Salmon Rice Bowls

We loved these Salmon Rice bowls. The fam likes recipes like this where they can make their own bowl with whatever toppings are available. You can make some of the stuff from this recipe ahead of time to make it easier (slice cucumbers, make slaw). We served this with a choice of either rice or quinoa and it was good with both. 

Salmon Rice Bowls

adapted from Cooking Classy

1 1/2 cups dry jasmine rice
4 cups (8 oz) coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage + carrots. Can use less)
2 green onions, sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp honey, divided
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp soy sauce, divided
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil, divided (I use sunflower oil since I don't like sesame)
Salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp minced fresh garlic (I use ginger garlic paste for ginger + garlic)
3/4 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp olive oil or vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs. skinless salmon fillet, chopped into 1-inch cubes
1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced
1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Sriracha mayo

1.  Cook rice according to directions on package. Can also use quinoa instead of rice, or along with it. Make the slaw: In a large mixing bowl toss together coleslaw mix, green onions, rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1/2 tsp sesame oil or sunflower oil. Season lightly with salt to taste. Set mixture aside.

2.  Make the salmon sauce: In a small mixing bowl whisk together remaining 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp mirin, 1 Tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp sesame oil or sunflower oil, the ginger, garlic and cornstarch until mixture is well blended (cornstarch should be dissolved). Set aside.

3.  Cook salmon: Dab salmon pieces dry with paper towels, season with pepper only. Preheat a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Quickly spread salmon pieces out evenly in skillet. Let sear on one side only until salmon is nearly cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes.

4.  Cook sauce: Whisk cornstarch mixture once more then pour over salmon. Cook, gently tossing for about 20 to 30 seconds until the mixture is thickened.

5.  Assemble bowls: Layer cooked rice into serving bowls. In sections top with salmon, the cabbage slaw, avocado, and cucumber. Drizzle Sriracha mayo over bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

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Smoked Salmon Chowder (Hybrid)

I have two salmon chowder recipes on here that I loved and made often in the past.  They had differences (smoked vs. un-smoked chowder,  half & half vs. using flour to thicken, different veggies, cheddar cheese vs. no cheese).  I decided to combine my favorite elements from both recipes to create this recipe, which I really enjoyed.  After this summer, we are loving smoked salmon so much (well, even more than we were).  (If you live in the States, Costco has great smoked salmon that would be wonderful in this.)  Note: This is pretty much the only recipe I used canned creamed corn for.

**Note: I've made this twice with frozen salmon from Ikea when I couldn't get any smoked salmon. It's really good that way too! I just cook 4 small Ikea fillets in the broth after the veggies are tender, and before adding the evaporated milk. When the whole fillets are done cooking, I just break them up into large pieces with two forks.**

Smoked Salmon Chowder (Hybrid)
adapted from here and here

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic cloved, minced
2 cups diced potatoes
2 carrots, diced
1 small zucchini, chopped

handful of fresh green beans, chopped, optional
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

smoked sea salt, to taste

hot sauce, to taste
8 ounces (or more!) smoked salmon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn

1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

fresh parsley for garnish

2 TBS flour + 2 TBS cold water, to use if not thick enough

1. Melt butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, and garlic until onions are tender. Stir in other veggies, broth, pepper, dill, tarragon, thyme, paprika, smoked salt and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Cover, and simmer 20 minutes or until everything is tender.

2. Stir in salmon, evaporated milk, and corn. Cook until heated through.  If it looks thick enough now, add the cheese and serve.  If not thickened enough at this point, shake together the flour and cold water in a lidded jar.  Make sure the soup is simmering, and whisk the flour slurry into the soup. Whisk constantly and cook until it is thickened.  Serve with fresh parsley if you want.

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Neah Bay & Cape Flattery, WA

The last place I'll blog about from our summer trip is our day trip to Neah Bay and Cape Flattery in Washington State.  Cape Flattery is the farthest Northwestern point in the continental US.  Neah Bay is the town nearby on the Makah Indian Reservation.  The smoked salmon above is from a place in Neah Bay; the Take-Home Fish Company.  It is SOOOO good!  Best smoked salmon ever.  I'll post more pics in a minute.

The three pics above are taken from our drive up to Neah Bay from Sequim, WA.  There were SO many gorgeous beaches on the side of the road; we stopped a few times on the way there, and a few times on the way back to get out, play on the beach for a short time, and take photos.  The mountains you can see in the background of the 1st two pics are Vancouver Island, Canada! The pic below is Neah Bay.

 Above is the little trailer the delicious smoked salmon is sold out of.  Best salmon of your life!!!

The guy's sign outside the trailer.  We didn't call before we went, but since it's unpredictable, if you're planning on going, I would try calling that number on the fish tail. Sometimes he's out of salmon or doesn't have any salmon available to smoke.  We were so lucky to score not only some hot fresh salmon, but some cold, vacuum packed stuff to take home.  The whole fam LOVED it.  BTW, this place isn't on Tripadvisor (and they wouldn't let me add it; I tried!)  It does have a few great reviews on Yelp, though.

Where the magic happens.  For reals.

 Cape Flatter trail head.  Quite an easy and beautiful trail.  Below, first view of Cape Flattery.

 Below, another view off Cape Flattery.  Tatoosh Island.

 One more view of Cape Flattery.  We loved this part of the world!  We have great memories from the Summer of 2015.

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Sequim, WA (+ more)

In July, we spent a week in Sequim, WA.  During that trip, we also went to Neah Bay and Cape Flattery, and Victoria, Canada, but I'll post about that later.  Today I'll include some photos from Sequim and the surrounding areas.  (Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, and Port Townsend). The above pic is a lavender field at Graymarsh Berry Farm.  Sequim is known for their lavender and they have a Lavender Festival, which we were there for! (Below.)  We bought a few lavender things, including lovely Lavender Caramel Sauce.

We went to Graymarsh Berry Farm and picked our own raspberries, above.  We also saw a bald eagle while we were there.  The next three pics are when our family hiked the Dungeness Spit; the longest sand spit in the US.  We didn't hike the whole thing.

We enjoyed grilling some Sockeye Salmon and corn on the cob, above, and then enjoying the beautiful sunset from our little rental vacation cabin, below.

We met friends and had a lovely day at Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park.  Breathtaking views; just amazing.  I was too busy talking to take very many photos that day.

The three photos above are from Port Townsend.  We visited their farmer's market, which was full of organic produce and breads and other cool things.  My friend made the delicious strawberry shortcake.  I liked it so much I made a nectarine version when we got home (will post that sometime later).  Then, the last pic is delicious grilled salmon we ate while we were there.  Obviously, I forgot to take a pic until it was mostly devoured.  The pic below is of a sunset we enjoyed on a beach in Port Townsend.

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Homemade Tartar Sauce (+ Salmon Sliders)

A few weeks after trying these Easy Salmon Patties for the first time, I made them again; this time, with homemade tartar sauce, and served inside a buttered & toasted Hawaiian roll, as a slider.  They were so good!!  I put my husband in charge of buttering & toasting the buns (as I was cooking the patties) and he used quite a bit of butter- lol- these were so good though!!  I really enjoyed the tartar sauce, too; I haven't made homemade tartar sauce in years, or maybe ever, but I'm going to change that.  

Homemade Tartar Sauce

adapted from Simple Recipes

Recipe easily cut in half

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped dill pickles
1 teaspoon capers, chopped
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons chopped shallots or mild onion
2 Tbsp chopped scallions
2 teaspoons lemon juice
6 drops Tabasco sauce or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

1.  Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or seal-able container; cover and chill until using.
(To make salmon sliders, prepare Easy Salmon Patties.  Take a 12-pack of Hawaiian rolls, cut in half, and spread with a bit of softened butter.  Grill the cut, buttered sides for a few minutes on a hot griddle; set on a plate.  At the table, top rolls with salmon patties and tartar sauce and enjoy.)

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Salmon Rolls (Like Lobster Rolls, but with Salmon.....)

Ever since getting that delicious Lobster Roll in Maine in 2012, I've been wanting to re-create it.  Well, even though I live on an island, this isn't the best place to get fresh lobster.  So, I went the easier route by just using salmon and making a Salmon Roll.  I roasted some wild salmon for this and we really, really enjoyed these.  Well, not all of my kids tried one, but whatever.  I found a great recipe for these from Food & Wine. (Some of us enjoyed adding potato chips to our sandwiches- very tasty!)  PS:  If you don't know what a Lobster Roll is... here is a Wiki article on it.  

Salmon Rolls

adapted from Food & Wine

1/2 cup plain, low-fat Greek yogurt (I used full-fat, personally)
2 inner celery ribs with leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped chives
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds roast salmon, flaked (4 loose cups)
8 hot dog buns or steak rolls
Melted butter, for brushing
Potato chips, for serving

1.  In a large bowl, combine the yogurt with the celery, chives, parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the cooked salmon.

2.  Heat a griddle. Brush the cut sides of the buns with butter and griddle until toasted. Fill the buns with the salmon salad, top with potato chips (or serve on the side) and serve.
*MAKE AHEAD The salmon salad can be refrigerated overnight.

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Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon

These scrambled eggs were delicious!!  We really, really loved them.  Well, it was just me, my husband, and my two-year old who enjoyed these, but they were very enjoyable to us!  I'll have to do this again sometime.

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon

adapted from Aggie's Kitchen

4 eggs
splash of milk
1 teaspoon oil or butter
half of small onion, chopped
2-4 oz smoked salmon, sliced
good pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
a couple of tablespoons freshly chopped chives

1.  In a small bowl, whisk eggs well. Add a splash of milk and whisk some more.

2.  Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add oil or butter to pan and melt. Add your chopped onions and cook for about 3-5 minutes, until soft.  Add whisked eggs to pan. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently stir the eggs until they start to firm up. Add your smoked salmon to the pan and continue to gently stir until eggs are completely cooked. Season well with salt and pepper. Sprinkle freshly chopped chives over eggs and serve.

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Baked Salmon with Dijon & Garlic

This salmon was easy and delicious- which is very important to me on some days.  I prepared the garlic/olive oil mixture in advance, so when dinnertime came, all I had to do was pour it over the salmon and bake.  My 7-year old especially liked this, and asked for seconds.  We liked this so much that I made it twice in two weeks.

Baked Salmon with Dijon & Garlic

adapted from Natasha's Kitchen

1.5 lbs salmon filets
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 large OR 3 small cloves of garlic, pressed
1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt, or to taste
⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
⅛ cup mild olive oil (that's 2 Tablespoons)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Lemon slices

1.  Preheat the oven to 450° F and line a rimmed baking dish with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.

2.  In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley, 2-3 cloves pressed garlic, 1.5 tsp Dijon, ½ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp pepper, ⅛ cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Mix well.  (Can do this ahead of time and store in the fridge.)

3.  Lay salmon onto your lined baking dish skin side down.  Generously brush all sides of your salmon with the sauce and top with fresh lemon slices.

4.  Bake at 450°F for 12-15 minutes or until just cooked through. Don’t over-cook or your fish will be dry.

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Easy Old Bay Salmon Cakes

These were very simple and yummy.  They are good for days I don't want to take the time to make these more involved salmon cakes.  (I love those ones, though, they're so good!)  I like how these ones use stuff I usually have on hand and they are just so fast to make!  They're also pretty inexpensive.  I want to make them again, play around with the flavors (add some mustard, lemon, etc) and make salmon cake sliders out of them, with toasted Hawaiian rolls!  I'm very excited about this. If they turn out, I'll post them too.  

Easy Old Bay Salmon Cakes 

adapted from Aggie's Kitchen

2 6oz cans wild salmon, drained (boneless, skinless)
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
2 eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
squirt of favorite mustard
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 small green/red/yellow/orange pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
olive oil, for frying

lemons, for serving

1.  In a large bowl, gently combine all ingredients until mixed well. Form into 6-8 small patties.

2.  Heat a non stick pan over medium heat. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil in pan and spread around. Gently place each patty into hot pan and cook on first side for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully flip, and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until second side is browned.

3.  Once cooked, set aside and sprinkle coarse salt over salmon cakes. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

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Smoked Salmon & Asparagus Pasta

For a different spin on a family favorite recipe a little while ago, I swapped out the Presunto for some smoked salmon.  I also swapped out the pecans/walnuts for pine nuts, and added some smoked paprika to carry on the smoky theme.  It was very good and enjoyed by most members of the fam, even my picky two-year old.  My seven year old loved it too, and loved the smoked salmon the best.  Of course, all the kids pick out the asparagus and gave it to the adults.

Want to use up the rest of your mascarpone cheese?  Try this Cheesy Baked Tortellini or Pumpkin Kiss Cookies.

Smoked Salmon & Asparagus Pasta

adapted from this recipe

1/2lb bowtie pasta (I used mini-bowties)
1/2 cup pasta water, reserved
2-3T unsalted butter
1 large fresh garlic clove, minced
1/2lb asparagus, cut into 1” pieces
1/3- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (half of a normal-sized tub)

6-8 ounces smoked salmon, coarsley chopped
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4-1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional; but does improve flavor- toast in small dry skillet for few min.)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, shredded

1) In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente (about 10 minutes). Drain, reserving 1/2c pasta water.

2) Saute garlic, for 1 minute, in melted butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus and sauté over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, until asparagus is crisp-tender. Do not overcook.

3) Reduce heat to medium and add pasta and mascarpone; toss until cheese melts and coats pasta; slowly add reserved pasta water, as needed, to moisten (I used just a few tablespoons).  Add smoked salmon and smoked paprika; cook on low just until heated through.

4) Remove from heat and add pine nuts. Toss with parmigiano reggiano cheese and fresh basil. Season with salt & pepper (you may not need any additional salt). Serve immediately.

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