Salad Days

When it's 90 degrees and 95% humidity, as it was today, you just don't feel like eating something hot, right? Enter Crab Louis. I've been jonesing for some crab and avocado lately. I don't know why I get these cravings...but I figure it has something to do with nutrients my body is in need of. Anyway, I needed some way to pull together crabmeat and avocado...and Crab Louis (pronounced Louie, really) is the perfect vehicle. So here's an homage to an uncle I am told I knew as a very young child - Uncle Louie. He was married to Aunt Frannie for a while. (Actually, the dish Crab Louis originated in San Francisco at swanky hotel in the early 1900's.)

The nice thing about this dish is that the only cooking you have to do is boiling the eggs. Dave and I enjoyed this tonight with a nice Pinot Grigio and a crusty baguette.

Crab Louis

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chili sauce (I used Heinz)

1/4 cup minced scallions

2 tablespoons minced green olives

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon bottled horseradish

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 lb jumbo lump crabmeat (I use Sigma Supreme in the can)

1 ripe avocado cut into slices

Iceberg lettuce, shredded

Large leafs of red-leaf Romaine lettuce to line plates

Tomato wedges

Hard-boiled egg

Dressing: Whisk together mayonnaise, chili sauce, scallion, green olives, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, bottled horseradish, and salt and pepper to taste.

Pick through the crabmeat looking for shell or anything else that may be undesirable. Then divide among 4 plates lined with redleaf romaine leaves and shredded iceberg lettuce. Garnish with wedges of tomato, hard-boiled egg, avocado and serve with dressing. Lightly salt egg wedges and avocado with Fleur de sel.

Makes 4 main-course servings.

Seasons in the Sun

Happy Summer! I'm back with a new post - re-energized by the bounty that is summer and all of the new culinary stimuli I have been experiencing lately. Thanks to farmer's markets, new restaurant adventures, new food websites and the discovery of a new local blogger in Columbus I am renewed in my cooking aspirations.

So, as my first entree of the summer I have for you a light salmon dish. It's Thai inspired so watch the red pepper flakes. The heat can get turned up with just a few extra shakes of the spice jar. Enjoy!! (Sorry for the crappy lighting on this shot. It's actually a lot more appetizing when you make it in person. I promise to work on my photo-taking setup.)

Crispy Orange-Glazed Salmon

2/3 cup orange juice
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar (I couldn't find rice *wine* vinegar so I just use rice vinegar)
2 Tbsp Lite soy sauce
1 small red Thai chile pepper, thinly sliced (I omit this to reduce some of the heat)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger - grated (I use a microplane)
4 salmon filets (4-6 oz. each)
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tbsp honey
Hot cooked rice (see note)

Garnishes: Julienned carrots, chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro

1. Stir together first 6 ingredients in a shallow baking dish. Add salmon, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, turning to coat evenly. Marinate at least 30 minutes. Remove salmon, reserving marinade, and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook salmon 3-4 minutes per side or until fish begins to flake with a fork. Peel off skin and remove from pan. Pour reserved marinade into skillet and add honey. Heat 3-5 minutes on high, until syrupy. Serve salmon warm over a mound of rice and sauce, topped with garnishes.

Makes 4 servings

Note: I recommend Thai White Jasmine Rice - Alter Eco brand.