Sweet & Spicy Salmon

While this dish isn't attributed to a particular place in California, it's very much in that state's style. Orange, honey and chili feature prominently in the glaze, and the finished product will knock your socks off.

We served ours simply on a bed of mixed greens - truly, that's all it needs. We also used ground chipotle powder instead of ancho chili powder, since we already has it on hand. Also, we subbed agave nectar for the honey. It has a "greener" taste that I thought would pair nicely with the fresh herbs, and the lower glycemic index doesn't hurt either. Lastly, we had some honey ginger balsamic vinegar that we bought at Gustare on a recent trip to Cape Cod, so I just had to use that here.

If you'd rather not heat up the house during these warmer months, you could probably grill this dish instead. For fish (ooh, swordfish or tuna steaks would be great...), just be sure to get the grates smokin' hot to help avoid sticking and keep the skin on so it doesn't fall apart. Scallops or shrimp skewers also would be outstanding with this glaze, I bet. Even pork is mild enough that I could envision a grilled tenderloin benefiting from it.

Hands down, this is my new favorite glaze that I'll definitely use again for chicken and other seafood. Hopefully, I've convinced you to give it a try.

Here's how I made it:

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp Gustare honey ginger balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp agave nectar
2 Tsp ground chipotle powder
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Canola oil
1 lb salmon, skin on
Fresh cilantro and chives, minced

In a saucepan, saute the shallot and garlic over medium heat till lightly golden and softened. Pour in the orange juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer till reduced to about a quarter cup, about 30 minutes. Add the agave, chipotle, salt and pepper.

Meantime, in the last 10 minutes that the glaze is reducing, preheat the oven to 400. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the salmon, skin side up. Flip and baste the cooked side with half the glaze. Bake uncovered for 8-10 minutes, then baste with the remaining glaze. Garnish with cilantro and chives, and enjoy!

Cobb Salad

Tinseltown provided the recipe for tonight's dinner.

Legend has it that late one night in 1934, Bob Cobb, the owner of the famous Brown Derby restaurant at Hollywood and Vine, was hanging out with Sid Grauman, who apparently wasn't needed over at his Chinese Theater. They got hungry, so Cobb decided to make a salad and raided the fridge for as many ingredients as he could find, even swiping some bacon from a busy chef nearby.

Grauman enjoyed it so much, he ordered one of "Cobb's salads" when returned to the restaurant the following night, and it was officially added to the menu not long after. The Cobb salad was born.

We tried a few markets in the area and couldn't find any watercress, which really stinks because I love the stuff. So, since it wasn't going to be authentic, I didn't worry about buying the precise lettuces either. You couldn't see it under all those delectable toppings anyway! Guess I should have used a bigger bowl...

I made the dressing cited in the article, too, but didn't follow that recipe to the letter for that either. I also didn't make nearly as much in volume. So, I won't bother reporting it here, mainly because I didn't really keep track of measurements and couldn't begin to guess now what they were. I will say, though, that I used garlic powder instead of fresh and Dijon mustard instead of dry English, since that's what we had on hand. And, it came out wonderfully!

As for the salad, the eggs were still warm and I used grilled chicken (also warm) instead of boiled or poached, which imparted more flavor in my opinion. It's a hearty salad and easily made a fresh and satisfying meal.

Here's how I made it:

Iceberg lettuce
Baby Romaine
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
1 avocado, diced
6 strips of bacon, chopped
1 grilled chicken breast, sliced
Crumbled blue cheese
Fresh chives, minced
Original Dressing, to taste

Spread all the ingredients in rows on top of the lettuces. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with chives and dig in!

Week #21: California, USA

Like, grab your sunscreen and Daisy Dukes and join in the fun! We're headed for The Golden State!

I'm sure many cities and/or regions there have signature dishes, and some rad Cali recipes immediately come to mind - including the California Roll, of course!

I'll have fun researching this week's menu. Narrowing down my choices will be tricky, though... But, I'll take on that challenge!

So, stay tuned. It'll be a delicious week - totally!