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Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Crispy Salmon with Spinach Risotto

WOW. So good. This was I think one of the best dinners that Ben and I have ever made. The fact that it was so fabulous and so healthy too is just a huge plus. I was almost speechless to how good this dinner was, so filling and healthy! Yay. I wish I could serve this to anyone who is doubtful that healthy food tastes good. This meal puts all those bad ideas to rest. Healthy food is good food too.


It was really good that I didn't have work today and happened to be watching the Today Show this morning where Jamie Oliver was on and showed how to clean leeks. This was my first experience with leeks and both Ben and I loved them, they added a lot of flavor without being overwhelming. They are from the onion and garlic family of vegetables and have a milder onion flavor. They look like an overgrown chive almost two inches thick. You need to clean between the layers to make sure all of the dirt comes out, cut off the end and the tops of the green leaves. Chop and go. Yum. I can't wait to make something else with them. We found the original recipe here, however like always we add and subtract things.

Spinach Risotto

2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 generous cup chopped leek
3/4 cup Arborio rice
1 Tbsp white wine
3 cups chopped spinach
4 mini plum tomatoes chopped
1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt*
pepper*
fresh rosemary*

*All to taste.

Salmon

1 tsp olive oil
2 5 oz fillets of salmon*
salt
pepper
fresh thyme

*10 oz of Salmon is about .65 pounds.


To prepare the risotto bring the broth to a simmer (to add in later) in a small sauce pan. In a medium sauce pan heat the oil over medium to high heat and add in the leeks, let them start to cook down about 3 minutes until tender. Add the rice to toast it, about a minute or two. Add in the wine to de-glaze the pan. Cook for 30 seconds or so until absorbed by the rice. Slowly add in the broth 1/2 a cup at a time until all absorbed should be about 25 minutes. Stir frequently.

Once all the broth is absorbed add in the spinach, tomatoes, cheese, salt, pepper and rosemary. Stir until the spinach has wilted and tomatoes have been brought up to warm. Turn off the heat and plate.

While adding in the broth to the risotto you should start on the Salmon if you want everything finished at the same time. Heat the oil in a pan over medium to high heat. Coat the salmon with the herbs and then place the salmon skin side up and cook until fish has turned to whitish pink, and then flip to the skin side down to finish cooking. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fillet. Fish will start to flake when ready.

This made 3 servings of the risotto and 2 servings of the fish. The original nutrition information that came from Cooking Light says 569 calories and 18.8 grams of fat. Since I took out one part of the original recipe (they roasted tomatoes with oil and garlic) and took out the half and half from the risotto. I think that we had a similar amount of calories that the original recipe reads even with the additional risotto. Also most of the fat in this recipe comes from the salmon which is really healthy fat. This meal also had 37 grams of protein which is almost crazy for me.


So you need to make this. That's it, no discussions you make this and you see healthy food is good and filling and makes you feel so good too. You ate something, you're full and tomorrow you're not going to feel like you ate the world, or like your arteries are closing from the fat. You're going to feel good, and when you feel good you're just a better, happier (maybe even lighter) person.

1 comment:

test it comm said...

That looks like a really tasty meal!