All posts tagged: salmon

Cook with Squid Ink

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In the novel The Snack Thief, Inspector Salvo Montalbano is invited for dinner by the police Superintendent. “My wife will prepare spaghetti in squid ink. An exquisiteness”.  Then the day before the dinner: “Superintendent? I am calling to say I am really mortified, but won’t be able to make it for dinner tomorrow.” “You are mortified because we cannot meet, or because of the squid ink pasta?” “Both Sir.” A few years ago, I read The Snack Thief by Andrea Camilleri. I’m not sure when my fascination with squid ink pasta began, but this novel could have been it. It’s a crime novel set in Sicily where the quirky main character, Inspector Salvo Montalbano solves murder mysteries but also tucks into lovely Sicilian feasts. Pasta dishes and seafood seem to be the gastronomic detective’s favourites and the feasts are described in enough detail to make you salivate. If you enjoy crime novels and you enjoy reading about food like I do, Andrea Camilleri is a name to remember. There is something remarkably cool about shiny black pasta. …

Salmon, my love

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Salmon is my number one favourite fish. It cooks well, is never dry, can be undercooked or overcooked and it’s creamy, fatty, melt in your mouth texture makes me swoon. I’ll eat it raw, baked, fried, steamed, poached…you name it, I’ll eat it. There is a couple who come into our workplace every week or fortnight with a box of fresh seafood. It is very, very hard to resist. I usually buy a “necklace”. It is a chain of vacuum packed smoked salmon portions. Probably the most delicious necklace I’ve ever owned. I’ve also bought scallops from them, a bag of about 30 scallops for $26NZ. Fresh from Whitianga. Here’s a roundup of salmon I’ve dished up in the last year: Pan fried salmon with oregano and lemon slices. Potato mash. Beans and tomatoes from the garden stir fried with garlic and yellow capsicum. Close up! Baked salmon with lemon and tarragon. Place a salmon steak in the middle of a piece of foil. Sprinkle with lemon zest, a good pinch of tarragon and a …

3 Course Dinner

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Who said you need an occasion to make 3 courses? Starter: Calamari salad with avocado and lemon mayo. Squid is pretty damn cheap. I got a kilo of frozen squid for $11. The squid you see on these 2 plates cost about $1. Not bad! Squid rings Ingredients Half a squid tube per person (or 1-1.5 whole tubes for a main) Salt Pepper 1 tbspn flour Paprika Oil for frying Ok, I’m terrible with measurements. I don’t measure and neither should you! Learn what feels right. Taste your food and remember for next time. Preparation Clean squid tubes and dry with paper towels/napkins. Put in a shallow bowl and paprika, salt and pepper generously. Add about a tablespoon of flour for each tube. Mix well and refridgerate until needed. Heat about 4cm of oil in a small pot. Carefully lower the squid rings with tongs. They are done after about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcrowd them. Batches are a good idea! I’ve read that you should drain/dry on paper towels, but there was …