{"id":174,"date":"2018-05-15T02:10:45","date_gmt":"2018-05-15T02:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trialbyfryer.com\/?p=174"},"modified":"2018-07-03T23:03:16","modified_gmt":"2018-07-03T23:03:16","slug":"pan-seared-salmon-with-pesto-pasta-and-gingery-sauteed-kale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trialbyfryer.com\/2018\/05\/pan-seared-salmon-with-pesto-pasta-and-gingery-sauteed-kale\/","title":{"rendered":"Pan-Seared Salmon with Pesto Pasta and Gingery Saut\u00e9ed Kale"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Can I tell you a secret? I am shocked by how many variations of pan-seared or baked salmon there are out there \u2013 salmon is so<\/em> easy<\/em> to cook. Who are these people who are like, let\u2019s make it harder by adding a mustard white wine sauce, a honey glaze, a pecan maple crust? I kid, somewhat \u2013 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\u2019t even buy any special salmon \u2013 just whatever is in the seafood counter at our local supermarket, and after sizzling in some olive oil, it is absolutely delicious.<\/p>\n 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 \u2013 environmental and ethical quandaries of aquaculture<\/a> aside (ugh, why can\u2019t we have nice things\u2026) \u2013 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\u2019t 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<\/a>. 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!<\/p>\n In the same vein, I\u2019d 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\u2019t 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 \u2013 you won\u2019t even notice you’re using store pesto. I always have dried pasta in my pantry, and whenever I\u2019m 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.<\/p>\n And, because no dinner is complete without vegetables (one of my dinner MUSTS. I NEED vegetables), nothing beats simple saut\u00e9ed kale. This time, James tossed in some GINGER<\/em> in addition to the garlic we normally use. Not lying \u2013 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\u2019m going to do a post dedicated to ginger and all the things we\u2019ve been adding it to\u2026<\/p>\n <\/a>
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