Tonight's Dinner

I made this for dinner two nights ago:

Jealous?!  Good.  Now you can make it too.  It's easy, quick, and inexpensive. Really.

This dinner took me about 15 min. total, and it tasted like heaven, leaving me insanely satisfied.
Also, the entire meal cost about $3.

Ingredients:
   *wild caught salmon - 1 filet
   *olive oil - 1 Tbl.
   *romaine lettuce- 1/4 of a head
   *carrots - 1/2 of one
   *celery - 1/2 of one stalk
   *tomato - 1/3 of one large
   *radishes - 2-3
   *red onion - 1 Tbl. diced
   *Bernstein's Garlic Parmesan Cheese Dressing - 1 Tbl.
   *brocolli - a fist size floret
   *sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

Let me let you in on a little Wal-Mart secret that you may not know.  Wal-Mart sells packages of wild caught salmon for only $5!  Regardless of how you feel about Wal-Mart, (I have my issues) this is one of the best buys there and it's totally worth stocking up on.  Each package contains 4-5 individually shrink wrapped fillets, and this salmon is SO good.  Just don't buy the farmed stuff - its not good for you and thers no taste like wild caught seafood.  If you're going to have salmon (or just about any seafood for that matter) always make sure the package says "Wild Caught".

Okay, so, here's how to make this delicious dinner:

1. Fill a small bowl of water with warm water and set it in the sink with a wrapped salmon fillet to thaw while you get the salad going.   
2. Start chopping vegetables (except for the broccoli) into small pieces and place in a medium sized bowl.  (The trick to experiencing all of the great flavors in a well stocked salad is to cut the ingredients into small pieces so you get a good sampling with each forkful.)
3. Fill a medium sized pot with about 3/4" of water and the broccoli and place on the stove on high with the lid on, slightly caulked to the side to allow steam to escape.
4. Place the olive oil in a small frying pan on the stove on medium.
5. Finish chopping vegetables while pan is heating olive oil.
6. Once pan is hot, add salmon fillet.
7. While it sears the underside, immediately evenly sprinkle fresh sea salt and a dash of pepper.
8. Turn salmon over and add salt and pepper to that side.
9. Turn burner down to low and put a lid on the salmon.
10. Drizzle salad dressing and sprinkle some sea salt on salad.  Toss with a large spoon until dressing has evenly coated all vegetables and vegetables are mixed well.
11. Check broccoli and turn off burner and drain when the broccoli is a bright green, tender, but not too soft.
12. Scoop salad onto a plate, add broccoli and salmon, and wa-la!  Dinner is served!

Tips & Notes:  

Seriously, the salmon should only cook for 5-7 minutes.  Don't buy into thinking you have to cook it longer.  Searing it on medium at the beginning cooks the outside and then cooking it on low with the lid on, seals in the juices and keeps the fillet moist.  Cooking it too long will dry it out.

For the salad, add just enough salad dressing that the vegetables remain crisp and flavorful, but not so much that they become overwhelmed or soggy.  The dressing and salt should enhance the wonderful combination of these vegetables and tie all of the flavors together so that you can still make out each individual flavor at the same time.

And let's talk sea salt.  Sea salt is salt that has been gleaned straight from the sea and is unrefined.  It tastes way better than regular salt and is stronger, thus, a little bit goes a long way.  Use it sparingly while you get used to using it, but I think you will love it, if you have never tried it before.

And finally the broccoli.  Some prefer theirs cooked until it's an odd green and very soft.  If you are one of those people, just try it this way once.  Cooking green vegetables just until their color is bright and no longer, ensures that you get the most vitamins out of that vegetable and retains their wonderful flavor.  

Okay, well, have a great dinner and tell me what you think afterwards!

Happy Wednesday!

~Callie