Poached Salmon with Herb-Dijon Vinaigrette

I ALWAYS love a fast meal to prepare! My America's Test Kitchen Cookbooks are my best friend and we tried out a new recipe last week that I wanted to share. I modified it a little because I don't keep fresh spices in my house. For shame, I know! I also don't have alcohol in the house. Here is my version.  I, of course, doubled this recipe.

Ingredients

1 large lemon, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 TBSP parsley (Double the spices if you have fresh! And reserve their stems.)
1 TBSP dill
1 red onion (or 2 shallots), minced
1 Cup water
4 (6 oz) skinless salmon fillets about 1 1/2 inches thick
1 TBSP honey
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 TBSP olive oil

Arrange the lemon slices on the bottom of a 12 inch skillet. Scatter parsley and dill (stems if you have fresh, otherwise use about 1/2 a TBSP of each), half of the onion over the lemon slices and add water.

Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Lay the salmon skinned side down on top of the lemons. Set the pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the fish flakes apart when gently prodded with a paring knife. About 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer cooked salmon and lemon slices to a paper-towel lined plate, cover with foil, and let drain while finishing the sauce.

Combine the remaining onion, minced parsley, dill, (I added the remaining 1/2 TBSP) honey, and Dijon mustard in a bowl. Return the cooking liquid to a medium-high heat and simmer until it has reduced to 1 TBSP, about 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the reduced cooking liquid into the bowl with the onion-herb mixture, whisk to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Gently transfer the drained salmon to individual plates, discarding the lemon slices. Spoon the vinaigrette over the top and serve.

Poached Salmon, Green Beans, Pineapple with Coconut Chips

I saved leftover salmon to put on top of a salad. I also saved the vinaigrette. It made the perfect dressing for the salad!

Cheat Meals

Cheat Meals!!!!! They are bound to happen. In our household, we say "Bake Big or Go Diet!" If you aren't going to cheat with an amazing homemade cheesecake or buttery shrimp and grits, don't do it. The crappy Halloween candy and Fast Food are NOT worth it. The other night we had one of my favorite cheat meals. It has healthy components, but that butter pushes it into the cheat category.
Here is a delicious recipe for Shrimp and Grits!!!!!!!!!!

Cook Grits according to package directions. I always use a whisk instead of a spoon to stir them. Helps with the clumps, especially if you are cooking a lot of grits. Once cooked, add salt, pepper and butter. Shredded cheddar cheese can also be stirred in to take it up a notch.

For the Shrimp:
Peel and devein 2 lbs of shrimp
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place shrimp in a single layer in a large cast iron skillet or other oven safe pan.
Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the shrimp.
Mix 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce, 3/4 tsp paprika, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 1.5 tsp garlic powder and pour of shrimp.
Cut 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter into pea size pieces and sprinkle over top.
Cook for 8 minutes and serve immediately.

Serve with your favorite veggies and/or fruit.