets with salt and pepper. Combine the lemon juice and zest of one lemon in a mixing bowl. Use this to coat the salmon filets and wrap the seasoned salmon with the parchment paper. Fold in 2 sides of the parchment paper, then fold in the other sides so that all the edges meet at the top, then twist the edges together to seal. Take the packages of salmon and place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes at 350.

Combine the lettuce, avocado, mango and corn into salad plates. Add the salmon. Top with a dressing made of canola oil, balsamic vinegar and the remaining lemon juice. Enjoy!

Sasha's Kitchen: Salmon En Papillotte Salad

Sasha's Kitchen: Wild Salmon with Organic Baby Carrot-Ginger Puree

My original plans for this dish involved making a celery root puree, which is something I have often enjoyed at restaurants (recently inspired by a great dinner at Mas Farmhouse in Manhattan for my husband's birthday).  I had ordered a large celery root from Fresh Direct recently and what arrived was a large root vegetable that looked like a brain.  I didn't have time to figure out how to turn it into a puree during the week so I went for a simpler organic baby carrot puree this time with the salmon.  I'll do the celery root tomorrow night with scallops.

My plans for this dish were to showcase wild organic salmon with some fresh seasonal vegetables.  I decided to use organic baby carrot for the puree, which I prepared with ginger and a bit of cinnamon.  Then, I added local fresh golden beets from the organic market.  I am a huge beet fan, but I truly love golden beets because they're just as delicious and sweet but they don't turn everything in creation magenta so they are much easier to work with.  They are also perfectly in season this time of year.  If you prefer, I think this dish would also taste great with steamed asparagus.

Sasha's Salmon with Organic Baby Carrot - Ginger Puree
2 filets (7 oz each) or organic fresh salmon
16 oz (one bag) of organic baby carrots
3 tsp of minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 lemon
white wine to taste
2 golden beets
small amount of arugula

To prepare the puree, cook the carrots in your steamer until soft. Puree in a blender or food processor with the cream, chicken broth and ginger.  Stir in the cinnamon to taste and set aside.

To prepare the salmon, I simply cut up a lemon and baked the fish (at about 350F) with sliced lemon on top, and poured some white wine over the top of the fish.

To prepare the beets, I boiled them for about half an hour.  Then, I cooled them in some cold water and rubbed the skin off and sliced the golden beets.  If you are using asparagus instead, you can simply steam the asparagus and add a bit of lemon juice.  I plated the fish in the puree with the beets, and garnished with a bit of fresh arugula.

Salmon

Sasha's Kitchen: Wild Salmon with Organic Baby Carrot-Ginger Puree

Eric's Kitchen in NJ: Pan-seared Salmon Salad

The first time I had a dish similar to this was at one of my favorite bars in Jersey City, Iron Monkey. I think it was a special on their menu a few months ago, when I still lived there. It paired capers and green olives (which I normally don't like), with mandarin oranges and pan seared salmon and the contrast of flavors was fantastic. This was my first attempt to recreate the dish and I think it came out very nicely.

Ingredients (served 4):
3 salmon fillets
4 bowls worth of spring greens (half a gigantic package)
1 small bottle of capers
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
most of a jar of whole food's garlic stuffed green olives
about 6 peeled mandarin oranges split into sections
Chef Prudhomme's seafood magic
Some cracked black pepper

Dressing (all measurements are approximations I just add things until it tastes good!):
1 Lemon's worth of juice
1/4 cp. Olive Oil
1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Pure maple Syrup (you can use sugar or honey as well)

Basically I mixed the dressing ingredients in a container until they tasted good with a slice of cucumber and then pan-seared the salmon in a little butter and olive oil, flipping it once and taking out of the pan when firm, making sure not to overcook it. I dislike dry or overcooked salmon quite a bit. In the end the sweet citrus flavors contrasted very nicely with the more bitter flavors of the capers an olives and it was a great summer dish. I also highly recommend some fresh mandarin or clementine oranges instead of canned ones.

Eric's Kitchen in NJ: Pan-seared Salmon Salad

Michelle's Kitchen in Toronto - Easy Salmon and Pea Pasta Shells

Hullo fellow foodies!

Ever have a work night when you need something quick and delicious but have nothing much in your pantry? I got home one night after a rough day at work craving a quick pasta dish but had forgotten to grocery shop on my way home. Staring into my cupboards and fridge, I came up with this quick and delicious dish!

Easy Salmon and Pea Pasta Shells

1 c dried mini pasta shells
1/2 cup canned peas, drained
1 tsp butter
2 tbsp chicken broth
1 tbsp light smoked salmon cream cheese
1 triangle Laughing Cow cheese light (you could use a tablespoon of regular cream cheese or sour cream)
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Cook the pasta according to the package instruction to al dente. Melt butter in a pan on medium heat. Put the cooked pasta in the pan with the peas. Add the broth, cheeses and garlic powder until the sauce melts but make sure the heat is not too high. You may not need any salt as the cheese may be enough. As an added treat, some grated romano or parmesan cheese might be nice on this to finish.

I love it when I find delicious recipes that help me clean my pantry as well!
Makes 2 servings as a main or 4 as a side

Michelle's Kitchen in Toronto - Easy Salmon and Pea Pasta Shells

Sasha's Kitchen: Salmon, Asparagus & Basil Pesto Sushi Rolls

I love making homemade sushi rolls.  The first time my husband, Brad, and I made our own sushi, it turned out so well that he proposed to me after the meal.  Thus, homemade sushi is near and dear to our hearts.  I can't help but remember that wonderful night every time Brad and I prepare sushi.  Last night,  I tried a couple of offbeat rolls that vary from the typical rolls you might find in sushi restaurants.  The salmon, asparagus and homemade basil pesto rolls was especially savory and delicious.  It was fairly easy to make and was one of our favorite new rolls.  We plan to do another night of sushi tonight, using some different fish and combinations, so stay tuned for another sushi post in the next day or two.


Sasha's Salmon, Avocado & Pesto Sushi Rolls
6 oz sushi grade salmon (I always get a bit extra, as this is enough for 4 people, for about 8 rolls); ask for the salmon to be skinned
1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
several stalks of asparagus
1 1/2 cups of sushi rice  (this will be enough to make 4-5 sushi rolls)
3 T seasoned rice vinegar
sushi nori (seaweed)

First, prepare the rice.  You will need to spend about 15 minutes rinsing and re-rinsing the sushi rice until the water runs clean before using it.  This is important to allow the rice to have the right color and flavor so you should not skip this step.  Then, add the one and a half cups of rice to 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Simmer, covered, the same way you would cook regular rice.  Once the rice is done, mix in the seasoned rice vinegar and allow the rice to cool.

Prepare the pesto by combining the basil, pine nuts, olive oil and cheese in a food processor.  You can also add some red pepper flakes if you want some heat.

To prepare the sushi rolls, place the sushi nori on your sushi rolling mat.  Here are some generic instructions on how to roll the sushi.  Press the rice into the nori, leaving the top inch and a half without rice.  Line up the pesto, salmon (cut into a long strip) and a stalk of asparagus lengthwise on the side of the rice/nori closest to you and roll away from you.  You can dip your fingers in some water and use the water to seal the roll.  Cut into six or seven pieces and enjoy with some wasabi, ginger and soy sauce.

For dessert, try my green tea ice cream.  Click here to read about my cupcakes frosted to look like sushi.

Sasha's Kitchen: Salmon, Asparagus & Basil Pesto Sushi Rolls

Amasea's Kitchen in Sun Valley: Roasted Garlic Rosemary Potatoes and Spicy Salmon En Papillote with Squash and Carrot Base

Seriously, en papillote is one of my favorite ways to make fish. And it's so, so easy. Much easier than it sounds.

Tonight, before the fiance and I leave for Valentine's Day to his cabin in central Idaho (near Salmon), where there is no internet and no cell service, I made something that I knew would appeal to both him and me. This is a bit on the complicated side, but the gist of it is using a technique you're comfortable with (or getting comfortable with), with whatever ingredients you have on hand.

I started with about five medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into approximately 1-inch cubes. I later decided that I should have cut the potatoes into smaller pieces; it would have created a better mixture of crispy edges and soft centers.
Into a small Cuisinart blender went two large sprigs of rosemary, stripped off their stems, with almost an entire head of roasted garlic. I added about half a cup of olive oil, and 1/3 to 1/2 cup of white wine. I pureed that all together until the rosemary was less than half a centimeter long in its largest pieces. I used about half this sauce on the potatoes, and the rest went into reserve for a future dish.

Once the sauce was blended, I tossed the potatoes in it, and set those aside in a large baking pan -- large enough that each piece of potato was touching the bottom of the pan. This went into a 425 oven for about 20-30 minutes until I was finished preparing the fish (and watching parts of the Olympic opening ceremonies). I turned the potatoes about halfway between placing them in the oven and adding the fish to the oven.

Separately, I added to the small Cuisinart blender the two halves of a medium-sized acorn squash from Idaho's Bounty that I cooked almost a week ago. That had been merely halved, filled with butter, brown sugar and a little salt, pepper and chili powder, and baked until soft. In addition to the squash filling, I added about one canned chipotle pepper (hard to tell, since once they're canned they break apart). This is important -- it gave the final product much of its bite.

I bought two pieces of salmon that were cut from about 2/3 down the length of the fish towards its tail. By buying two pieces that were approximately the same width (2-3 inches) and same thickness, I ensured that the fish would cook approximately evenly throughout the en papillote process. I believe they were previously frozen Atlantic salmon. Certainly not my favorite, but what's available in the middle of February in Idaho, and better than some of the alternatives.

Using my madeline (a really, really fun tool, and not too expensive -- I'd recommend the investment if you have the space), I julienned two smallish sweet carrots from Idaho's Bounty, and then hand-julienned two red jalapeno peppers from Albertson's. I'd never seen red jalapenos before, which is why I sprang for them instead of some other hot pepper.

Cutting the parchment paper into hearts, per Epicurious, I began with a layer of the squash-chipotle mixture, then topped that with the julienned carrot-jalapeno mixture, and placed the fish on top of all that. I sprinkled the fish with fresh-ground black pepper, fresh-ground sea salt, and drizzles of a red wine reduction (half a bottle of red wine simmered until it was about half a cup). Winding the parchment paper into packets, I put them on a baking sheet and popped them in the oven.
(And yes, I realize that in the middle picture up there, my drizzling of the red wine reduction created something halfway between a Roswell-esque alien and a cartoon character. Totally unintentional, I assure you).

Until they came out of the oven after 15 minutes, I didn't realize that I hadn't boosted the oven from 425 to 475, which I should have. Good thing I tested my piece of salmon, and put the packets back in the oven for another 10 minutes, because when I took them out first, they were underdone. Properly, the re-ovening should have been closer to 6 minutes, because by the time the packets were done, the thinnest ends of the pieces of fish were rather too dry. Still good though, and the middles were beautifully self-steamed.

My favorite bits of the finished dish were the potatoes, which despite being too thick had some gorgeous crispiness on the edges, and the underbase of the salmon (the squash/carrot/jalepeno). It verged on being too spicy, but only *just* not too much for my palate (which was tragically blanded by four years at boarding school).
For an accompanying beverage, I went with a Moscatto (a cheap one, to be sure, as I cannot afford luxury sparkling wines), which was beautifully sweet and bubbly atop the spicy thickness of the main dish. Highly recommended pairing.

Amasea's Kitchen in Sun Valley: Roasted Garlic Rosemary Potatoes and Spicy Salmon En Papillote with Squash and Carrot Base

Michelle's Kitchen in Vancouver: Olympic Special

In my continuing special report in honour of the Olympics, I present to you some of my favorite Vancouver restaurants. I've included dining experiences on both the high and low end of the financial spectrum; all fabulous and well worth a try! In no particular order:

1. New Town Bakery: I know, I know, I mentioned them in my last post for their egg tarts and mentioned the steamed buns with pork and vegetables, but these are really THAT spectacular! They also have really good congee, custard buns and a host of other xiao chi (small eats, snacks). 158 East Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1T3 - (604) 689-7835

2. The Eatery: Some amazing, creative sushi in a hip environment. The UBC crowd likes this one as it's nearby and good. The Bob Marley roll and the Green Hornet are two of my favs. Beware of the loud music if you're sensitive to such things, but otherwise an amazing place! 3431 West Broadway Vancouver, BC V6R 2B4, Canada (604) 738-5299

3. Hime Sushi: When I lived in Vancouver, this was my neighbourhood sushi joint. All the salmon is wild and is that gorgeous ruby colour so you know you're eating good stuff. Their Agedashi Tofu is out of this world, with a nice sprinkling of benito flakes on top and they also have a small selection of some more creative rolls to go with their new renovated look! Easy to eat there on my then-student budget. Also near UBC if you're going for the hockey or figure skating. 4463 West 10th Ave. Vancouver, BC Tel: (604) 224-2121

4. Gotham Steakhouse: Very pricey celeb hangout with private rooms. I was lucky enough to eat there once and had the steak of my life! 615 Seymour St. Vancouver, BC 604-605-8282

5. Cassis Bistro: Rustic, homey French bistro food in a really sexy, comfortable environment. Given the grotty section of Pender St, you'd never know it was there so try this "hidden" gem! Menu constantly changes with the seasons, but if you can get it, the bouillabaisse is fantastic. 420 Pender St W, Vancouver BC V6B1T5 (604) 605-0420

6. Ezogiku Noodle Café: Please, I implore you, try the ramen. It's a revelation. Noodles in a porky yummy broth with more pork. Perfect on a rainy Vancouver day and cheeeeap! You can easily eat for under $10 (CDN) 270 Robson Street, Vancouver - (604) 685-9466

7. Blue Water Café: Another expensive celeb hangout. Justin Timberlake likes to hang out here when he's in Vancouver. Some of the best seafood in the city, another bouillabaisse revelation! 1095 Hamilton Street Vancouver, BC V6B 5T4, Canada (604) 688-8078

8. Harambe: If you've never tried Ethiopian food, it's time to start! Amazing stews and veg dishes served on traditional injera bread. Delish! 2149 Commercial Drive Vancouver, BC V5N4B3Tel: (604) 216-1060

9. Red Sea Café: If I'm mentioning Harambe, Red Sea Café must also be mentioned for Ethiopian food. Truly excellent and the owner is the friendliest man! Small and intimate with just a few tables, I always have fun here. 670 East Broadway Vancouver, BC V5T 1X6, Canada (604) 873-3332

10. Apgujung: My favorite Korean restaurant in downtown Vancouver, I always love their bibimbap and they have the most amazing steamed pork dumplings! Korean barbeque is a nice way to eat with friends with your own grill in the centre of the table. Yum yum! 1642 Robson Street Vancouver, BC V6G 1C7, Canada (604) 681-8252

11. Burgoo: Another neighbourhood hangout for me. Comfort food, amazing soups, fondue and so many others. Try some of their mead for a unique alcoholic treat! And please, try the Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding. Beware, very rich so you might want to share. 4434 W 10th Ave. Vancouver, BC V6R 2H9 604-221-7839

12. Baru Cafe: Honestly, I don't know where to start with Baru. One of the sexiest places in Vancouver and a Point Grey/Dunbar/Kits favorite. South American food and most certainly one of my Vancouver favorites. The ceviches are to die for and the flan revelatory. The Guava glazed Pork is scrumptious, nice small wine selection and one of the best mojitos I've had in Canada! 2535 Alma Street Vancouver, BC V6R 3R8 (604) 222-9171

Honestly, this is just a small taste of what Vancouver has to offer. There are many places that are consistently recommended which I was never lucky enough to go (ie. Tojo's, C, db Bistro Moderne, Market etc.). Vancouver is blessed with gorgeous produce and meats, plus a food industry which is relatively cheap for the class of food you can get. Go forth and eat with gusto! Vancouver rarely lets the hungry diner down.

For my earlier article on the best dessert places in Vancouver, click here.

Michelle's Kitchen in Vancouver: Olympic Special

Sasha's Kitchen: Sushi Rolls (And The Story Of How I Got Engaged)

Sushi has long been one of my favorite foods, since I first had sushi in 1998 on a date junior year of college. As it would turn out, about four years ago, my husband actually proposed to me (with a personalized fortune cookie) the first time that we made our own sushi in our apartment in the Upper East Side. Since then, making sushi has always been a special tradition in our home.

The key to making good sushi maki (rolls) is the quality of the fish that you start with. If you are not using fresh, high quality sushi grade fish, don't bother because you will be disappointed in the result. Further, given that I was making this at home with raw fish, I needed to feel comfortable that the fish market I was using was top notch and that there wouldn't be unpleasant repercussions.

When we lived in Manhattan out fish source was Wild Edibles, in Murray Hill, which in my opinion is the best fish market in Manhattan, with the friendliest service. At the time that I shopped there, they had both sushi grade salmon and tuna for sale. I would still purchase all my fish there today, but for the fact that we moved to Park Slope in Brooklyn about a year and a half ago.

Fortunately, we found a fish market here in Park Slope that might be even better, Ocean Market. Ocean market carries sushi grade salmon, tuna and yellowtail, and all are excellent. Plus, the prices are extremely reasonable and a huge drop from typical Manhattan fish prices. Yet the quality and selection of fish is much better than at virtually any Manhattan fish market.

When you purchase fish for sushi, you do not need to buy a lot of fish. In the beginning, I always wound up with a lot of leftover fish. In total, about 8-10 oz of fish total is more than enough for two people, as you do not need to use a very large amount of sushi in the rolls (just a long strip) and the rice-component of the rolls is very filling. When you purchase the fish, you should have the fish market personnel thoroughly skin the fish for you and mention that you are making sushi, so they will direct you to the freshest (and most expensive, in all likelihood) sushi grade fish. Further, you may want to direct that they cut the fish in a certain part of the fish that has a fairly even thickness and texture (i.e. from the middle).

I have made four basic types of rolls that we have enjoyed - tuna, salmon, shrimp tempura (cooked) and yellowtail. I always enjoy making sushi rolls with my husband, as it is fun to do together and also great to do with friends, or to invite friends over to partake in homemade sushi.

The first step is to make the rice. You must use special sushi rice, which is different from regular rice. I usually make about 2 cups, which is plenty for four people. First, the rice mush be carefully rinsed in cold water. The rice needs to be rinsed over and over (for about 10 minutes or so) until the cold water that you are using to rinse it runs clear.

Put the rice in a saucepan (2 cups) and add 2 1/2 cups of cold water and heat until boiling. Cover and simmer like you would ordinarily cook rice, and do not lift the lid during the simmering process.

While the rice is cooking, I prepare a sauce in a saute pan of 3 T of sushi rice vinegar, 1 T of sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. This is then mixed with the prepared rice, once it has cooled. You can alter this recipe a bit to taste, but this is a pretty standard recipe. Once mixed, the rice is fairly sticky.

For the next step, you will need to purchase a sushi rolling mat (about $4)and of course some nori, which is the black seaweed paper used for rolling sushi. It is very tricky to explain in writing how to roll the sushi, but is is pretty easy to get the hang of it with a little bit of practice. Here are some instructions that may help a bit.



Basically, place the nori on the mat the long way. Spread the rice on the surface of the nori, fairly thin (but thick enough to evenly cover the nori) about 1/4 of an inch thick. Whne you are spreading the rice, you should make sure the shiny side of the nori is facing down. Only spread the rice about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way to the top of the nori, leaving the top portion without any rice spread on it.

Then cut a strip of your favorite fish and place horizontally across the roll. You may also want to add other ingredients - a mixture of wasabi and mayonnaise is perfect to make a spicy tuna or salmon roll and we usually add either avocado or cucumber.

If you want to make shrimp tempura rolls, you should shell and de-vein the shrimp and then coat in egg and panko breadcrumbs, before frying it. Then you can put pieces of the shrimp tempura inside your roll. I have also made delicious rolls using two kinds of fish.

The next step is to roll into one long roll using the sushi mat, by folding the mat over and tucking the nori's end. Use the mat to squeeze the sushi roll once you have rolled it into a log and you can modify the shape with your fingers.

Next, place on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut off the ends. Cut the roll in half and cut into about 6-8 sushi sized pieces.

I would suggest purchasing some nice sushi plates for serving the sushi (we have several sets), and making sure to have plenty of wasabi and soy sauce handy.

If you start with quality fish, this should be a lot of fun to make with your spouse, family and friends, and great to do with a group. I just wouldn't necessarily expect your first sushi experience to turn out quite as well as mine did and end in a marriage proposal :)




(I should note that I actually did not cook tonight, as we went out for dinner, so the sushi in the photos are pictures that were taken about two months ago.)

As always, if you have questions, comments or suggestions, please comment and one of our writers will get back to you shortly.

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Sasha's Kitchen: Sushi Rolls (And The Story Of How I Got Engaged)

Sasha's Kitchen: Napa Valley Salmon

About a year ago, my husband and I took a wonderful two week trip to California. We started in San Francisco, and travelled to Sausalito, Sonoma County, Napa Valley, Fresno and Yosemite National Park. This was as much a culinary adventure as it was an immersion in beautiful natural surroundings. We went to Napa and Sonoma during crush, the wine harvest, which was an amazing experience in and of itself. Although we did not make it to the world-famous French Laundry, we did eat at some of the best restaurants I've ever been to using wonderful local California produce. In addition, we visited 10 wineries, which were as remarkable for their wines as for their natural beauty and abundance of fresh organic vegetables and fruits.

Many of these wineries have websites that showcase both their wines and foods that pair nicely with the wines. In addition, many even have recipes that they suggest for with the wines. Three wineries that we visited which have great recipes on their websites are Cakebread Cellars (Napa), St. Francis Vineyards (Sonoma) and Round Pond Estate (Napa), which also produces delicious olive oils that I use in my cooking.

The recipe I made tonight can be found on the Cakebread Cellars website, and pairs nicely, in my opinion, with either a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Cakebread's Reserve Chardonnay is heavenly and personally one of my favorite wines we tasted on that trip.

The recipe is very simple, fresh, and herbal and incorporates the fresh flavor of cucumbers:

The recipe is found on Cakebread Cellar's website (www.cakebread.com)

However, here's how I make it, with my own variations:

2 cucumbers - diced
1 tsp salt (the original recipe suggests 2, but I always prefer to cook with less salt)
2 T rice vinegar (their recipe suggests using 1 T but I prefer more)
1 tsp horseradish
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 T dill, diced
1 T chives, diced
1 tsp tarragon
1 tsp thyme (my addition, instead of the parsley)
1 tomato diced

I mix this and then put on top of 2 pieces of cooked salmon

In addition, I like to add a bit of fresh lemon or lemon juice when serving. I absolutely love the creamy flavor of the creme fraiche with the freshness of the cucumbers, the herbal medley and the tartness of the lemon.

Enjoy with a glass of white wine.

Subjects from upcoming posts by me to look forward to: Apple and blueberry pies, rainbow cookies, dinner souffles, ice cream, and southwestern chicken.

Sasha's Kitchen: Napa Valley Salmon