My daughter had an interview this week. Her very first interview, ever. I kissed and hugged her endlessly and sent her off to the interview, down a lonely hallway, all by her lonesome, (I know, aye vey!) without even uttering good luck or bye or I love you my baby. I was so anxious, choked up and emotional. If I had said one word, the tears would have fallen like rain during a hurricane—category 5 mind you…[somehow my tear glands are connected to my mouth…go figure] and this is just a Junior High School interview people. Not high school. Not a driving test. Not Harvard or Yale. Not even for a job! When we arrived home, her Dad asked her about the interview and she responded cheerfully, “it was great, but you better check on Mummy, she wasn’t doing too well”. Sigh….I am sure the other parents were just as emotional!
Parenting is difficult, and at the same time, my babies are growing so quickly! The days, weeks, months and years are speeding by. I wish it would slow down. It’s really unbelievable that we are already in the middle of March 2013! 2013? !!!!! ……..
Since the beginning of the year, I have been making a calculated attempt to eat fish regularly. I have been surprisingly successful thanks to this and a few other fish recipes I developed. This recipe was inspired by a meal I had at Mummy’s house. So inspired I came home and wrote down a recipe draft and tested it only twice with consistent results. That only means one thing folks—it is foolproof! [Not calling anyone a fool or anything..]
[My fish (and salad) lover]
Jack Lalane, who once said “If man made it don’t eat it”, would be so proud of me! There is much truth to that statement and this recipe embodies that belief. Simple, natural, wholesome ingredients combined to create a result so savory, highly flavorsome, posolutely flavorful and absitively flavorific![Note to my kids–those aren’t real words] Recipes like this excite me, makes me want to sing, dance and cry because it’s so good..and so good for you too… Who needs bouillon cubes, seasoning salts and other ingredients with so called “natural flavors”….? Not I, thank you.
Serve it with quinoa, roasted cauliflower for a super healthy meal, or with plain jasmine rice, brown rice or boiled ground provisions (Green fig, yam, cassava, sweet potato etc) for a healthy meal or with corn dumplings for a typical happy, “ah-love-meh-damn-belly, doh-tell-meh-nut ing-bout-healthy” Trini meal (you know who you are..).
Salmon is a good source of magnesium, potassium, selenium, B-6, B-12, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids—the good stuff. Use wild salmon if available…and affordable. It is recommended to eat fatty fish 2 times per week to obtain all the omega 3’s your body needs.
I use fresh coconut milk, but for the sake of convenience you may use canned. However, please read the ingredients and choose the best quality; minimum ingredients and no preservatives, additives or strange words you don’t understand and can’t pronounce. Those words just mean “ I am going to k i l l you…slowly”…..Plain talk..No kidding.
Ria’s Steamed Salmon in Tomato-Coconut Sauce
Serves 4-6
4 salmon steaks (about 2 pounds)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic
4 plum tomatoes (about 1 lb)
½ red sweet pepper
½ yellow or orange sweet pepper
8 small, young ochroes, tops sliced off
2 pimientos peppers, chopped, (optional if difficult to find)
2 scallions, chopped
6 thyme sprigs
2 cups fresh coconut milk (or ½ can if thick, 1 can if thin)
Habanero, Scotch bonnet, or other hot pepper, to taste, seeded and sliced (optional but highly recommended, helps balance the flavors)
Juice of 1 lemon for washing fish
Approx. 3 teaspoons Himalayan salt (you probably need less if using table salt)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1. Prepare Fish: Wash fish briefly with water and juice of a lemon. Drain.
Season with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper.
2. Prep Work: Wash vegetables, remove seeds from sweet peppers, slice tomatoes and pimientos, grate garlic, remove tops from ochroes, peel and slice onion…….Update your status on Facebook advising everyone that you are making steamed salmon in a tomato-coconut sauce and corn dumplings(from cookingwithria.com)….you know, the usual…..
3. Cook onion and garlic: In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
Add onion and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add garlic, sauté for another minute.
4: Add ingredients: Add tomatoes, sweet peppers, green seasoning, cook 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
5. Add coconut milk: Add coconut milk, ochroes, pimientos, scallions, thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Add salt (keep in mind that the fish also has salt) and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Add fish: Place fish in coconut sauce and, cover and cook for 7-10 minutes, spooning sauce over fish occasionally (do not flip fish), until fish changes color and flakes easily.
The salmon will spring forth its delicious juices…..
Be gentle when removing from pot…Do not serve with thyme sprigs..
Enjoy!!!!
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Here is the recipe for the dumplings I made. I don’t use baking powder because I like my dumplings stiff and chewy, with a nice bite to it…….I wanted to create a separate post for this, but you may be waiting forever for it…so here it is…..If I ever decide to move it from here, I will be sure to provide a link to the new location…
(Please forgive the missing pieces…I couldn’t resist!
Btw..My Hubbie helped with the shaping..
p.s. make it any shape you are comfortable with….)
Cornmeal and Flour Dumplings
Serves 4-6
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup fine corn meal (Non GMO if you can find it!)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons raw brown sugar
About 1 cup water
For boiling dumplings:
1 tablespoon green seasoning (optional)
Salt
In a large bowl combine, cornmeal, flour, salt and sugar.
Gradually add water to make a soft dough.
In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups of water to boil(maybe a little less if it is a narrow saucepan). Add salt.
Pinch of pieces of dough and shape like the pic above, rolling between the palms of your hands making the middle thicker than the ends, and then flattening.
(Use a dusting of flour, if required, to keep it from sticking to your hands)
Drop gently into boiling water and boil for 10 minutes.
Serve with stewed or curried chicken or fish.
Until next time,
With love…for fish..and beautiful, delicious food…
Ria
What other type of fish do you recommend? I cannot eat salmon. Your second one and my second one could be twins…they like the same food…fish and salad 🙂 Oh no! I pressed the star and the tab next to it and not sure what happened 🙁 Sorry!
I am very impressed with some kids nowadays…those were definitely not my favorites as a child!! You may use any firm fish.pompano, snapper, carite, king fish etc..
So I made my salmon in coconut milk today….and let me just say it will definitely be a dish that I will be making time after time….thanks Ria.
Great to hear, Hazel! Thank you for trying my recipe and leaving a comment!
Salmon that color has been colored artificially, especially by what they feed the fish. Real salmon is GREY. That is not natural and Jack Lalane (the idiot) would be ashamed.
Farm raised salmon is grey and wild caught looks like Ria’s. And you know our girl only uses the best ingredients for her family. No shame in that.
I tried this cooking this recently and it turned out excellent…you're truly gifted Ria..thanks so much for sharing 😊