Bacon wrapped salmon, pineapple habanero sauce, and seasonal stir fry- summer flavours

The heat of summer brings bold flavours, lighter menus, and the use of all the fresh, seasonal ingredients available in Ontario right now.

Asparagus is in season right now, so I try to use it as much as possible. I also managed to get my hands on some Canadian limes recently (thank you, global warming!), so I’ve been using them in almost everything these days too. The result was a gorgeous stir fry, with some new and interesting ingredients. Of course, all the well-loved stir fry ingredients, onion, carrots, and peppers, are all in season right now as well, so now is a great time to make great, locally-grown stir fry!

I also happened to have a pineapple (Costa Rican- not everything can be sourced from here, lol!), and some habanero peppers, and those two flavours happen to work very well together. I decided to make a spicy-sweet sauce, to compliment my stir fry and bacon-wrapped salmon.

If you are watching your fat intake, or just don’t eat bacon, this recipe can be done in exactly the same way, and the bacon simply omitted. As long as you’re organized before you begin cooking, all these individual elements will come together at exactly the same time for a perfectly cooked, delicious summer meal.

The Process- getting all the elements of the meal together with no stress

I start by blanching my asparagus. Simply bring a pot of water to a boil, toss in the asparagus spears (remember to snap off the woody ends before throwing into the pot!), and blanch for 30 seconds. Immediately remove the spears from the hot water, and put into an ice bath. This will allow the asparagus to stop cooking, and stay crispy and bright green until ready to use.

Have all your veggies cut and ready to go for the stir fry- it will make it much easier for you when it’s time to get going on that. Once you’ve gotten all the components of the meal prepped- including everything you need for the pineapple sauce, you can begin cooking.

The nice thing about the salmon is that it’s relatively fool-proof. Wrap the slices of bacon gently around the fish, and place in a preheated 400 F oven for 20 minutes. The fish will remain moist because the bacon protects it from the heat, and the flavours mingle together beautifully during the cooking process. While the fish is cooking, you have more than enough time to get everything else together.

I recommend starting the rice at this point, it should be done in just enough time for the meal to be ready. Right away, get started on the pineapple sauce. Once the sauce is at the simmer stage, and with 10 minutes left for the fish, start the stir fry. Stir fry cooks fast, but requires constant attention, so keep tossing it together until it’s complete.

For plating, start with a scoop of rice, followed by a pile of stir fry (leave the asparagus spears for the end, it adds an elegant effect on the plate- see photo!), a piece of fish, a drizzle of sauce, and two or three asparagus spears.

Pineapple Habanero Sauce

You will need:

2 cups finely chopped pineapple

½ white onion, finely diced

3 habanero peppers, finely diced

½ cup water

1 lime, juiced

2 tbsp honey

½ tbsp salt

Method:

1. Place a small amount of oil into a medium-sized pan, and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Sweat onion, pineapple and  habaneros with salt. Allow for the pineapple to cook down, the juices to escape, and the onions to almost dissolve.
3. Add water.  Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to low, and continue to allow to cook down.
5. Using a hand blender, blitz the pineapple mixture.
6. Continue to simmer, and add the honey and lime juice.
7. Cook until sauce resembles a thick, jammy consistency.

 

Bacon-wrapped salmon

You will need:

2 salmon portions, or 1 per person

2 pieces of bacon, or one strip per piece of fish

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Season fish with salt and pepper.
2. Wrap gently in bacon.
3. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in 400F oven, for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and rest for a few minutes before serving.

 

 

Stir Fry

You will need:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

½ onion, finely sliced

1 carrot, finely julienned or sliced thinly

1 red pepper, finely julienned

1 stalk of celery, finely julienned or sliced thinly

1 lime

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

4-6 asparagus spears, blanched

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil

Method:

1. Heat a large pan or wok on high heat. Add vegetable oil.
2. Add onion, carrot, celery, red pepper, garlic, and ginger. Continuously toss everything in the wok, making sure everything gets evenly cooked. Allow to cook down until the veg is soft and fragrant.
3. Slice lime in half, squeeze the juice into the stir fry, and then throw the lime halves in as well to add additional flavour (do not plate with limes, they are just for flavouring while cooking)
4. Add soy sauce, continue to toss.
5. Add blanched asparagus spears. Toss until evenly coated and warmed through, about 2 minutes.
6.  Remove from heat, and finish with the sesame oil.

Strip loin steaks and hedgehog mushrooms- the perfect combination

I bought some beautiful strip loin steaks the other day, and later found some hedgehog mushrooms. These two ingredients were the inspiration for this easy, warm-weather meal.

If you haven’t tried hedgehog mushrooms, give them a try. They have short seasons and are usually only available in spring or fall. They’re similar to chantrelles both in colour and flavour. They’re a visually appealing mushroom, so minimal effort is needed to prep them- let the mushrooms be the star of the show! Like all mushrooms, they must be well cleaned and dried before cooking, so make sure to get all the dirt out of their crevices before you begin.

To showcase my beautiful hedgehog mushrooms, I prepared them two ways- a mushroom cream sauce to compliment my gorgeous steaks, and tossed with thinly sliced red peppers and cherry tomatoes for an earthy, simple side.

Because strip loin is already tender and flavourful on its own, it needs very little work done to it to make it perfect. I pan-seared my steaks, but they also work very well on a BBQ. In either case, all you need to do to get these steaks ready is brush them lightly with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Make sure your grill or pan is really hot and clean before you begin searing. Sear for about a minute on each side, just until a nice crust has developed on the surface of the steak. If grilling, flip once or twice and leave the steaks on the grill until the desired doneness is reached. For cross hatching marks, rotate the steaks 90 degrees on both sides, so that the grill marks create a cross hatched impression. My basic rule of thumb for testing the meat is to check its firmness. An easy way to do this is to use the palm test- make a light fist with almost no pressure, and use your other hand to press on the palm of your fisted hand. That feeling is the equivalent to a rare piece of meat. A tighter fist produces the feeling of a medium piece of meat, and the tightest fist you can make is the equivalent to a well done steak.

I prefer my steaks to be very rare, so I only sear the outside and then allow them to rest, producing a bright red interior. However, if pan-searing and seeking a more well-done steak, pop the seared steaks into a 350F oven for a few minutes to continue cooking. Just remember, steaks need a good 15 minutes at least to rest, and in that time they do continue cooking. Remove the steaks before you think they’re done, so they will be perfect by the time you eat them.

Because I used a pan to sear my steak, I deglazed that same pan with a bit of white wine and some chicken stock, and allowed the liquids to reduce until the pan was nearly dry again. This is the pan I used to make my mushroom cream sauce. Of course, if you are grilling your steaks, you can make this sauce using a clean pan, and just begin at this next step. Start by melting a bit of butter over medium heat, and sautéing ¼ onion that has been finely diced. Add the mushrooms, along with a pinch of salt, and allow the onions and mushrooms to cook down for a few minutes. If you missed the deglazing step, now would be a great time to throw in about a tablespoon worth of white wine, and just allow the alcohol to cook out and all the flavours to combine for a few minutes. Add the cream, and lower the heat, allowing the whole thing to reduce to the desired consistency. The end result is a creamy, chunky, rustic mushroom sauce that will complement your dinner perfectly.

The other mushroom side doesn’t take long at all, so do it right at the end. In a clean pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms, finely sliced red peppers, and cherry tomatoes, along with a bit of thyme and some salt and pepper. Sautee just until everything has cooked down lightly, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Steak and mash are natural partners, and I happened to have three big potatoes that needed to be used. A good trick for perfect, fluffy mashed potatoes is to mash them without any butter or cream being added, and then whisk the butter and cream into the mash for a smooth finish. A finely minced garlic clove will punch up the flavour to create garlic mash, although this is completely optional.

Once all the elements of the meal are ready, plating is simple. Start with a scoop of mash, followed by a generous helping of veg, and place the steak lightly on top of both, to showcase it as the star of the show. Because the mushrooms were also my stars, they are spooned carefully over the meat, but if a bit of the sauce falls onto the mash and veg, all the better!

Strip loin steaks

You will need

2-4 good quality strip loin steaks

¼ cup vegetable oil (for brushing)

Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat a pan or grill until it is very hot.
2. Brush the steaks with a small amount of oil, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper
3. Sear steaks for one or two minutes on each side, and then continue to cook until desired doneness is reached.
4. Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving

 

Hedgehog mushroom cream sauce

You will need:

1 tbsp butter

2 cups hedgehog mushrooms (or chantrelles), chopped lightly

¼ onion, finely diced

2 tbsp white wine

1 tbsp chicken stock

¼ cup 35% cream

1 stalk of thyme, leaves removed

Method:

1. In a medium-sized pan over medium heat, melt ½ tbsp butter and cook onion until translucent.
2. Add  white wine and chicken stock, allowing to reduce until very little liquid remains in the pan.
3. Add the mushrooms and thyme, and cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms have cooked down slightly.
4. Add the cream, and reduce heat to low.
5. Add the rest of the butter, and continue reducing until desired consistency is reached.
6. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Hedgehog mushrooms, sautéed with red pepper and cherry tomatoes

You will need:

1 cup hedgehog mushrooms

½ red pepper, sliced thinly

8 cherry tomatoes

1 stalk of thyme, leaves removed

1 tbsp butter

Method:

1. In a small pan over medium heat, melt butter.
2. Place mushrooms, thyme, red pepper and tomatoes into the pan with a pinch of salt, and sautee lightly for about 5-10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Rainbow trout with shell pasta, veg, and white wine butter sauce

Rainbow trout (also known as Steelhead trout) is a beautiful, tasty North American fish related to salmon. It is found in fresh water lakes and rivers, as well as in the Pacific Ocean. Unlike its farmed counterparts, wild-caught rainbow trout has a pinky-orange colour (more orange than the pink farmed stuff) and a nutty flavour that works well with a variety of accompanying flavours. It is low calorie and rich in protein, as well as omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA.

DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids are thought to prevent heart disease, and also play a key role in memory and cognitive function. This means rainbow trout is an excellent option for pregnant women, and adults wishing to reduce their risk for Alzheimer’s disease. In other words, it is excellent brain food.

Because rainbow trout is related to salmon, it can be cooked in much the same way. In this recipe, I chose to steam my fish with the accompanying pasta and veg, in order to lock in as much of the beautiful flavours as possible.

When I’m cooking at home, I tend to utilize whatever I have on hand at the time. I had a bunch of produce that needed to be used up, and a small bit of shell pasta left that was the perfect amount to use as a side to my trout. If you have any vegetables in the fridge that are going to go bad soon, this is the perfect way to use them up.

It doesn’t really matter which vegetables you add to your dish, but the more colour and variety you can incorporate, the better! I used a green pepper, one and a half red peppers, some broccoli, and some cherry tomatoes for a bit of pop. The goal with veggies like peppers is to slice them as thinly as you can, and also keep them all about the same size so they cook at the same rate. This entire meal doesn’t take very long to cook, so if the slices are too thick they will not cook properly. With vegetables such as broccoli, just try to cut them down to about the same size as the pasta, to keep everything bite-friendly and uniform. I threw the cherry tomatoes in as-is, so they would blister a bit in the cooking process and pop in the mouth when eaten.

For ease in cooking, make sure to have all the veg prepped and ready to go before you begin. Start by boiling the pasta to just al-dente (remember it will be introduced to more liquid and cooking later, so if it is fully cooked to begin with it will definitely become mushy by the time it is done). Once the pasta is cooked, heat a pan with a good amount of butter, and sautee the veg and pasta together for a minute. Place the fish filets flesh-side down (skin-side up) on top of the pasta and veg, and pour a generous amount of wine (about 3/4 cup or so if cooking for 2-4) into the bottom of the pan. Quickly cover the pan, in order to allow the fish to cook and absorb the flavours of the wine and veg. The fish will cook quickly, so check on it after a few minutes. Once it has firmed up, remove it from the pan and place onto a baking sheet while the pasta and veg finish. The skin should slip easily off the fish once removed from the pan, the only tricky part is making sure the fish doesn’t fall apart when it is being taken out of the pan. Make sure the wine is properly cooked out before serving the pasta, as the taste of uncooked wine is really unappealing.  Before transferring the pasta to the plates, grate some parmigiano and asiago cheeses into the mix, and finish with a bit more butter if necessary. This is all the pasta and veg will be dressed with, so be a little bit generous with these ingredients.

To finish my plate, I like to drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil over the pasta and the fish. Soft herbs like basil, parsley or sage work nicely as garnish and additional flavouring.

I also garnished my fish with a savoury granola, which adds a great crunch and a bit more flavour. This granola mixture is easy to make, stores well, and can be used on top of salads as an alternative to nuts, amongst other things. I like to make a batch and just keep it on hand, to use as needed. To make the granola, mince garlic finely (1 to 2 cloves is plenty) and mix with oats, salt, some honey for sweetness, and a bit of canola oil. Lay it on a baking sheet lined with parchment, and bake in a 350F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Remember to keep an eye on the granola so it doesn’t burn. Once it has turned a golden brown colour, remove from the oven and allow to cool before using. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.

Rainbow trout with Shell pasta and vegetables

You will need:

2 filets of rainbow trout

1 ½ cups shell pasta, cooked  al-dente

1 green pepper, finely sliced

1 red pepper, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 shallot, finely sliced

1 head of broccoli, chopped into small pieces

8 cherry tomatoes

½ cup white wine

3 tbsp butter

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup grated parmigian and asiago cheese

To garnish:

12 leaves of basil, sliced

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Savoury granola mixture (see below)

Method:

1. In a pan over medium-high heat, heat the butter and cook the shallots and garlic for about 30 seconds until translucent. Add the peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, and pasta, and toss together.
2. Place the fish skin-side up on top of the pasta and veg. Immediately pour the wine into the pan (trying to get it to the bottom and avoiding pouring over the fish), and cover the pan.
3. Cook fish for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet when done, and remove the skin before serving.
4. Continue to cook pasta and veggies for a few more minutes, sautéing well and making sure all the alcohol is cooked out of the wine.
5. Finish with a small amount of butter, and season with salt and pepper. Grate cheese over pasta mixture, and mix well to make sure it’s evenly coated.
6. Place pasta and veggie mixture onto plates, and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and top with herbs.
7. Place the fish over top of the pasta, and finish with a small amount of the granola mixture, and some more shaved parm if desired.
8. Serve immediately.

Savoury Granola

You will need:

1 ½  cup oats

½ cup canola oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp honey

½ tbsp salt

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Toss together to ensure all the oats are evenly coated.
2. Lay out evenly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.
4. Allow to cool, and store in an airtight container.