PAN SEARED SALMON WITH CAPERS AND LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Here's a recipe I did recently for Women's Health Magazine...something healthy, using five ingredients or less... excluding salt and pepper.

Below were the questions they asked me about this dish...

What makes this dish healthy? Well, first, it's fish...healthier than red meat. Also, salmon is loaded with omega 3 fatty acids which helps fight against heart disease, it also promotes healthy skin and joints. It is also high in protein.

The sauce is a lemon vinaigrette and it is made with extra virgin oil which is rich with monounsaturated fat...it helps lower the rate of heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and asthma.

How did I come up with this dish?... I wanted a dish that was easy to make (cooks in less than 10 mins), need only 5 ingredients and it is packed with nutrients.

flavor profile - fresh tasting, light and refreshing

Now, here's the recipe:

PAN SEARED SALMON WITH CAPERS AND LEMON VINAIGRETTE
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Recipe By: AAA

Ingredients:

150 grams salmon fillet
salt and pepper, for seasoning
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon capers, drained, chopped
LEMON VINAIGRETTE
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 piece lemon, get zest and juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a saute pan on medium-high heat.

2. Season salmon fillet with salt and pepper.

3. Sear fish 3 minutes per side.

4. Once fish is cooked, remove from pan and place on a serving plate. Add a little more oil in the pan if needed then saute the chopped capers for 1 min. or until slightly crisp.

5. Spoon the capers over the fish.

6. To make the lemon vinaigrette: Combine mustard, lemon juice and zest in a medium bowl. Gradually pour the olive oil, and mix using a wire whisk. Set aside until ready to use.

7. Serve salmon with some mixed greens on the side and with some lemon vinaigrette.

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

Here's what's cooking in my kitchen now! Hainanese Chicken Rice. I learned this when I attended a cooking class in Singapore a couple of years ago. I like it because it's a complete meal. It has soup, chicken, and rice. The condiments can be purchased in the grocery if you don't have time to make it from scratch. This is my comfort food for the moment. Hope you can try making this easy recipe in your own homes too. Enjoy!

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

1 1/2 kilograms whole chicken

20 cups water

1 ounce fresh young ginger -- peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic -- peeled

1 bunch spring onions -- washed

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

slice cucumber -- for garnish

cliantro leaves -- for garnish

condiment

chilli sauce

grated ginger

sweet thick soy sauce

1. Wash chicken and remove knobs of fat on either side of the buttocks.

2. Smash the ginger and garlic and tie the spring onions into a knot.

3. Stuff the chicken with salt, garlic, ginger and spring onions.

4. Boil 20 cups of water in a large pot. Add chicken, breast side down first, submerging completely.

5. Let water boil, then turn the heat down to very low heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, uncovering once to turn chicken turn over.

6. Remove the chicken and drain liquid from the body cavity. Retain liquid for later use.

7. Wash under tap water for about 2 minutes to stop the cooking process and to tighten the skin.

8. Drain, rub some vegetable oil over and let the chicken cool to room temperature.

9. Chop the ckicken into bite-sized pieces and serve garnished with sliced cucumbers. Then top with cilantro leaves.

FOR CONDIMENTS:

1. chilli sauce can be purchased in the grocery.

2. for the grated ginger...

1/4 c. grated ginger

3 T. vegetable oil

salt and white pepper to taste

heat oil in a sautepan. add ginger and cook until juices are slightly reduced. season with salt and white pepper to taste.

3. sweet thick soy sauce can be purchased in the grocery. If not available, you may use soy sauce.

FOR THE RICE

12 ounces long grain rice

5 cloves garlic -- minced

5 pieces shallots -- minced

3 teaspoons vegetable oil

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

3/4 teaspoon salt

1. Wash rice and drain in a colander for 10 minutes.

2. Heat 3 T oil over high heat in a wok. Add shallots and stir fry until fragrant. Add garlic and stir fry for one minute.

3. Add the rice grains and stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

4. Transfer to a saucepan or rice cooker and add the chicken broth and salt. Boil over high heat and lower down the heat to steam the rice when the water level reaches the level of the rice grains and steam holes appear. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the rice is cooked.