Salmon and brussel sprouts

Tonight I wanted to make something quick, easy and yet delicious. I am always a fan of the Barefoot Contessa and have most of her cookbooks. This salmon dish sounded great and I already had everything in the house which is a huge time saver. Over the weekend I also bought some brussel sprouts to try out. I am normally not a fan but had some great ones at a restaurant in Baltimore and decided to try making them myself. They turned out pretty well and I even got my picky eater J to not only eat them but say he liked them! Now that is a victory :)

Panko-Crusted Salmon
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/3 cup panko (I used whole wheat)
1 tbsp. finely minced fresh parsley
½ tsp. lemon zest

¼ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 (6-8 oz.) salmon fillets, skin on
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
 

Directions:

·      Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.

·      In a small bowl, combine the panko, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Drizzle with 1.5 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss with a fork until the crumbs are evenly coated; set aside.

·      Place the salmon fillets skin side down on a work surface.  Generously brush the top of each fillet with the mustard and then season with salt and pepper.  Press the panko mixture thickly on top of the mustard on each fillet to help the panko adhere.

·      Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet.  When the oil is hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes without turning to brown the skin.  (If you don’t want to eat the skin, this step also helps the skin stick to the pan so the fillets can be easily removed without the skin later on.)

·      Transfer the pan to the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, until the salmon is almost cooked through and the panko is browned.  Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes.

Source: Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? by Ina Garten

 

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

·    Preheat oven to 450°F

·         ·    Rinse and cut off the ends of 1 ½ lbs of brussel sprouts, then cut in half.

·         ·    Toss them with ¼ cup olive oil, a pinch of salt, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. (I mix mine in a ziplock bag)

·         ·    Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleaning and put them on cut side down. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until caramelizd. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly.

·         ·    Drizzle with white wine vinegar and honey and enjoy!

Source: Food Network Magazine