Wild Salmon w Brown Butter Lime Sauce

I recently dined at Le Bouchon here in Chicago and had a salmon dish that influenced my recipe! Wild caught salmon is the least "fishy" tasting variety and has numerous health benefits. I guarantee kids and adults will love this recipe! Kids will eat anything they help you prepare.

BROWN BUTTER is liquid gold; it gives depth to any recipe! When a baking recipe calls for butter, brown it and you will love the added caramel like flavours.

Recipe serves 4 adults
Ingredients
4 6-8 oz similar size and thickness wild caught salmon fillets  
4 T high quality unsalted butter
6 T high quality olive oil
2 tsp raw blonde honey
1 light shake cayenne pepper (optional)
6 T juice of 3-4 limes, buy more limes to use as garnish (optional)
1/4 C white or regular balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 container organic grape tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus
2-4 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper

Cooking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Wash and prep veg - mince garlic, cut grape tomatoes in half, cut ends off asparagus and set aside in saute pan w 3 T olive oil, salt and pepper.
- In baking dish, non stick spray, 3 T lime juice, salt and pepper. Pat dry the salmon fillets and season well both sides w salt and pepper. Put in oven for 15-20 min depending upon size. *You can turn oven to broil to brown the top side of salmon last 3 min (optional).

- While salmon cooks, in a sauce pan, melt the butter until browned. **Butter will foam/splash and then suddenly stop when browning begins. Do not walk away during this process. Take off heat when you see light brown bits in pan. See photo below.
- Take browned butter off heat, add 1-2 cloves garlic, 1 T olive oil, 2T lime juice, honey, 1 shake cayenne (optional), salt and pepper. Taste. 
- Pull salmon out of oven and spoon a little of the butter sauce on fillets reserving half for serving and bake for remaining time.
- Also saute your veg on medium for 8 min. Stir throughout and add balsamic at 5 min (optional). It will bubble and then reduce. Taste asparagus for doneness (See photo below).

BON APPETIT!

My Tour of Bread! Support Local Small Businesses!

I took an incredible artisan, "Tour of Breads" course w Chef Ciril Hitz in Rehobeth, MA. We coined him, "#breadgod." As a small class of 6, we learned so much in just 3 days! Yet another fabulous culinary adventure worthy of a pictorial - the photos say it all!

Focaccia dough made w poolish

Brioche

Hearth bread

Danish

Spelt Loaf

Babka

Stollen Loaf

Pain du Chocolat!

Croissant

Pretzel

Fire oven pizza!

Cinnamon Rolls!

Panentone

**Apologies if this has caused sugar and carb cravings! 

Like many passionate food artisans, Chef Hintz sells his products at local farmer's markets and bakeries in MA. Keep exploring new food and support your local businesses! Buy bread, a dress to a box of nails from a small local shop vs a large chain store. It may take more of your time, but small businesses cannot survive moving forward without full community support!

Soup that Cures all that Ails you!

It's cold and gloomy January here in Chicago and I made a soup that will cure all that ails you! We are double dosing vitamin C and D these days! This minestrone style recipe is easy and versatile. It can be prepared with any veg, meat and broth you wish. Be creative! This soup freezes well and great to have on hand for future sick days!

Ingredients

1-2 large cans no salt added organic vegetable stock or chicken/turkey broth (enough to cover all contents in pot)

2 cups water 

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2-4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 leek (white and green), chopped

1 handful organic green beans, cut into half inch pieces

1 large organic yellow squash and zucchini cut in half circle pieces

1 can organic garbanzo beans/chickpeas rinsed (optional, adds protein)

1 can adzuki beans rinsed (optional, neutral flavor and adds protein and fiber)

1 can organic, no salt added diced tomatoes w juices.

1 T tomato paste (optional)

4 links sweet or hot Italian style turkey sausage, browned and cut into small pieces (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Red pepper flakes (optional for heat)

Fresh parsley, herbs, spinach, kale (optional)

Rice or pasta (optional)

Directions

- In large pot, add 2 T oil of your choice and saute medium heat the onions and leeks, stir to avoid browning. Add garlic at the end.

 - Remove sausage casings and brown in separate pan until cooked.

- Add all meat, chopped veg and beans to pot.

- Add liquids to cover 2-4 inches above contents of pot.
- Prepare any rice or pasta, drain and set aside.

- Simmer soup on low heat for 20-30 minutes.

- Taste and add tomato paste if you want more tomato flavor. 

- Add salt and pepper to taste as needed.

- Add any fresh herbs such as parsley, kale or spinach day of serving.

- If you need more liquid for soup, add more stock or water.

Bon Appetit!