healthy

Seared Salmon & Soba Noodles with Ginger Yuzu Sauce /  by Judy Kim

by Judy Kim

Seared Salmon & Soba Noodles with Ginger Yuzu Sauce

Yield: 4 servings

Let's be honest, this dish is all about the sauce. Double it, triple it. I know you're going to want to put it on everything!

INGREDIENTS

4 salmon pieces, about 2 pounds

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1-inch piece of unpeeled organic ginger, thinly sliced against the grain

4 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1/3 cup low-sodium chicken stock

2 tablespoons mirin

1 tablespoon yuzu juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1 scallion, thinly sliced on diagonal

Black sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

  1. Rinse and dry salmon thoroughly. Place salmon on sheet pan and season with salt and black pepper, set aside.

  2. In the bowl of a mini food processor, add garlic and ginger. Pulse until finely minced. Note: There is a lot of flavor in the skin of ginger, so try to buy organic and just give it a quick wash.

  3. Warm a large saucepan over med heat and add 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil. Sauté garlic and ginger until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, Sriracha, chicken stock, mirin, yuzu juice and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium-low until slightly reduced, about 7 to 8 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, cook soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

  5. In a large skillet over medium-high heat add 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil. When oil is hot but not smoking, place salmon skin side up. Sear on each side until crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Flip salmon only once.

  6. Serve salmon skin side up over bed of soba noodles. Spoon sauce over salmon and noodles. Garnish with scallions and black sesame seeds. Serve remaining sauce on the side if desired.

Heirloom Tomato, Nectarine and Arugula Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette /  by Judy Kim

by Judy Kim

Heirloom Tomato, Nectarine and Arugula Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings

This is more of an assembly of ingredients than a recipe, which is exactly how I like to cook in the Summer. It's easy to pull together especially after a run to the Union Square Greenmarket, the largest farmers market in NYC. There's always so much to choose from, but I wanted to keep this salad simple. I like to marinate the tomatoes in the beginning to give them a garlicky touch. Letting them sit for 5 minutes or longer helps minimize the raw garlic flavor. Using a fine micro grater helps in that department too. (Grating is my favorite discovery, plus its faster than mincing!) Regardless the vinegar and nectarines will balance it out with just a touch of sweetness.  If you don't have a specialty vinegar use balsamic vinegar, it will still be delicious!

You could add some burrata to this to make this a light lunch with a crusty loaf of bread and salted butter.  A glass of rosé would be nice too.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound mix of heirloom and green tomatoes, in various shapes and sizes

1 garlic clove, grated on microplane

Flaky sea salt

5 ounces arugula

3 nectarines, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup diced red onion

Grapefruit balsamic vinegar such as The Filling Station vinegar

Extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cut tomatoes in half or quarters. In a large bowl mix tomatoes with garlic and season with sea salt. Set aside for 5 minutes.

  2. In a large platter arrange arugula greens, nectarines, red onion and tomatoes.

  3. Drizzle with grapefruit vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Finish with sprinkle of flaky sea salt.