Salumi Salami and Meats and Essential Bakery Walnut Bread

This is truly the easiest meal to cook which does not involve cooking at all.

Ingredients:
As much of and as many kinds of salami and other meats from Salumi Artisan Cured Meats located in Seattle and praised by many food magazines and food critics. Even if you are not in Seattle you can order their delicious products online.
Some good fresh baked bread. My current favorite is Walnut Bread from the Essential Baking Company in Seattle.

Enjoy!

Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic

This is a recipe I have been using for several years to cook lamb chops medium-rare.

Ingredients:

4 lamb chops, each about 1 ½ inch thickness

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped

olive oil

salt and pepper

Preparation: 

Mix garlic, rosemary, 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl. Rub the lamb chops generously with the mixture. Salt and pepper on both sides. Put lamb chops side by side in a glass bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and fry lamb chops on high heat for about 3 minutes a side, so that each side gets a nice brown color. Make sure chops don’t burn - turn them few times if needed to prevent burning. Fry chops for about 1 minute on the fat side to get it crispy and brown.

1.      

Fried Chanterelle Mushrooms with Shallots

I grew up picking chanterelles, porcinis and other mushrooms in a late summer and early fall in the forests of Russia and Lithuania. After picking mushrooms my family would fry them in a pan with onion and potatoes. It was so delicious to eat this meal after long day in the forest. Below is a picture of a chanterelle mushroom I picked this past fall in Lithuania. But usually in Seattle I buy them at PCC Natural Markets, or Farmers' Markets.

Here is a simple recipe for fried chanterelle mushrooms with shallots.

Ingredients:

1/2 - 3/4 lb of chanterelle mushrooms, washed and cleaned
1 medium shallot, thinly chopped.
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil - 3 tablespoons

Preparation:

1. Chop chanterelles into small pieces (1/4-1/2 of an inch).

2. Pour oil in a pan and fry shallots on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until translucent. I usually use my Le Creuset French Oven for this dish.

3. Add chopped chanterelles to the pan, salt and pepper to taste and mix.

4. Mushrooms will release water. Once they start boiling in a pan, turn the heat down to medium-low and close the lid and let mushrooms cook for about 10 - 15 minutes until water evaporates, stirring occasionally. Then I reduce heat to low and let mushrooms simmer for another 15-20 minutes until cooked.

5. Below is a picture of the end result. You can serve this dish as a side to steak or any other dish, or by themselves with potatoes (mashed/fried).

Pan-Fried Salmon with Tom Douglas’ Rub with Love

I make salmon at least once a week. This recipe is my favorite. It is easy and tasty! Here is how to make it.

Ingredients:

1 lb of salmon fillet, sliced into 3 pieces (4 oz a piece)
2 tablespoons of Tom Douglas’ Rub with Love for Salmon
Salt 

·        Olive Oil

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 425F. Rub the flesh side of a salmon with a rub and sprinkle with salt. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into an ovenproof pan and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the pan is hot fry salmon flesh side down for 45 seconds ( avoid burning the fish). Turn the salmon over and transfer the pan into the oven. Bake salmon for 7-8 minutes for slightly rare inside or longer if you prefer it to be done. 

Quinoa Salad with Dried Cranberries and Roasted Cashews

 

I enjoy making salads with quinoa, a grain, which has a lot of protein. This salad is easy to make and is great as a side dish for salmon, chicken or just by itself. Here is a recipe for it.

Ingredients:

1 cup of dried red quinoa
2 cups of cold water
1 cup of raw cashews
1 cup of dried cranberries (sweetened of course!)
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
juice of half a lemon
Salt and Pepper
4 tablespoons of Olive Oil

Preparation:

1. In a pan combine dried quinoa and water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat so that quinoa is boiling, cover the pan with a lid, let cook for about 10-15 minutes until all water is absorbed and you can fork the quinoa. Transfer cooked quinoa to a big bowl and let it cool off.
2. Heat the oven to 425F degrees. Put cashews on a baking sheet and let roast for about 8-11 minutes until golden brown. Take cashews out and cool them off.
3. Once quinoa and cashews cooled off you can make the salad. To the bowl of quinoa add roasted cashews, dried cranberries, chopped cilantro, lemon juice, and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients together.
4. Notes: You can change amounts of quinoa, cranberries, cashews and cilantro to your taste. You can add more or less. I usually eyeball things when I cook.