My fellow Americans: we do not eat nearly enough fish. Why do we eat like 80-something pounds of chicken per year and around 14 pounds of fish/seafood? We think it has a lot to do with the fact that American’s aren’t really sure how to cook fish. Oh, and it’s pretty expensive (it’s significantly cheaper to grow a chicken than it is to catch a fish). If you’re worried about nitrates being a problem, I suggest that you avoid watching any documentaries about how our chicken, beef and pork are treated, because you will find that very worrisome as well and may find yourself turning your nose up at those as well as fish.
Many of the folks we talk to feel like fish is just “smelly” and “gross.” When that statement is followed-up with “well, what kind of fish have you had?” the answer tends to have something to do with fish sticks or some other fish that couldn’t be construed as fresh by any stretch of the imagination. If you haven’t cooked fresh fish before, please at least give it a shot.
Seafood/fish is BY FAR our favorite kind of “meat,” and we love “pink fish” at our house – so named by the chitlins. We love simply grilling it with salt, pepper, olive oil and some lemon in a foil packet. BUT, when we’re looking for just a bit more complexity, this salmon with Indian-flare is crazy-awesome. The garam masala makes it fabulously different, and it only gets better with the tomato-ginger sauce, which adds tang and a hint of sweetness. If you don’t mind a bit of heat, we suggest adding some serrano to the sauce. Many Indian dishes call for a side of roasted cauliflower which has been tossed in a spice or two, and this cauliflower makes the perfect side. If you haven’t cooked with garam masala before (a spice mixture that varies by region, but commonly includes coriander, cardamon, cinnamon and nutmeg), you’re in for a real treat. It provides that extra “something” of interest and is very aromatic.
Tip (unsponsored): We suggest wild salmon, and have had great success with Costco’s fresh, skin-on salmon filet, usually sockeye. We love Costco’s quality of fish/seafood. We have also been very happy with the salmon we’ve gotten from our local Asian market, so give that a try if you’ve got one. The prices are often quite good.
Have your kids help you choose a salmon filet. Our kids LOVE going down the fish isle, especially at the Asian market where they like to stop and watch the different varieties swimming about in their massive tanks.
As you prepare and enjoy this meal together, teach your loved ones about the health benefits of a some of the ingredients:
- Salmon contain a lot of marvelous nutrients, but are most well-known for their omega-3 fats, which are great for your brain and which your body can’t make on it’s own so you must supply it through the food you eat.
- Cauliflower gives your body lots of vitamin K, which keeps you from having problems with inflammation.
- Ginger can really help keep you from feeling too gassy (tee-hee-hee).
A few facts about India and it’s people:
- Around half of Indian children finish school. Many adults, especially women, cannot read.
- Indian’s eat a kind of relish made up of things like fruit, spices, and peppers called chutney with almost every meal.
- Indian’s love to fly kites.
Adapted from: Grilled Salmon with Tomato-Ginger Sauce
- 2 large tomatoes
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 small head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets (or 1 pound bagged florets)
- 1¼ teaspoons garam masala
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4 10 -ounce skin-on salmon steaks (preferably wild), or a filet of comparable weight, cut into 4 peices
- Vegetable oil, for the grill
- 2 pieces naan (or other flatbread)
- Preheat a grill to medium high. Grate the tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater into a medium bowl; discard the skins. Stir in ⅓ cup cilantro, the vinegar and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Add some finely diced serrano pepper if you want a kick! Set aside.
- Spread the cauliflower florets on one half of a 24-inch-long piece of foil; sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon garam masala and dot with the butter; season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the cauliflower and crimp the edges to seal and form a packet. Season the salmon with salt, pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala.
- Brush the grill grates with vegetable oil. Grill the foil packet on one side of the grill until the packet is puffed and the cauliflower is lightly charred and tender, about 6 minutes per side. Grill the salmon on the other side of the grill until opaque but still pink in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate. Grill the naan until lightly toasted, about 1 minute per side; cut into wedges.
- Carefully open the foil packet and toss the cauliflower with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro. Top the salmon with the tomato-ginger sauce and serve with the cauliflower and naan.
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