Marinated-Lemon Grilled Salmon

Lemon & Herb Marinated Salmon

This marinated salmon is fresh salmon fillets flavored with olive oil, garlic and herbs, then grilled or baked to perfection. You'll want to grill salmon all summer long after you taste this easy marinade!

Ingredients: 
4 salmon fillets 4-6 ounces each
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
lemon wedges for serving
Directions:
Place the olive oil, honey, soy sauce, lemon zest, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk to combine.

Reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade for later use. Add the garlic to the bowl.

Add the salmon and marinade to a resealable freezer bag and seal. Shake to coat the salmon with the marinade.

Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours.
Remove the salmon from the marinade and scrape off any excess bits of herbs or garlic (otherwise they could burn on the grill!).

Grilling instructions: Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over medium high heat. Add the salmon fillets and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until salmon is opaque throughout.

Oven instructions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the salmon fillets on a sheet pan lined with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.
Brush the reserved marinade over the salmon fillets, then serve with lemon wedges if desired.  Serves 4

TIPS:
First, make sure you buy skin-on salmon fillets. If you remove the skin before cooking, the fish will surely fall apart. The skin helps hold the flesh in place. Fish skin in a good thing!

Get your grill really hot before you start cooking. If you have a thermometer on your grill make sure it reaches about 500F before you begin. When using charcoal, most of the charcoal should be white before you start grilling. If your gas grill doesn’t have a thermometer, hold your hand a few inches above the grill and if you only last about 1 second, the grill is not enough.

Probably the most important step, clean your grill and generously grease the grates using long tongs and vegetable oil soaked paper towels. You can clean and grease the grates when you first turn on the gas grill, but make sure you grease it again just before adding the fish fillets. If you want to grease the grates three different times during the preheating process, all the better! Vegetable oil is your new best friend when it comes to grilling fish.

Finally, place the flesh side of the fish on the grill first with the skin side facing up. Grill the fish until it’s almost cooked through before turning. It should easily release from the grates once it has a good char. Once turned, you’ll only need a few minutes to finish it off, so don’t over-cook. Dry fish is not as good as juicy fish!

Apple Fennel Flatbread

                                           

Apple Fennel Flatbread

Ingredients:

1 pound pre-made pizza dough
1 apple, cored, halved, thinly sliced
1 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced, fronds reserved for garnish
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
¼ cup of grated gruyere
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475° and bring pre-made pizza dough to room temperature.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto a foil-lined sheet pan. Using your fingers or a brush, spread the oil into an even layer.

Stretch and shape pizza dough to fill as much of your pan as possible. 

Drizzle dough with a few tablespoons of olive oil and a generous sprinkle of salt.

Top with apples, fennel, thyme leaves, and grated gruyere cheese. 

Once again, drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with salt.

Bake the flatbread for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melty and bubbly and the crust is golden brown.

Slice into wedges and sprinkle with reserved fennel fronds.

Serves 1 - 2

Caramelized Carrot Salad WithThe French 75 Cocktail'

                                                          file photo

Caramelized Carrot Salad With 

The French 75 Cocktail

Raise a toast with this cocktail while indulging in classic summer salad utilizing French techniques.

In my hometown in northern Ohio,  a farm located on a rural highway known as Sandy Ridge has been reborn.  In my youth it was known as Swabley's Fruit Farm.  Today it is known as the best place in the area for great dining.  A chef named Jamie McFadden who was trained in French dining, recreated a business known as the place to meet and greet friends!  Jamie shared two recipes which I am sharing with you!

The French 75 Cocktail
The French 75 cocktail was originally created at the New York Bar in Paris in 1915. The combination of gin, lemon juice, Champagne, and sugar was said to have a kick like a French 75mm gun! Serve on the 
rocks or make a pitcher and freeze slightly.
Ingredients:
In a shaker combine:
2 ounces lemon juice
2 ounces gin
2 teaspoons simple syrup
1 cup ice cubes
Pour into Collins glasses and top off with:
4 ounces chilled Sandy Ridge Sparkling Riesling
Garnish with: 
1 lemon slice
1 cherry

Caramelized Carrot Salad with Radicchio and Citrus
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 4x1/2-inch sticks
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons thyme leaves, divided 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, divided
2 medium red onions, sliced into thin strips
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoon honey
2 heads radicchio (about 11 ounces), cut chiffonade
4 oranges, peeled, sliced into 1/2-inch half moons/segments
2 cups parsley leaves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes; set aside.

Cook carrots, 2 Tbsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. thyme, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. red pepper, and 1 cup water in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until water is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp. oil in another large skillet over medium-high. Add onions, 1 tsp. salt, and remaining 1 Tbsp. thyme and 1/4 tsp. red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned and tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Whisk garlic, vinegar, orange juice, honey, and remaining 1/4 cup oil and 3/4 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Add carrot mixture, onion mixture, radicchio, orange slices, and parsley and toss to coat. Top with reserved almonds. Entertain deliciously! Serves 8

Chef Jamie McFadden is the chef and proprietor of Sandy Ridge Vineyards & Mercantile at 180 Ohio 61 E., Norwalk and the Founder of Cuisiniers Catered Cuisine & Events in Winter Park, Fla.