Asian Glazed Salmon and Avocado Chocolate Pudding????

Asian Salmon and Noodles

I was looking for a different way to prepare salmon, and found this Asian-glazed idea.  Definitely a 'keeper'.

2 servings of wide Rice Noodles for Pad Thai

1/2 lb Salmon Filet, skin on

3 large Green Onions, sliced

2 handfuls Snow Pea Pods, ends trimmed

3 oz sliced Mushrooms

1/2” finger of fresh Ginger, minced

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Salmon Glaze, to taste, make a 'shy' 1/4 cup:

Soy Sauce

Toasted Sesame Oil

Honey

Sriracha or other pepper sauce

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Stir Fry Sauce (to taste, make 1/3 to 1/2 cup:

Sweet-Hot Chili Sauce (Frank's tm)

Soy Sauce

Hoisin Sauce

Rice Wine Vinegar

Rice Wine

Make up the two sauces, using 1-2 Tbsp of each ingredient, to taste. The Salmon Glaze should be relatively thick.

Cook the noodles; keeping them in the water until needed. Stir fry the veggies.

Sear the salmon, skin side up, first. 4 minutes. The flip and sear the skin side for 3 minutes. Drain the noodles.

Turn the broiler on.  Add the drained noodles to the vegetables, toss to combine, and turn that burner on again to cook them through.

Turn the salmon skin side down again, brush with the glaze, and broil for 3 minutes or so (but don't let it burn.

Divide the salmon in two and plate next to the noodle-vegetable stir fry.

Indian-style Lentil Stuffed Mushrooms

Sally needed a dish to take to a colleague's going-away bash, and I wanted to try something different. Lots of her acquaintances like vegetarian dishes and Indian spiced things, and I happened to see two packs of six nice large mushrooms at the megamart.

12 large stuffable Mushrooms (or 3 Portobellos) stemmed

1 dry measure Lentils for your rice cooker (or ½ cup if cooking on the stove top)

1/4 cup diced Red Onion

1-2 teaspoons Arhar Dal Indian spice blend for lentils

Paprika for dusting

Cook the lentils and onion according to package direction. I did mine in the rice cooker, with 1 measure of lentils and 3 measures of water. Came out perfect. Cool the lentil/onion stuffing.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms, but leave the gills for taste. Stand the 'shrooms cup-up on a baking tray and drizzle with just a bit of EVOO.

Fill the cups to overflowing with packed down lentil mixture. Dust the tops with paparika and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Avocado Chocolate Pudding?????

Sound weird doesn't it?  This was in the newspaper yesterday, being touted as eating healthier because things are in season and thus fresher. Well.... OK, let's try it.

The taste is surprisingly good, very chocolate-y. The texture is nerly indistinguishable from 'real' chocolate pudding.  But this is not an inexpensive dish unless you can find avocados for less than $1 each (what I paid).

2 Medjool Dates, pitted and soaked to rehydrate for 15 minutes (I substituted Apricots)

2 fresh Avocados, peeled and pitted

1/2ccup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I used Trader Joe's tm Sipping Cocoa)

1/4ccup 'raw' Honey (I used local Seagrape honey)

2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

Blend everything in a food processor... spoon into bowls and chill.

Hmm.. Medjool Dates aren't in season (neither are the dried apricots I used). I've never seen 'tame' honey, how is it different than 'raw' honey? Vanilla extract isn't in season either.

If you want a really unusual dessert for a dinner party, this is a great recipe.  Top with a dollop of handmade lemon-flavored whipped cream for an elegant finish.