I decided to enter the OXO Cherry Recipe Contest.  So it became my mission to create a recipe using fresh cherries.  Sure, I have done this before with my Cherry Spinach Salad.  But, why would I use something I have already done, there is no fun in that!  I set off for the store and remembered it is also fresh peach season, so I had peaches on the brain when my 10 year old requested Salmon for dinner.  So you guessed it my friends, the stage for this challenge was set!  

After my trip to the store for the ingredients my brainstorming really began as I had cherries (and peaches) to use in a salmon recipe.  I have used a fruit chutney in previous recipes including my Pretzel Crusted Salmon and my most recent Make it Up Monday (MUM)-Rhubarb Pork Chops, so clearly I could make that option work.  But I wanted the use of the fruit to be something different, yet flavorful,  more of a fresh look and taste.  

Did I hear someone say, "But, it's summer why are you not using the grill?"  You must have been reading my mind because, you guessed it I also wanted to try this one on the grill, which is a first for me.  So, throw in one of the hottest days of the year, a recipe contest, one determined blogger and this is what you get, enjoy!!

In my efforts of full disclosure, I must add that I did not use any of my OXO utensils and products in this recipe.  However, I am wishing I had after hand pitting all those cherries.  So, I will be purchasing the OXO Cherry Pitter in the very near future.  I DID however, use the OXO Steel Winged Corkscrew to open my bottle of Riesling, which was a perfect wine for this recipe. 

Ingredients:
2 packages (4 fillets) of Orca Bay Sockeye Salmon, thawed and with skin removed
1-2 cups of fresh cherries, pits removed
3-4 fresh peaches, cut into slices
Fresh Spinach, amount is up to your preference
1/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup of sunflower seeds, roughly chopped (I gently rolled over mine with a rolling pin) 
1/3 cup of oil in a bowl big enough to dip the fish, I used Zoye 100 % Pure Soybean Oil
Aluminum Foil
Grill basket (optional)

Directions:
-Preheat your grill, as you can see below I use a charcoal grill.
-Place cherries and peaches in a foil, I double layered mine just to be safe.  You can see my packet on the left side of the picture below.
-If you are using a grill basket, which I did and left it open faced, line with foil.  I also used a basting brush to lightly grease the foil from the bowl already set aside.
-Combine the Panko and the sunflower seeds onto a plate or shallow dish
-Dip or brush oil on both sides of the salmon fillets
-Coat  both sides of the salmon with the panko and sunflower seed mixture
-Place into the basket
On the Grill:
-Place the Cherries and peaches over an area with lower heat
-Place the Salmon on the grill
-Grill for about 5 minutes per side or until the salmon has an internal temperature of 145 degrees
-Flip the cherries and peaches after about 5 minutes as well.  

(Please note that the large foil packet on the right of the picture above was a summer squash that I was grilling, but not using in the recipe)

Plating:
-Place fresh spinach on the plate
-Top with a salmon fillet
-Finish with the cherries and peaches


As a girl who, in the past, has not a big fan of salmon, and is only beginning to appreciate and choose salmon and other types of fish as a dinner option this was delicious and will make it into a more regular "rotation" in this house.  



Healthy Eatings, 



Rachel
 
In my efforts to practice what I preach, I have been experimenting with "new" foods.  I wanted to see if I really "did not like" something or just "did not like how someone else prepared it".  My boys have fallen in love with all types of fish and as you know from previous posts my fish palate is limited to tuna and mahi mahi.  Naturally in order to appease their constant badgering to have fish for dinner I decided to tackle fish at the top of the experiment list.    

I used Keta Salmon because it is supposed to be a milder tasting salmon for people who prefer a less "assertive" tasting fish.  This proved to be correct, and I actually liked the Keta Salmon from Orca Bay Seafoods.  So, if you are not normally a salmon or fish lover, I would suggest it.  I did use Sockeye Salmon as well for the men in the house, because I knew they liked salmon and wanted to see if the recipe would also work with a more "assertive" tasting fish.  My husband thought the recipe was good, the boys...well, they were of the mind that grandma makes salmon better, but still had seconds ;).  


Ingredients:
2 packages Orca Bay Salmon, thawed ( I removed the skin before cooking)
1 cup crushed pretzels
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup chopped cranberries 
1 cup Helios Honeyed Peach Preserves
1/4 cup water
olive oil

Directions
-Rinse salmon and place in marinating pan and drizzle with olive oil, then set aside.
-Set oven on broil.
-In a sauce pan combine cranberries and preserves with a 1/4 cup of water. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes.   
-Spray pan with non-stick spray or lined with a Silpat.
-in a shallow dish, combine crushed pretzels and cornmeal.
-Make sure the salmon is covered in olive oil, then coat in the pretzel cornmeal mixture and place in pan for broiling.
-Cook salmon for about 10 minutes, flipping after about 5 minutes.

Plating:
-Place you cooked salmon on your plate and spoon the cranberry and peach relish on top, to your desired amount.

I placed my salmon on a bed of steamed spinach and served it with mashed sweet potatoes to round out the meal.  


Healthy Eatings, 


Rachel
 

I am trying to cook and eat more fish.  It seems that I am in the minority in my house in this area, and gender as well :)  My boys decided they wanted perch for dinner on Christmas Eve, but I am not a fan so I decided on Ahi Tuna steaks for the adults.


I have both of the fish that I used in our meal and it served our family of 4 just perfectly.  This recipe is easily adjusted depending on the amount of people you have you have to feed and/or the fish you prefer.


Ingredients:

1 package thawed Orca Bay Ocean Perch
1 package thawed Orca Bay Ahi Tuna
1, 10 ounces package of spinach
1, 1 pound package of Lundberg Wild Blend Rice
Char Crust Ginger Teriyaki Dry Rub
Olive Oil
Fresh Gourmet Crispy Onions-Garlic Pepper
Parmesan Cheese




Directions:

+Place olive oil in a shallow dish large enough to hold your fish
+Add you desired amount of the dry rub.  I used less of the rub on the perch, because I was not sure how the rub tasted and I wanted to err on the side of caution when it came to my boys and the spices on their fish.  Flip after about 30 minutes, for a total marinating time of 1 hour.
+Preheat the oven on broil
+While the fish is in the rub, start the rice and cook per the directions on the back of the package (total time is about 50 minutes).
+Place your fish in a baking pan and place in the oven for about 6 minutes on each side.
+While fish is in the oven wash and pat dry your spinach


Plating:

+Place about 2 ounces of spinach on each plate
+Place about 1/3-1/2 cup of rice on top of the spinach
+Top the rice with the fish of your choice
+Sprinkle with a bit of the crispy onions and Parmesan cheese



Healthy Eatings,


Rachel