Quality Eats Made Simple

Well Seasoned Salmon Fillets

Since I have taken up the cause of cooking at home more, I have fallen in love with a couple of things that might shock my mother...fish and Brussels Sprouts.

I find that I really enjoy the taste of skin on Salmon fillets. Many cooks get a bit freaked out about these but, they should not be if they follow a couple of easy steps. Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  I like to cook mine on a foil line stone tray (even heat transfer and easy clean up) that has been spritzed with olive oil.  Place the fillet skin side down and lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake until the salmon is cooked through, which should take 12 to 15 minutes.  Using a pair of tongs and a gentle touch, rock the fillet back-and-forth to release it from the skin.  Once plated you can add some lightly herbed butter and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Bacon really does make everything better. I am confident that, if my Mom had added bacon to the sprouts, I would have loved eating them. She did not but, I have come to appreciate them nonetheless.  My version starts with buying some bacon trimmings from Trader Joe's. These are not pretty enough for your breakfast table but, they are perfect to add some flavor to the much maligned veggie.  

Mmm, Bacon!

At the risk of alienating anyone who enjoys the goodness that is all things bacon, I do spend some time pulling the fully fat parts out of the mix (remember, these are trimmings so the package includes pieces that have zero meat).  Cook the remainder down as you normally would in a large skillet. Once cooked, drain off excess fat and dice the cooked pieces.

Add the sliced (I used pre-sliced) sprouts to the large skillet, season with salt & pepper, and stir in the bacon bits that you just made. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently until caramelized. Toss in a bit of lemon juice and serve.