Weekend Meal: Soy Glazed Salmon

In the new year, the Galley Kitchen vowed to do one fish dish a month. So far so good! This weekend, we broiled some salmon in a simple soy sauce marinade that gave the meal an Asian flair. We adapted this recipe from Sunset Magazine to better fit what was in the pantry and to suit our tastes.


Unlike other fish recipes, this one specifically calls for a filet with skin. The soy sauce and sesame seed mixture blends well with the stronger salmon taste. The skin acts as a welcome vehicle for the sesame seeds and adds a flaky texture.


A note: if using frozen fish, be sure to defrost it at least 6 hours before broiling


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

• 1 cup soy sauce 
• 1/2 cup honey 
• 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic (about 2 cloves, or 1 big clove)
• 4 pieces (about 6 oz. each) salmon fillet, with skin (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a medium pot, mix soy sauce, honey, and garlic. Stir constantly until it is reduced by 1/3
3. Reserve  3 tablespoons glaze into a small bowl and set aside. 
4. Line broiler pan with foil and pour remainder of the soy sauce mix. Set salmon pieces in dish, skin side up and let stand 15 minutes. Turn salmon pieces over and bake for 15-20 minutes, until it is opaque at the edges, but still translucent in the center.
5. Increase oven to broil. Evenly spread half the reserved glaze on the salmon and sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds. 
6. Broil 6 inches from heat until sesame seeds are toasted. Drizzle the remaining soy sauce mix on the salmon. Serve with a side of rice and steamed vegetables. 

Crustless Broccoli and Cheese Quiche

A quiche is one of those rare rich, calorie packed food few have tried to de-fatify. The rich creams and cheeses in a quiche make for a guilty pleasure meal. With this recipe, we try to cut down on carb and fat intake by eliminating the crust and all its flaky, buttery goodness.


We tweaked the original Cooking Light recipe , (used 2% milk and cheddar instead of 1% and Swiss cheese, and a few others). The extra calories are definitely worth it. We also opted for a side salad, instead of the side of toast.


This quiche should last two people about  three dinners.


Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 45 mins

• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• Cooking spray/oil to grease pan
• 1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 10 oz package of frozen broccoli florets, steamed/defrosted (chopped broccoli pieces also works well)
• 1 1/4 cups 2% milk
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch pie plate.


Sautee the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the broccoli and sautee under tender and place in pie plate.


In a large bowl, mix the milk, cheese, parsley, mustard, pepper, cumin, egg whites, and eggs. Pour egg mixture over the broccoli mixture and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.


Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Appetizers: Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

It's time to use that red pepper you roasted to make roasted red pepper hummus. It's no secret that The Galley Kitchen loves hummus, we've done the classic recipe and its edamame counterpart. Today we look to a colorful alternative and add a roasted red pepper. The pepper gives the hummus a slight kick, but not enough to turn off those adverse to some spice.

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

• 2 15.5 oz cans of chick peas (drained)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (the squeeze bottle kind or fresh, whatever)
• 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil (enough to cover 1/3 of the peas with oil)
• Salt to taste
• 1 medium roasted red pepper, sliced into quarters

1. Place the garlic and pepper in a food process and pulse until blended.
2. Add the chick peas, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Pulse until all ingredients are mixed.

Roasting a Red Pepper

Roasted red peppers bring a complex texture and taste to any dish, from sandwiches to hummus. The ease and convenience of buying bottled, pre-made roasted red peppers is tempting, but doing it at home saves money and gives a tiny sense of accomplishment. Who doesn't love playing with fire a bit? 

• Before you start, prepare a bowl with cling wrap, as you'll need it quickly after the pepper is roasted.
• If you have a gas stove, you can roast the pepper directly on the range. If an open flame is not to your liking, you can roast them in the oven.
• With either method, use tongs to make sure all sides of the pepper are equally heated. On a gas range, turn it up to high and blacken all sides.
• When it is blackened, transfer the pepper to the bowl and cover it. The steam helps loosen the skin. Do not lift the cling wrap and let steam escape.
• The pepper will be cool enough to handle in 15-20 minutes. 
• Cut a small slit by the stem and remove it. 
• To peel the skin, lay the pepper on a cutting board and begin peeling. An easy way to do that is by rubbing the skin with your thumb.
• Slice the pepper, using the ribs as a guide line. To remove any remaining membrane and seeds, use a small teaspoon and scrape the inside.

Really Spicy Tofu

You have been warned: this is really, really, REALLY spicy. The mix of peppers gives this dish a complex heat, but it does have a kick. If tofu doesn't tickle your palate, chicken will fit the bill. Just be sure to cube and brown it before adding the rest of the ingredients.


Ingredients:

• • 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 pound firm tofu, cubed
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 serrano peppers, chopped (to reduce the heat, use 1 pepper)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (to reduce the heat, use 1 teaspoon)
• Brown rice (optional)

1. Heat peanut oil in a large frying pan over medium. Brown the tofu for at least 3 minutes.
2. Once browned, toss in onion, bell pepper, serrano pepper and garlic for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk together hot water, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Pour over tofu and coat vegetable. 
4. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly. Tastes great over brown rice!

Side Dishes: Cheese Biscuits

Everyone has experienced the slight panic that comes with a potluck or group dinner. You never want to make the dish that has the least amount of traffic at the table, but you also don't want to be slaving in the kitchen for days. These cheese biscuits are an easy option and will appeal to every crowd because who doesn't love cheese?


This is a dish that requires a minimal number of dishes and space so it's great for apartment dwellers and students.

There are many variations of the basic biscuit recipe and a great place to start looking for interesting additions are right on the back of the biscuit mix box!

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 12-14 mins per batch

Kitchen tip: These are best made in muffin molds because they will not keep their shape as well if made as drop biscuits.

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups biscuit mix (such as Bisquick or other all purpose baking mixes)
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (sharp cheese gives the biscuits more flavor)
• 1 cup sour cream 
• 1/2 cup of softened butter

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and grease the muffin pan.

Cube the softened butter and combine with biscuit mix until the butter is no longer in large pieces.

Stir in the cheddar cheese, sour cream and water.

Fill the greased muffin cups 1/2 full with the mixture. Bake until tops are golden brown.

Falafel Pita Sandwich

Sandwiches are some of the easiest and satisfying meals, but sometimes deli meat doesn't cut it. Falafel is a good (and thrifty) vegetarian option. Making all the patties ahead in one night means simple reheats for the rest of the week.

The recipe below should 2 people 3-4 dinners.

Cook time: 20 minutes

Prep time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Falafel patties

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 slice of wheat bread (the ends are fine)
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 15 oz can of garbanzo beans, washed and drained
• 2 eggs

Sandwich fixins:

• Whole wheat pitas, cut in half and split
• lettuce
• tomato
• store bought tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber sauce)

Combine all the falafel patty ingredients in a food processor until well blended. Chill mixture for 20 minutes to make it easier to handle.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Using a spoon, scoop out the garbanzo bean mixture. The smaller and flatter the patty, the more evenly it will cook. Heat for 3-4 minutes then flip. The underside should be a golden brown.

To assemble the sandwich, split the pita to make a pocket. Line it with lettuce, tomato and the patty. Top with tzatziki sauce.

Just Desserts: Hawaiian Mochi Cake

While walking around Japantown in San Francisco, I came across an interesting looking dessert at the counter. It was Hawaiian Mochi Cake, according to the cafe. The cake has an interesting texture, with a crisp brownie top and a mochi middle. For those unfamiliar with mochi, it is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice-very tasty.

The cake has a light coconut flavor and is not too sweet. However, it is very dense so a small square will certainly satisfy any sweet tooth.

The sweet rice flour the recipe calls for is on the expensive side and finding the unsweetened coconut milk was slightly difficult, but the effort is very worth it.

A few notes on this recipe: it is from Epicurious, but I've added a few clarifying notes and additions of my own.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Baking tip: Don't be alarmed when during baking the top bubbles up. Once you take it out and start cooling it will settle. The baking time could vary (I used a glass pan and have a gas oven). It's important to keep an eye out on the cake to be sure not to over-bake.

Ingredients:

· 3 cups sweet rice flour

· 2 1/2 cups sugar

· 2 teaspoons baking powder

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 2 (13.5-oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat)

· 5 large eggs

· 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

· 1 teaspoon vanilla

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

To melt butter, cut the 1/2 stick into small cubes and heat in short time increments. I found 3-4 times for about 15 seconds does the trick.

Whisk together mochiko, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together coconut milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla in another bowl. Add coconut mixture to flour mixture, whisking until batter is combined.

Pour batter into an ungreased 13- by 9-inch glass baking pan, smoothing top, and bake until top is golden and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan, about 1 hours and 15 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours.

For left overs, cover with clear wrap and refrigerate.

Appetizers: Edamame Hummus

I love hummus. It's one of the most versatile food items: great for groups or a quick and easy lunch. Much like traditional hummus, edamame hummus is a good source of protein. This variation has a more distinct bean taste. There are many recipe variations and this is one of the simpler versions that can easily be made with ingredients on hand.

Bonus: great with raw vegetables or even chips.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pound frozen shelled edamame
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2-3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspooon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Optional: 1 tablespoon of sriracha

Boil the beans in about 1/4 cup of salted water for 4 to 5 minutes. While the beans are boiling, mince the garlic in a food processor. Drain the beans and add to the food processor. Add the cumin, lemon juice and if using, the sriracha. Puree the beans and slowly add the olive oil, then the water until all the ingredients are mixed and the hummus is smooth.

Appetizers: Egg Drop Soup

The simplicity of egg drop soup makes it super satisfying but also really frustrating to make. The ingredients are simple enough, however the process takes a delicate, patient hand. Slightly adapted the below recipe from The Kitchn (How to Make Egg Drop Soup). The original lists some extras, but I like this as simple as possible.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 large eggs
• Salt or soy sauce

Cooking tip: This soup doesn't keep too well, so just try to make as much as you'll eat for a day or so.

Pour the stock into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Taste and add salt or soy sauce as needed. Make sure the soup is good and hot.

Ladle out some soup, about 1/4 cup the stock and whisk it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk this back into the stock and give it a taste to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved.

Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl with the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch. Make sure your soup is at a bare simmer-this is really important because if it's too hot, the eggs will cook and be really clumpy and weird. Pour the egg mixture slowly, through the tines of a fork. As you're pouring, whisk the broth slowly. Leave it at a low simmer for a minute, just to be sure the egg is cooked.

Serve immediately.