Salmon Filets with Balsamic Reduction
and Steamed Asparagus

Serves 2

3/4 lb. salmon filet, 1 inch thick

Olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 T unsalted butter

1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

Balsamic Vinegar reduction (recipe follows)

Cut the salmon filet into 2 equal portions. Brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried herbs.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and butter on medium high heat in a large skillet. Place filets flesh side down in skillet and cook without moving for about 2 minutes. Turn heat down and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Turn filets skin side down and cook until medium rare, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer filets to plates and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately with steamed, grilled or roasted asparagus.
 

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction:

1 cup balsamic vinegar

In a small saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer and cook until the vinegar is syrupy and reduced by half. (This will keep covered in refrigerator for several weeks.)

Asparagus:

1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed

In a medium Dutch oven, bring about two inches of water to a boil. Add asparagus and steam for four minutes. Drain. Toss lightly with olive oil, if desired, and season with salt and pepper.

Grilled Citrus Dill Salmon with Goat Cheese
Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

Serves 6

Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes

3 lbs. potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 to 3 T unsalted butter

1/2 cup to 3 /4 cup fat-free half and half or heavy cream

7 to 8 ounces chevre (goat cheese), room temperature

Salt and white pepper

Grilled Salmon

Olive oil

1 1.5 oz. package Citrus Dill Salmon Rub by Colorado Spice*

2 1/2 lbs. salmon, skin on

Steamed Green Beans

1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

For the potatoes: Cover potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer back into the pot. On low heat, stir to dehydrate for about 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Add butter and mash with a hand-held masher. Warm half and half in a small sauce pan (or in the microwave) and add to potatoes. Stir and add slices of goat cheese until smooth while seasoning with salt and pepper.

Prepare fish: Preheat grill to medium high heat. Cut salmon into 6 portions. Brush salmon filets with olive oil and cover with Citrus Dill Salmon Rub mixture. Dip a kitchen towel in canola oil and quickly rub the grill grates (or spray with no-stick cooking spray). Place the salmon filets skin side down on the grill and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook to medium rare for another 3 to 4 minutes.   

Green beans: Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Rinse beans and trim their stems. Boil until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl. While beans are hot, drizzle with olive oil. Toss gently with hands to coat. Sprinkle with plenty of sea salt, toss, and serve while still warm.

*Found in specialty markets such as Paul Anthony's in Jackson.

Honey coated Salmon and Couscous

Chef Lee Craven shares his method for preparing salmon at Madidi Restaurant in Clarksdale. He suggests pairing the salmon with couscous as a likewise simple and healthy side dish.

2 salmon filets

Canola oil

Honey

Salt and pepper

For couscous, follow directions on the box. Meanwhile, season the salmon on both sides. Heat a pan with canola oil until the oil starts to smoke. Place the salmon in the hot oil laying it away from you so you don't get splashed with the oil. Resist the temptation to shake the pan or turn the salmon.   Let a golden brown surface start to form on the salmon. (This usually takes about 2 minutes.)   Do not flip the salmon. Place the skillet in a 450-degree oven for about 5 minutes. Take the skillet out of the oven and transfer the salmon to plates. Brush honey on the crispy side of the salmon. Serve with couscous.

Oven Poached Salmon with Fresh Herb Sauce

Shelley Young, The Chopping Block

6 salmon filets

1 cup white wine

1 cup water

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place salmon filets, not touching, in a ceramic baking dish. Add about equal parts wine and water until liquid reaches 1/3 of the way up sides of fish. Sprinkle. Sprinkle filets with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven until just opaque but not flaking, about 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Remove from liquid with a slotted spatula and serve with sauce (recipe below).

Fresh Herb Sauce:

1 /2 cup (packed) chopped fresh arugula or spinach

2 tablespoons fresh herb leaves (parsley, basil, tarragon)

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallots

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 teaspoons champagne vinegar

Ground white pepper

Combine greens, herbs, wine and shallots in heavy sauce. Stir over medium heat until greens wilt, about 2 minutes. Add cream and vinegar. Boil until reduced to sauce consistency, about 10 minutes. Transfer sauce to a blender or food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Season to taste and reheat if necessary.   DM

Classic Mojito

Blue Parrot Café, Greenwood

Making mojitos at the Latin-inspired Blue Parrot Café is serious business. Their signature cocktails take a little time to concoct, but it's worth the wait. Master mixologist Les Shanks shares his very own step-by-step method of creating a classic mojito, which he makes with real sugar rather than simple syrup. The result is a refreshing, lighter and not-too-sweet mojito.

Fresh mint, about 16 leaves per drink

2 teaspoons sugar

1 lime, halved

Lite rum

Club soda

1. Place mint leaves (about 8 to 10) in the bottom of a highball glass.

2. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar and the juice squeezed from half of a lime. Drop the lime half in the bottom of the glass.

3. With a muddler, muddle the mixture to meld the flavors together.  

4.Fill the glass with ice.

5.In a cocktail shaker, add about 12 cubes of ice and about 6 more mint leaves. Squeeze lime juice (about 1/4 of a lime) in the shaker. Muddle mint about 4 or 5 times to bring out the mint flavor.

6.Add 3 ounces (about 2 jiggers) of lite rum. Shake vigorously for 5 to 10 seconds.

7.Strain into highball, filling the glass and stopping about one inch from the top.

8. Fill to the top with club soda.

9. Push a straw down into the bottom of the glass until it reaches the mint leaves, stabbing them to make them float and mix the rum. Serve.

Mango Mojito

With the new Rose's brand mojito mixers, KC's Restaurant bartender Emily Tillman creates mojitos with a tropical twist.  

10 mint leaves

3 1/2 wedges of limes

3/4 ounce Rose's Cocktail Infusions Mango Twist Mix

1 1/2 ounces lite rum

3/4 ounce simple syrup (or to taste), recipe follows

Add mint leaves to a rocks glass and squeeze limes in the glass. Muddle mixture and fill glass with ice. Add Roses' cocktail mix, rum and simple syrup.

Easy Mint Tea

You'll love this lemony mint tea recipe from a consummate Southern cook, Maie Pope Bell, of Leland. Made with a can of frozen lemonade concentrate, it's perfect for summer picnics with the family at the lake.

1/2 gallon water

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tea bags, family size

3 to 4 sprigs of mint

1 six-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate

Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Add tea bags and boil until tea is a dark color. Add mint. Cover with lid and steep until cool (3 to 4 hours).

Remove tea bags and mint. Strain into a gallon glass jar. (A gallon dill pickle jar is perfect. Just be sure to wash with hot water with a little soda added before using for the first time.)

Stir in frozen lemonade. Add water almost to the top of the jar to make one gallon. Stir. To serve, STIR thoroughly (lemonade goes to the bottom) and pour into a pitcher. Pour into mint julep cups filled with ice and a sprig of mint for a cool and refreshing "minty" summer drink.

Raspberry Mojito

This signature cocktail on the menu at The Landmark Grill + Lounge in Chicago   was so memorable, we requested the recipe!

Fresh raspberry puree*

Fresh limes

5 or 6 mint leaves

1 1/2 ounces Bacardi Razz Rum

Club soda

In a rocks glass, add raspberry puree and mint leaves. Squeeze about 1/2 lime into the glass and muddle the mixture to meld the flavors. Fill the glass with ice. Add Bacardi Razz Rum and top with club soda. With a cocktail shaker, flip the mixture back and forth from the glass to the shaker to mix. Garnish with lime wedge.

Raspberry Puree:

            Puree fresh raspberries and simple syrup (to taste) in a blender.