So let’s get started! January brings the inevitable new year’s resolutions and new year’s hopes. This year, James and I are embarking on a very public health-spirited exercise! We were in the UK visiting James’s family over the holidays, where we learned that his sister and her husband were planning on doing a dry January. Considering that James and I had practically bathed in mulled wine, gin and tonics, and juicy IPAs during November and December, I heartily signed us both up as well (I think James may have tried to protest at this point??). However, I then upped the ante by musing that I’d always wanted to see what would happen if I cut out all added sugars too. I freaking love baking, and I never met anything with butter and sugar that I didn’t love. I’ve been known to eat cookies for breakfast, and practically daily ice creams in the summer. If I haven’t had sugar in awhile, I crave it, very distinctly, and often in the form of a Mars bar that makes your teeth ache. I was also jealous of the positive reports from people who had cut or reduced added sugar in their diets, and I wanted to similarly recalibrate and reset my taste buds. As I was explaining this, James’s sister’s eyes lit up, and James’s parents decided to join the conversation at exactly the wrong time. And so, it was settled. James’s whole family – his parents, his sister’s family, and us – would be doing a dry, no added sugar January.

We are 13 days in, and this experiment has been FASCINATING. I have become obsessed with labels and the multiple, insidious ways that sugar sneaks in and lurks in our foods. Sugar is truly everywhere. Besides the obvious culprits (flavored yogurt, pasta sauce, ketchup, granola), there is also added sugar in Italian sausage, panko breadcrumbs, soy sauce, and most brands of mayonnaise. Dried fruit can contain added sugar. There is dextrose in packaged turkey lunchmeat. There is honey in beef broth. It’s become a game, going to the supermarket and seeing which is the most outlandish thing we can find that has added sugar.

Which is why, I am happy to report, this recipe for delicious, buttery, garlicky swordfish has absolutely no added sugar! Swordfish is not something I’ve ever cooked before, and I’ve probably eaten it a total of 5 times in my entire life. So when James suggested it at the supermarket, I thought he was being very adventurous, and I was more than a little apprehensive (also because it’s quite an expensive experiment!). But I must say – after one bite of the swordfish cooked in this easy, no-fuss recipe, I have become an ardent fan. Swordfish is a dense, meaty fish with a mild, sweet flavor. It’s been referred to as the chicken of the sea, and is accordingly versatile.

This recipe is simple, super easy, and I think really highlights the sweetness of the fish (or is that just my sugar-starved taste buds talking?!). It’s a versatile recipe as well, and I imagine you can substitute other kinds of meaty fish such as tuna, mahi-mahi, or even salmon. If you’ve never cooked swordfish before, I really recommend trying it! Look for white fillets that may be tinged pink or orange. Avoid gray looking fish. Thicker steaks are much more resistant to overcooking, so try to buy fillets that are at least one inch thick. I think swordfish has become a great addition to our seafood repertoire – it’s easy, really delicious, light, and best of all, requires no added sugar for maximum flavor!

We served the swordfish with some leftover asparagus risotto and sauteed broccoli. You could also serve this with some pesto pasta, roast potatoes, or roasted vegetables, and have dinner on the table in 30 minutes to an hour!

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Pan-Roasted Swordfish with Garlic Peppercorn Butter

Source: Epicurious

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground peppercorns of your choice, plus more for sprinkling (I used a mix of black peppercorns and Szechuan peppercorns)
• 1/2 teaspoon (packed) grated lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 1-inch thick swordfish fillets (about 6 ounces each)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Mash butter, parsley, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon ground peppercorns, and lemon peel together in small bowl.
• Heat oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet (I used a cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Sprinkle swordfish with salt and ground peppercorns on both sides.
• Add swordfish to skillet. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip swordfish over and transfer to oven. Roast until just cooked through and fish flakes easily, about 10 minutes longer.
• Transfer swordfish to plates and add butter mixture to same skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping up browned bits, until mixture is melted and bubbling. Pour butter sauce over swordfish and serve.

The other day my friend Nick asked me if my blog was good for the “extreme-budget-conscious” (he’s a tiny bit prone to hyperbole). I exclaimed, “Yes! Of cou—” and then remembered that I had just spent $45 on one pound of canned crab meat (canned, no less), because I became obsessed with this recipe from the New York Times (not from Melissa Clark – shocker!). Coming from Boston to Chicago, one of the things I miss most are the summers filled with fresh, abundant seafood. Friends and I would drive to the beach on the weekends, always stopping along the way for fried clams, lobster rolls, and juicy, garlicky shrimp. There are no seafood shacks in Chicago, but I did find a nice (expensive) fishmonger at Dirk’s Fish, where I procured the aforementioned crab. Which immediately compelled James to joke that if the apocalypse arrived, we would be sitting pretty with our canned crab meat supply (not technically true – it says very specifically on the label that this canned fish is to be refrigerated at all times).

Anyway, I’m obsessed with this recipe because I love crab, and crab plays a prominent, unmistakable role in this dish. My (overpriced) tinned crab was fine, but I swoon to think how you could elevate this dish with fresh, sweet, just plucked-from-the-sea crab meat. If you live on the East Coast, get your hands on fresh crab meat. This dish doesn’t have a lot of ingredients or strong flavors, so quality ingredients is really key here. Besides that, though, this dish is just so darn easy. Cooking the pasta actually takes the longest time, and the sauce literally just involves chopping a bunch of herbs and warming up the crème fraîche. This recipe should be almost a Fuss Factor 0, it’s so breathlessly easy.

Fun Facts Time: Crème fraîche is French for “fresh cream.” Despite the name, however, it isn’t really fresh at all! Instead, it is a thick, soured cream traditionally produced by simply leaving fresh cow’s cream at room temperature. The naturally occurring bacterial cultures not only prevent it from spoiling, but also work to thicken and acidify the cream. Today, European regulations do not allow any ingredients in crème fraîche other than cream and bacterial culture. However, in the U.S. where all dairy is pasteurized (if not ultra-pasteurized), the cream is instead fermented with the addition of buttermilk or yogurt. Crème fraîche may be difficult to find, or can be expensive, but remarkably, it is shockingly easy to make your own! Just mix together heavy cream and buttermilk, let sit at room temperature for half a day, and WATCH SCIENCE HAPPEN! In a pinch, or if you don’t like science, you can substitute sour cream, although crème fraîche is thicker, less tangy, and has a higher fat content and richer flavor than sour cream. If substituting sour cream, take care to just warm the cream, and do not let it simmer, as sour cream can easily curdle over high heat.

Other Things to Note:

• I bumped up the flavors because I wanted to avoid just creamy crab pasta. I left all the pith and seeds of the serrano pepper in because I wanted more heat, and I increased all the herbs.
• Based on other reader comments, I also added a shower of fresh lemon juice at the end, which also helps to cut the creaminess and brighten up the dish.
• Feel free to vary the herbs according to your preferences or stockpiles. According to the New York Times, mint, dill, or chervil would all work well here.

So, Nick, no, this particular recipe is not for the extreme budget conscious. It’s probably for those who chase down (overpriced) fishmongers to have crab on a Wednesday, and who probably sip tea with their pinkies in the air.

We served this with some roasted asparagus. Total time to dinner, including sides: like, 30 minutes.

Servings	Fuss Factor	Total Time	Prep Time	Cook Time
4-6	1	25 minutes	5 minutes	20 minutes

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Spicy Crab Linguine with Mustard, Crème Fraîche and Herbs

Source: The New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 pound linguine
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound cooked crab meat, lump if possible
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
• 8 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
• 2 tablespoons tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon basil, roughly chopped
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

• Put a large pot of heavily salted water on to boil. Add the linguine, and cook until al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, warm the crème fraîche over medium heat in a wide skillet. Stir in serrano or jalapeño pepper, mustard, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper. Add crab meat, stir to coat, and heat through, about 2 minutes.
• Drain pasta and add to skillet with a few tablespoons (up to about 1/4 cup) of pasta water. Add the chives, scallions, tarragon, and basil. Toss gently to combine all the ingredients and coat pasta with the sauce. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the pasta and toss once more. Transfer to a warm serving dish and garnish with additional herbs, if desired.

Happy belated summer solstice! I love love love these long, balmy summer nights in Chicago where it stays light out forever, and you feel completely justified in going for a digestive walk after dinner only to end up at the ole’ ice cream shoppe. Every time September rolls around, I host an internal debate where I try to decide what I’m dreading the most – the cold, the snow, or the dark. The cold usually wins in the end, but it’s a pretty fair fight between the three.

Anyway. Even though it’s summer, I still love a good comfort pasta! Not to worry – this is not heavy hibernation food that knocks you out, but it isn’t altogether light and summery either. It’s an earthy, hearty pasta perfect for after you’ve had an excellent workout or for when you’re tired of salads. Reader comments on the recipe cite eastern European roots, probably due to the massive amount of cabbage it uses. I am a big cabbage fan (and so is Melissa Clark). I love plain cabbage sauteed with garlic, ginger, and salt and pepper. And did you know that cabbage is actually insanely healthy?? I felt incredibly vindicated after I learned that, because I had always felt slightly ashamed of my love of this humble vegetable, but no more! Bring on all of the cabbage stir-fries.

However, cabbage and pasta I had never considered before. Nevertheless, I am a true convert – this recipe has become a great staple in our weeknight dinners, and honestly, the first time I had it, I thought it was definitely something you could get out at a nice restaurant! The flavors are so unique – the savoriness of anchovies, sage, and pecorino, combined with the sweet and tender caramelized cabbage, and all laced with buttery breadcrumbs. It does take a bit of time to make, but I’m so invested in this recipe that I’m planning on experimenting with some time-saving and fuss-saving tips next time, and I’ll let you know. Also, if it helps, much of the time is spent waiting for the cabbage to cook, with absolutely minimal prep otherwise, so you can definitely use that time to prepare some dinner sides, clean up, leaf through People Magazine, feed the cat,… whatever.

Some Notes:

• Where there are ranges in the ingredient quantities, the lower quantity represents the original amount specified in the New York Times recipe. The higher quantity represents what I used. I upped the cabbage because I love cabbage – see above. Besides, the cabbage reduces down so much after cooking that you really have tons of flexibility in how much you use. I also dramatically increased the anchovy content because I had 10 fillets in my tin and what the heck. The additional anchovies definitely gave the final dish a distinct (but not overpowering) anchovy taste, but I liked it – anchovies are the bacon of the sea and all! If you don’t like the flavor of anchovies, stick with the 4 fillets, but do add them – they will add umami, depth, and flavor with no fishiness, I promise.
• I also added capers in the dish after reading the reader comments, since I love capers. They definitely added a salty, zingy bite though, so salt sparingly otherwise.
• About cutting the cabbage – I found it easiest to quarter the cabbage first, and just slice it thinly. Don’t worry if the strands are super long – they’ll cook and break down.
• After cooking this myself a few times, and after reading the reader comments, it really does seem like a whole host of factors can determine how quickly your cabbage caramelizes. Be patient – it took me about 40 minutes this time, from first addition of cabbage to final mixing of ingredients. Some readers have suggested cooking the cabbage over the stove for 10 minutes to release moisture, then roasting the cabbage in the oven at 350°F, checking on it and stirring every 15 minutes or so. I haven’t tried this, but it seems like it would be less fuss, so I’ll update if I do.
• You also have some flexibility in how deeply you caramelize the cabbage. I only cooked it until it was just starting to brown. In hindsight, looking at my pictures, I probably could have cooked it a bit longer. Still, it was sweet, tender, and flavorful. Feel free to taste and cook to your preference, although I would probably stop cooking it before it loses all structural integrity, so that it stays intact against the pasta.

We served this with some roasted asparagus one night, then with roasted brussels sprouts the next night. Total time to dinner, including sides: about 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes.

Servings	Fuss Factor	Total Time	Prep Time	Cook Time
5-6	3	1 hour	15 minutes	45 minutes

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Pasta With Caramelized Cabbage, Anchovies, and Bread Crumbs

Source: New York Times Cooking

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 8 - 14 cups shredded cabbage (About 2 - 3 pounds)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 - 10 anchovy fillets
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons capers (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 pound dry penne
• 2/3 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Place a large pot of heavily salted water on the stove to boil. If it boils before you're ready to cook the pasta, just turn the heat off and cover the pot. This will keep your water piping hot and ensure that it starts boiling almost immediately after you turn the heat back on.
• Heat the oil in a very large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add about half of the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chile flakes and cook for about 30 seconds more. Stir in the cabbage and the salt - it will feel like too much cabbage, but it will cook down, don't worry. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Uncover and turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook until the cabbage caramelizes. Stir occasionally at first, then more frequently once the cabbage starts caramelizing to prevent burning. Don't worry if cabbage pieces start sticking to the pan - just keep scraping the bottom of the pan and tossing the mixture around. Depending on a whole host of factors (how much cabbage you use, how wide your pot is, how much water was in the cabbage when you started), the caramelization process will take anywhere from 10 - 30 minutes after uncovering the pot. Be patient, and let color and taste be your guide. The cabbage should take on a light golden brown color, and be sweet and flavorful. It will be completely softened, and will have reduced dramatically in volume.
• While you're waiting for the cabbage, melt the butter in a separate small skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies and cook, mashing with a spatula, until they dissolve into the butter. Stir in the remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the bread crumbs, sage, and capers, if using, and cook until the mixture is brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Season with black pepper and set aside.
• When the cabbage is just starting to turn brown at the edges, add the pasta to the boiling pot of water and cook according to package instructions until barely al dente. Drain.
• Add the pasta and bread-crumb mixture into the cabbage mixture and combine, heating everything through. Remove the pan from heat, add in the cheese and toss to combine. Season with salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper, if desired.

James first made some garlicky, buttery shrimp about a few months ago, just to go with some leftovers we had, and my first thought was, why don’t we eat this all the time?? And why don’t we eat this on a huge mound of pasta, with some bright green spinach to welcome spring and brightness and sunshine and feeling like we’re on the coast of Spain even though we’re stuck in Chicago, where spring is still sort of playing hard to get in MAY, and all of my anticipatory summer clothes sit collecting dust in my closet…

Luckily, James and I are going to Bermuda next week, which is a good substitute for a Spanish coast I think (bring on the rompers!), and so in preparation, I brought out the bright spring shrimp scampi! I used a recipe from the New York Times (yes, Melissa Clark. I promise I don’t get all my recipes from Melissa Clark, but – come on – just look at her pics!) Shrimp scampi is so easy, but after reading the readers’ comments and doing some additional research, I added a fussier step of simmering the shrimp shells in wine for about 5 minutes for more flavor.

And – you guys – I couldn’t believe how easy shrimp stock was to make. I’ve never done it before, so I didn’t know exactly what I was doing, as you can see from the pictures and the note at the bottom. But basically, you just simmer the shells in wine for five minutes, and you’re left with a fragrant, rich, undeniably seafood-y wine. Not good for drinking, but great for seafood dishes!

Anyway, I also upped all the sauce ingredients because some people complained of not enough sauce, and nobody wants that. We served it with linguine (I bet it’s also amazing with crusty French bread), and I added some pasta water at the end to thicken and bind the sauce to the pasta even more.

We had this with that bright green spinach, sipping the leftover wine, and dreaming of sunny days and balmy nights. Bermuda can’t come soon enough!

Servings	Fuss Factor	Total Time	Prep Time	Cook Time
5-6	1	20-35 minutes	10-15 minutes	10-20 minutes

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Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

Source: The New York Times

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup dry white wine or broth
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds large or extra-large shrimp, preserving the shells if desired
• ⅓ cup chopped parsley, or more to taste
• Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ – ½ cup cooked pasta water (if serving with pasta)
• Accompaniments: Spaghetti or linguine, or crusty bread

Instructions

• Optional but recommended: Rinse the shrimp shells under cold running water. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. When oil is hot, add the shrimp SHELLS (not the shrimp!) and toss for 30 seconds in the hot oil. Add the wine or broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. After five minutes, strain the wine or broth for use. I had about 7/8 of the cup of liquid left after simmering.
• In a large skillet with a lid, melt the butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine or broth, salt, red pepper flakes, and lots of black pepper and bring to a simmer. Let wine or broth reduce by half, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the shrimp into the liquid and spread them out in an even layer, then cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp just turn pink and have curled up into a loose "C" shape ("C" stands for "cooked," "O" stands for "overcooked"), 2 to 4 minutes depending upon their size. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Toss with pasta or serve with crusty bread.
• A slightly fussier step for serving with pasta: Try the following and you'll have silkier, thicker sauce.

  First, DON'T add the parsley and lemon juice yet - cooked lemon juice can get a bit weird.

  About a minute before both the shrimp and the pasta are done, ladle the pasta water into the sauce. Add the pasta and toss, continuing to cook everything over medium-low heat, about 1-2 minutes, until everything is combined and the sauce has thickened. Add parsley and lemon juice and toss to combine.

Notes:

I clearly didn’t need to simmer all my shrimp shells! Ha! You only need about a cup or so. Freeze the rest for later use or discard.

If making the shrimp wine / stock – to skim or not to skim? That is the eternal question. I did not skim, and did not notice any off flavors.

If you’ve added some pasta water, tossed everything over the heat, and your sauce still looks watery, you might not have simmered off enough wine, or you may have more dilute pasta water (I tend to cook my pasta in as small a pot and as little water as possible). I would suggest you stop cooking, as if you keep going, you’ll overcook the shrimp and that would be sad. Sauce with starch in it also tends to thicken a bit more as it cools, so try to let it rest for a few minutes and it should get thicker.

I cooked one pound of linguine for the above quantity of scampi, and think it was a bit too much. In the future I would probably serve this with about 3/4 of a pound of dried pasta. I also should have added more parsley!

“A minute before the shrimp and the pasta are done”??! How on earth am I supposed to make this happen at the same time?? Yes, I know. The best food is often slightly annoying to make, but that doesn’t mean we should strive for mediocrity! You’ll see in my pictures that my shrimp are a bit overcooked – oops. I try to buy large or jumbo sized shrimp – they usually have a bit more wiggle room when you overcook them. But ultimately, if you want to serve shrimp scampi with pasta, the best way to get all that delicious liquid to adhere to the pasta (and why would you waste even a drop of that magical, buttery, garlicky goodness?) is to toss the hot pasta with the hot sauce immediately, so you’ll have to do some brain calculations to try to finish cooking both at the same time. But in the end – just do the best you can – it will be okay if one or the other is a tad bit overcooked, and nobody is judging you on a weeknight. I would recommend you err on the side of finishing the pasta first – you can drain it, keep it on the side, reserve some pasta water, and wait for the shrimp to be juuuuust about done, then toss everything together. It will be great!

Or, you can just serve the scampi with crusty bread.

Made this? Have some feedback? Let me know! Leave a comment below, or tag #trialbyfryer on Instagram!

Can I tell you a secret? I am shocked by how many variations of pan-seared or baked salmon there are out there – salmon is so easy to cook. Who are these people who are like, let’s make it harder by adding a mustard white wine sauce, a honey glaze, a pecan maple crust? I kid, somewhat – I know these enhancements are likely delicious, but when I think salmon, I think dinner-on-the-table-in-20 minutes. James and I eat bare, unadorned seared salmon, seasoned with only salt and pepper, sometimes with a splash of lemon, probably twice a month or so. We don’t even buy any special salmon – just whatever is in the seafood counter at our local supermarket, and after sizzling in some olive oil, it is absolutely delicious.

As a side note, I know some people get nervous about cooking fish, but I find searing salmon much more relaxing than steak (one minute too long = tough!! unchewable! Ahh!!) or chicken (too little fat = more likely to stick and burn). I buy regular farm-raised salmon, and – environmental and ethical quandaries of aquaculture aside (ugh, why can’t we have nice things…) – it is really quite a forgiving fish due to its high fat content. Even if you overcook it a bit, it still has good flavor and won’t get tough and chewy like steak tends to. If you remain unconvinced, however, here is more information than I can ever provide on searing salmon. One important tip is to get salmon with the skin on – it will insulate the fish while it’s cooking so the meat doesn’t get tough, and is also just delicious (like the texture of crispy chicken skin) when seared properly. Yum!

In the same vein, I’d also like to extol the virtues of storebought pesto. No, it will not be better than the homemade variety with fresh basil. But it also doesn’t take 20 minutes and / or a food processor to make, and it will still be delicious for a weeknight dinner! Especially if you splurge out and can buy fresh pasta – you won’t even notice you’re using store pesto. I always have dried pasta in my pantry, and whenever I’m looking for an easy carb side, I pick up some pesto. I try to look for one that has basil as the primary ingredient, as opposed to canola or sunflower oil. You can also always punch up the flavor by adding some chopped fresh basil.

And, because no dinner is complete without vegetables (one of my dinner MUSTS. I NEED vegetables), nothing beats simple sautéed kale. This time, James tossed in some GINGER in addition to the garlic we normally use. Not lying – I was doubtful, and afraid that the ginger would overpower the kale. However, the sweetness of the kale played off the ginger beautifully, and the ginger really elevated the dish from boring kale to absolutely transcendent, transformed kale! I have a feeling I’m going to do a post dedicated to ginger and all the things we’ve been adding it to…

So there you have it. Easy salmon + easy pasta + easy vegetable = filling, nutritious, healthy dinner. Why make life harder than it has to be?

Servings	Fuss Factor	Total Time	Prep Time	Cook Time
However many you want!	1	30 minutes	15 minutes	10-15 minutes

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Pan-Seared Salmon with Pesto Pasta and Gingery Sautéed Kale

Ingredients

For the Salmon

• Salmon fillets with skin that are about 6-8 ounces each (however many servings you want, just make sure they are all about the same size)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil

For easy storebought pesto pasta

• Pasta, either dried or fresh
• Storebought pesto

For gingery sautéed kale

• 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped ginger
• 1 bunch kale
• Salt and black pepper
• Olive or canola oil

Instructions

• Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Salt water liberally - at least a tablespoon or more of salt.

  For dried pasta: most dried varieties cook in about 10-13 minutes, so I recommend you wait for the water to boil and put the pasta in to cook just before you start cooking the salmon. Make sure you give the pasta a stir every once in a while, though, especially at the beginning of cooking, so that it doesn’t all stick together.

  For fresh pasta: this cooks much quicker, so if using fresh pasta, I actually recommend you finish cooking the salmon and the kale before cooking the pasta. The salmon will be fine resting a bit, and the kale will still stay warm through the quick pasta cooking time.
• Food Prep. Prep the kale, washing the leaves and discarding the tough, hardy stems. Tear leaves with your fingers into large pieces about the size of your palm, or roughly chop with a knife. Cut salmon into equally-sized fillets of about 6-8 ounces each, if necessary. Pat salmon fillets dry with a paper towel – dry salmon sears better than wet salmon, and is also less prone to sticking to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper on the side without skin.
• When pasta water has boiled, add pasta. Continue to boil the pasta, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick.
• Cook the salmon. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, put in the salmon fillets, skin side down. Try not to crowd them to get a good sear. Cook for 6-7 minutes. Don’t move the salmon once you’ve put it down! Pushing it about risks tearing the flesh and interfering with that nice sear you want. The salmon will be ready to flip once the flesh on the side turns from a fleshy pink to a lighter, opaque white about ¾ of the way up the sides of the thickest part of the fillet.
• Cook the kale. While the salmon is cooking, cook the kale. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive or canola oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan or wok. When oil is hot, add garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add kale and about a quarter cup of water, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally. Add more water if you notice the bottom of the pan looking dry. The kale is done in about five minutes, when it turns a deep, vivid green and is tender to the bite. Remove from heat while you get everything else ready, but don't cover the pan - the steam will overcook the kale and make it soggy and sad.
• Back to the salmon. When the salmon is ready, flip salmon and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Salmon is done when it flakes easily. You can test for this by pressing down gently in the middle of a fillet (turn it back around first so that you’re poking the flesh and not the skin!) or by prodding it with a fork or paring knife to see if it flakes. You can also test the temperature in the thickest part of the fillet with a meat thermometer - it should read 120°F (49°C) for medium-rare, or 130°F (54°C) for medium. James and I tend to prefer salmon cooked to medium-rare or medium – that is, it’s still a bit translucent pink in the middle, like the appearance of medium rare steak. This is totally okay and I encourage you to try it – the resulting salmon is utterly tender and melt in your mouth. However, if you prefer your fish more well done, cook it for a bit longer to desired doneness. 
• Drain pasta and toss immediately with lots of pesto sauce.
• Serve each salmon fillet with a dollop of pasta and a dollop of kale and revel in all your free time!

Notes:

Please don’t be intimidated by the number of steps! There are a lot of tips and recommendations written in the recipe that aren’t really action items.

That being said, there is a potential panic moment where you may still be stirring the kale, but the timer has gone off to flip the salmon! Panic! Don’t worry. Kale is a hardy enough vegetable that it doesn’t overcook easily. Even overcooked kale still retains a bit of chewiness and structure, and doesn’t become mushy like, say, spinach. So – breathe – cover your kale, go and flip the salmon, and when you’re done, uncover the kale and give it a toss to mix together any overcooked bits with undercooked bits, and it’ll be perfect.

Room temperature salmon fillets will cook more evenly and sear better (crispier, crunchier skin) than cold fillets. I’ve cooked salmon fillets straight from the fridge with little problem (I am lazy and don’t always remember), but if you have the foresight, take the fillets out of the fridge about 15-20 minutes before cooking to let them come to room temperature.

Jackie, why does your kale pot look so small in the pictures? This is a classic case of “do as I say, not as I do.” I hate washing big pots, but desire LOTS of vegetables. I reconcile these two not reconcilable statements by stuffing too many vegetables in too small a pot. This risks resulting in many bad things: burning the vegetables or aromatics on the bottom because you’re unable to stir properly, overcooking the vegetables on the bottom, undercooking the vegetables on the top, spilling the vegetables everywhere when you try to stir. If you’re feeling lazy, brave, and foolish, try it! Even if any and all of the above happens, you’ve still got a pan of vegetables, and vegetables are delicious. If, however, you’ll do as I say and not as I do, try to find a pot that will be only about ¾ full once you add all the vegetables. This will allow for more air circulation so that vegetables will cook more evenly, and will also allow you to stir the vegetables more easily, which also results in more evenly cooked vegetables. In the end, life is choices, and so you do you.

You could also serve the salmon with any variety of easy carb or vegetable – basmati rice, boiled potatoes, baked potatoes (will take about an hour to cook but are totally hands off after they go in the oven), roasted vegetables, steamed vegetables, sautéed vegetables… endless variations on a very simple, very delicious theme!

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