Thai-style Salmon & Salad

This is a delicious recipe I have adapted from this original one. I have been having so much fun cooking and experimenting! This one is a definite winner.  It serves 2, but is very easy to adapt for more (in fact, the marinade will probably do for up to 4 salmon fillets).

Ingredients:
Salmon:
Small bunch coriander, washed
2 cloves garlic, crushed (Always try and keep fresh garlic in the house, it has along shelf life and has an extra something special over the jar kind)
2 green chillies, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger (the ginger in a jar is OK too, but fresh is always better)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 salmon fillets

Salad: 
100g thin vermicelli noodles
150g snow peas, washed and cut in thin strips
Small handful cherry tomatoes, washed and quartered
1 long red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil

Method:
1. In a food processor blend together the coriander leaves and stalks, ginger, garlic, chilli, lime juice and fish sauce and process until smooth.

2. Place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish and pour over the sauce. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, to make the salad place the rice noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 8 minutes or until noodles are ready. Drain and rinse with cold water.  Combine rice noodles, snow peas and cherry tomatoes in a bowl. To make the salad dressing combine the red chilli, lime juice, fish sauce and peanut oil in a glass dish (I just use a small Pyrex measuring jug). Put to one side. Dress the salad immediately before serving. (Both of these items can be make in advance, simply cover and place in the fridge.)

4. Heat a small amount of peanut oil in a frypan over med-high heat and place the salmon, skin side down, scraping off most of the marinade. Cook for around 5 minutes, turn, and cook for a further 5 minutes. You can cook for more or less time depending on your preference. (I like to cover the frypan with a makeshift lid so the salmon cooks in the middle faster as the husband doesn't like rare fish.)

Serve and enjoy!

Sichuan Beef with Chilli & Capsicum

I made this delicious recipe the other night for dinner and would love to share. It was very easy and because it's a stir fry - quick!

Ingredients:
700g beef fillet, thinly sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger [I just used the jar in my fridge]
2 Tbsp peanut oil
4 shallots, ends trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths
1 red capsicum, seeded & thinly sliced
1 yellow capsicum, seeded & thinly sliced
1 fresh long red chilli, thinly sliced diagonally
1 fresh long green chilli, thinly sliced diagonally
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
Steamed rice, to serve
Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve

Method:
1. Combine the beef, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and half the garlic and ginger in a medium bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes to marinate. Drain the beef, reserving any of the marinade.

2. Heat a wok over high heat. Add half the oil and heat until just smoking. Swirl to coat. Stir-fry one third of the beef for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a place. Repeat, in 2 more batches, with the remaining beef, reheating the wok between batches. [I just cooked mine in 1 lot, I'm not 100% sure what the difference is with the cooking in batches. I'll try it next time to see]

3. Heat remaining oil in the wok. Add the shallot, combined capsicum, combined chilli and remaining garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until capsicum is tender crisp. Add the beef, remaining soy sauce, reserved marinade and hoisin sauce. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Serve with steamed rice and coriander sprigs.