Salmon in Sorrel Sauce

WINNER: Your best salmon.

★★★★★

Difficulty: Easy

Salmon in Sorrel Sauce recipe on Food52 

Review:  I really enjoyed this salmon preparation.  It is very different than the herb or citrus styles I tend to make. The cream makes it a little heavy and I caught myself taking bread and scooping the last of the sauce from the pan.

I liked how the recipe really laid out a game plan.  Sometimes I don't feel like thinking when I cook and this recipe took all of the guess work out. Prep work includes chopping a few herbs and slicing the salmon and that is it.  I liked how when you sliced the salmon it cooked much quicker and more even in my opinion.  I warmed my plates in hot water as the recipe suggested.

Tips:  I splurged and bought the wild king salmon.  Wow, I could really tell the difference.  The wild sockeye that I've purchased is dryer and easier to overcook.  If I was making this for company I would purchase the wild king again.  However, when I make it again for just us, I'll probably buy the farm raised.

What I learned: I did not know what Sorrel was.  It was in the plastic herb cases in the produce section.  It looks like basil but the leaves are even bigger.  If you can't find it I think baby spinach would work.  Per Wikipedia, "The leaves may be puréed in soups and sauces or added to salads; they have a flavour that is similar to kiwifruit or sour wild strawberries. The plant's sharp taste is due to oxalic acid, which is a poison. In small quantities sorrel is harmless; in large quantities it can be fatal." (good to know)

I also did not know what chervil was and couldn't find it at Whole Foods.  I used some parsley that I had instead.  Wikipedia lists this info; "chervil is a delicate annual herb related to parsley. It is commonly used to season mild-flavoured dishes and is a constituent of the French herb mixture fines herbes.  Sometimes referred to as "gourmet's parsley", chervil is used to season poultry, seafood, and young vegetables. It is particularly popular in France, where it is added to omelettes, salads, and soups. More delicate than parsley, it has a faint taste of liquorice or aniseed.^[2]

Final Thought:  As evident by the 5 star rating, I will add this to my salmon rotation.  This is a great dish for company and comes together very quickly and easily.

Risotto Rosso

WINNER: Your best risotto (savory).

 

★★★★☆

Difficulty: Easy

Risotto Rosso recipe on Food52

Review:  As far as Risottos go, I thought this one had a lot of flavor with minimal prep work.  After dicing the mushrooms, shallots and panchetta you are good to go.  Speaking of dicing the panchetta I found this nearly impossible.  Whole Foods only had sliced panchetta, but I'm pretty sure I have purchased it pre-diced from Harris Teeter (near the deli section).

Like any risotto, I warmed the broth up in a sauce pan and slowly added a 1/2 cup at a time until the rice absorbed the liquid.  Overall this took around 40 minutes so be sure to have some jams on in the background and a glass of wine within arms reach. I am eager to try using carnaroli rice next as the recipe calls for, but I could not find it.

Tips:  Make sure to purchase a fruity red wine like the recipe states.  Mine was a little dry.

What I learned:  Risotto is hard to photograph.

Final thought:  The fact that I ate all of the leftovers the next day at lunch tells me this was a darn good Risotto.

French Onion Soup

WINNER: Your best onion or garlic soup.

★★★☆☆

Difficulty: Easy (besides slicing the onions)

French Onion Soup recipe on Food52

Review:  This was a winter chapter flashback.  I saved this recipe for when my brother was visiting, since it is one of his favorites.  After adding a handful of salt he thought it was good :-).  KK did all of the onion cutting which is one of my least favorite things to do in the kitchen.  Overall this soup had ok flavor.  I used red wine instead of stout beer. 

I thought it was interesting this contest was for your best onion or garlic soup.  Has anyone ever had garlic soup?  Sounds like something you should eat when you are dining alone.

Tips:  We used gruyere and Parmesan for the topping.

What I learned:  Gruyere is an underrated cheese.

Final Thought:  I would make this once a season.

Goat Cheese Caesar Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Parmesan Crip

WINNER: Your best Caesar Salad.

★★★★☆

Difficulty: Easy

Goat Cheese Caesar Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Parmesan Crisp recipe on Food52

Review:  My brother and his GF were visiting so I decided to make one of his favorites, but with a Food52 twist.  This salad has a few different parts but all of them can be assembled before hand.  The different tasks include cleaning the lettuce, adding flavor to the goat cheese, roasting tomatoes, making Parmesan crisps and of course making the Caesar dressing.  It sounds like a lot and it was.  It was nice to have some help in the kitchen (RR and KK).  Since these steps are independent of each other and simple, it is a fun recipe to make with a friend. 

The dressing had a tangy bite to it and the herbed goat cheese was a nice surprise.  The crunchy Parmesan crisps added some salty flavor while the tomatoes added some sweetness.  All in all this dish had great flavor!

Tips: Don't be shy when making your Parmesan crisps.  The more Parmesan in the pile the better.

What I learned:  Parmesan crisps are so easy to make, and could bring excitement to other dishes.

Final thought:  This salad has a great presentation for company and can be made ahead of time.

Pasta with Prosciutto, Snap Peas, Mint and Cream

WINNER: Your best recipe for spring peas.

 

★★★★☆

 Difficulty: Easy

Pasta with Prosciutto Snap Peas Mint and Cream recipe on Food52

Review:  We enjoyed this pasta dish.  After roughly chopping garlic, mint, peas and prosciutto, you add the ingredients to a saucepan. Good one pot meals are hard to find, so this was a winner in my book. I couldn't find fresh snap peas (I think it is a little too early for them), so I purchased English peas instead. 

Tip:  Next time if the store doesn't have snap peas I will just buy frozen.  Shelling takes too long with not that much of an added benefit.

What I learned:  Snap peas can be eaten with the shell on but English peas need to be shelled.

Final Thought:  This dish is pretty heavy so I don't see myself making it too often.  It will be perfect when we are in the mood for some rich comfort springtime food.