Soy Vay Salmon

I know I say everything I cook is easy (which it is), but this takes the cake. It's literally a piece of fish, and a jar of marinade. Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce is a sweet soy sesame marinade that I started using on salmon because my mom does. It's really good, it's just the perfect cross between sweet and salt. I had never looked at the ingredients and so decided to last night, worried that it might have high fructose corn syrup in it (the horror! My craze over corn syrup is still in full effect after seeing Food, Inc.). I should have known better if my mom uses it...it's made from all natural ingredients, and the sweetness comes from sugar. You can find it in pretty much any grocery store. Sometimes it's not in the marinade section, but on it's own by the butcher/fish counter. I made the fish last night with my version of Thai pineapple fried rice (but really with quinoa), and a faux Caesar salad (which doesn't really go with the theme...but I had leftover Romaine hearts to use).



Teriyaki salmon for 2 people:
a little under 1 lb. salmon
about 1/4 cup Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put the fish skin-side down on a piece of foil, on a baking sheet. Fold the sides of the foil straight up, maybe an inch. Pour the sauce over top of the fish, and cook in the oven for 18-20 minutes, depending on how thick the fish is. Use a spatula to remove the fish from the baking sheet, and the skin sticks to the foil and comes very easily away from the fish.

I use foil under the fish because of the sugar in this marinade - when it's cooked at a high temperature, and the sauce the runs off the fish onto the sheet it burns and turns into black char and is really hard to clean off the baking sheet, so it's easier to just throw the foil away.

Thai pineapple quinoa:
1 cup quinoa, dry
2 cups water or chicken stock
about 1/2 cup pineapple, sliced into small pieces
about 1/4 cup unsalted cashews
about 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Combine quinoa with water or chicken stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Mix in pineapple, cashews, and cranberries. Those measurements are very loose...mix in however much looks good to you.

I say this is a version of Thai pineapple fried rice, just because it has some of the same components as a dish we used to order from a Thai restaurant in Chelsea. It also had egg and scallions and sausage in it, but the best part was the pineapple. Next time I might add a few more things to it.




Faux Caesar salad for 4 people (I usually cut in half):
2 rolls, cut into cubes
1 tsp. garlic salt
3 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil + extra for croutons
1 Tbl. mayonnaise
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbl. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
3 bunches Romaine hearts, torn into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the bread cubes with some olive oil, and season with garlic salt. Bake on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. While the croutons bake, prepare the dressing. Mix together the olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Pour over the lettuce in a big salad bowl, and add croutons when finished. Garnish with more parmesan and/or freshly ground pepper.

I have no idea where I got this recipe, it's been written in my recipe book for years. Probably from a magazine. I say it's faux Caesar salad because it doesn't have anchovies. I really like Caesar salad with anchovies, I would rather just make it at home without them because it's easier. Sorry, anchovies. But this dressing is really good! The homemade croutons really make the salad, they're nice and crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. You don't have to use rolls, if you have Italian or French bread that works too. It's just easier to buy the rolls if you don't want to buy a whole huge loaf of bread.