Having a great story behind a recipe makes a difference for me. When I cook
it reminds me of my family and great times we've shared. These recipes remind
me of my grandparents, which always makes me smile.
Floor Salmon
This recipe comes from my amazing grandparents! My grandparents are the real
reason that my family loves food as much as we do. They are two of the most
amazing Cajun chefs around today. Their passion in the kitchen is what inspired
my mother and her sisters. Who in turned shared their passion with my
generation.
To set the scene for this story, my grandparents have a beautiful home on
the bayou in Southern Louisiana. Much like my husband and myself, my
grandfather mans the grill and my grandmother rules the kitchen. The first time
my grandparents made this recipe, my grandfather accidently dropped the salmon on
the floor on his way to the grill, rather than call it a day it was rinsed off,
re-seasoned and cooked. It turned out to be one of the best salmon recipes he
ever made! It is so yummy that it has been made many times since, excluding the
trip to the floor of course, but the name has stuck with it!
To make floor salmon, start with a nice raw salmon filet, whatever size you
need for the number you are cooking for. Mine was just over three quarters of a
pound and I planned it to be lunch for two days. For a dinner portion, you
might want a half pound serving per person. The first step is to soak the
salmon in milk for at least a couple hours. On a scientific level, I have no
idea what this does to the salmon, but it is worth trying! I rinsed the salmon
off and seasoned with salt and pepper. That's it!
Now, my grandfather put this on the grill, skin side down. I chose to roast
this in the oven at 375F. Keep an eye on it not to overcook it, you don't want
it dry. It felt a little undercooked to the touch when I pulled it out, but as
it cooled it was perfect, so don't be afraid.
This is the yummiest salmon I've ever made. It tastes so buttery and rich
and not at all fishy. I don't know how soaking it in the milk makes it so
decadent, but it works! This salmon is also really yummy leftover on a salad!
Mom’s Ratatouille
Solomon named this recipe for me. I love Disney movies, and have raised my boys
with them. When Ratatouille came out, it
became an instant hit in our house. My
boys began experimenting with different flavors and really got excited about
the kitchen. The best part about
ratatouille, the dish, is that it is all veggies, it is fresh, and tastes AMAZING. Until this movie, my boys were very hesitant
to give this dish a try, thanks to Disney it has become a favorite of theirs.
For this recipe, I decided to shake things up a bit. Traditionally Ratatouille is a veggie
stew. I was in an oven roasting mood yesterday,
so I decided to give it a go. I love the
flavor that roasting veggies in the oven have.
They become more intense and a little caramelized. I used an eggplant, zucchini, summer squash,
peppers, tomatoes and red onions. Using
my mandolin (cooking utensil, not the musical instrument), I evenly sliced my
veggies. If you don’t’ have one, a knife
works as well, just be careful about the evenness of your slices. The more uniform the cut, the more evenly
they cook. If you use a mandolin, be
very careful with your fingers. At this
point mine is off limits to the kids.
I seasoned the veggies with salt and pepper and lightly
drizzled them with grape seed oil. Then
I roasted them at 375, until they looked good.
If you like them crunchy, leave them in for less time, if you want them
softer leave them in longer. I tried
them a few times, until they were the consistency I was going for. When I pulled them out I sprinkled a little
red wine vinegar on them. I highly
advise not skipping the vinegar, maybe a tablespoon for the entire dish!
The first time I made Ratatouille for the boys, we watched the
movie as we ate it, and they had no idea what veggies they were eating because
they were caught up in the excitement of eating the food the movie was named
after. Now they love these veggies
regardless! Best part of all is a cup of
Ratatouille is only 40 calories! I serve
it with pasta or rice to help my boys with hallow legs fill up, but I find I don’t need
it! A bowl of this and I am good to go!
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