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Mediterranean Salmon Kabobs

Mediterranean Salmon Kabobs

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Yield: 5-6 Skewers
Mediterranean Dish

Salmon kabobs prepared Mediterranean-style with a garlicky, zesty marinade, zucchini and onions! Grilled, broiled or grill pan. Serve these with your favorite Mediterranean salads and sides and a little Tahini sauce or Tzatziki and some pita or naan.

Note: If you don’t like spicy, just use sweet paprika in the marinade.

  • 1½lb salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch to 2-inch cubes
  • 1zucchini, sliced into rounds
  • 1small red onion, cut into squares/chunks
  • optional: green pepper, cut into chunks.
  • Kosher salt and pepper

For marinade:

  • ¼-⅓cup olive oil
  • 1lemon, zested and juiced
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 2tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 2tsp dry oregano
  • 1tsp ground cumin
  • 1tsp mild Aleppo chili pepper (substitute: 1 tsp sweet paprika and a healthy pinch of cayenne)
  • ½tsp ground coriander


Marinate salmon:

In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, oregano, thyme, cumin, Aleppo pepper and coriander.

Place salmon pieces, zucchini and onions in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss briefly. Now pour the marinade over the salmon and toss again to make sure the salmon is well coated with the marinade. Let the fish marinate for about 15 to 20 minutes (see Cook’s Tip)

Build skewers:

Note: Skip the skewers for indoor cooking. Just broil (see below) or sauté in a large heavy skillet.

Beginning with salmon, thread salmon, zucchini and onions through skewers (if using wooden skewers, be sure to have soaked them for 30 minutes before using.)

Heat an outdoor grill (indoor grilling instructions in notes). Arrange salmon skewers on top and cover the grill. Grill salmon kabobs for 6 to 8 minutes, covered, or until the fish is opaque throughout, turning once midway through cooking (using tongs is the best way to turn the salmon skewers)

Cook’s tips:

The marinade packs the salmon with tons of flavor and acts as a brine to help keep it from drying out. If you want to give the salmon a little more time in the marinade for even more flavor, cover and refrigerate for one hour or so before grilling.

Indoor grilling instructions: brush a griddle or grill pan with a little bit of olive oil and heat on medium. Arrange the salmon kabobs in one layer (do this in batches if needed and do not crowd the kabobs). Cook for 3 to 5 minutes on side, turn over once and cook for another 4 minutes or so. If you like, you can cover them for even cooking.

Broiling instructions: Heat oven broiler. Line a quarter or half sheet pan with foil or Silpat for ease of cleaning. Add a baking rack to the pan and spray with cooking spray. Arrange salmon skewers on top of the baking rack and place about 5 to 6 inches below broiler. Cook on one side for 4 to 5 minutes, turn over and cook another 4 minute or so or until fish is opaque throughout.

Skewer less Broiling instructions: Heat oven broiler. Line a quarter or half sheet pan with foil or Silpat for ease of cleaning. Add a baking rack to the pan and spray with cooking spray. Arrange vegetables on one end of the top of the baking rack and place about 5 to 6 inches below broiler. Cook on one side for 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove from broiler. Add salmon to other end of pan and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove from broiler again and turn everything over. Broil for another 4 to 5 minutes or so or until fish is opaque throughout.

Hunan Beef

Hunan Beef

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

I am trying to duplicate the great Hunan Beef at Peking Garden in Carlsbad, CA (closed in 2017) which they describe as: Tender sliced beef sauteed with bell pepper, onion, mushroom in spicy Hunan sauce. I thought it also had zucchini.

Beef:

  • 1lb flank steak

Tenderize: (optional)

  • ¼tsp baking soda
  • 3TBS water

Marinade:

  • 1egg white
  • 1pinch white pepper
  • ¼tsp salt
  • 1-2½TBS of corn starch
  • 1TBS of oil

For the vegetables:

  • 1small green bell pepper
  • 1small red bell pepper
  • 1zucchini sliced ½-inch thick and quartered, optional
  • 8oz mushrooms, quartered
  • 8whole dried chili peppers
  • ½tsp granulated sugar
  • 2TBS hot water
  • ½tsp Chinese black vinegar

Sauce

  • 2tsp chili bean paste, (spicy Doubanjiang)
  • ½cup chicken broth
  • 1½TBS soy sauce
  • 2TBS oyster sauce
  • 2tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1tsp sugar, optional
  • 2tsp cornstarch

Beef:

Note: Tenderize the beef with a Jaccard before slicing. (optional)

Slice the beef with the blade tilted 45 degrees to get a thin cut through the grain.

Tenderize: (optional)

Mix 1/4 tsp baking soda and 3TBS water in a small bowl. Add beef and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Marinate:

In a bowl, add the beef, egg white, white pepper, salt, Mix well. Add 1 to 2 TBS of corn starch and mix well. Add 1 TBS of oil and mix again. Set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.

Premix sauce:

Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small container and set aside.

 Prep:

Cut the bell peppers into ¾-inch dice. Cut the zucchini length wise to quarter, then slice into ½-inch thick pieces. Quarter the mushrooms.

Stir fry:

Heat a wok and add a tablespoon of oil until just smoking. Add beef and stir fry until browned. Remove to bowl.

Add more oil to the wok, then add the bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and dried chilies. Stir fry for a minute then add sugar, water and black vinegar. Stir fry until tender crisp. Remove to the bowl with beef.

Sauce:

Mix the sauce a little and then pour into the wok. Cook until thickened and return beef and vegetables to wok and mix to coat. Stir fry to heat through.

Serve.

Colombian-Style Zucchini Rellenos

Colombian-Style Zucchini Rellenos

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Yield: 2 servings
Adapted from: https://www.skinnytaste.com/colombian-style-zucchini-rellenos/

These Stuffed Zucchinis, which are low-carb, Whole30, Keto, gluten-free, dairy-free and Paleo, are inspired from the Colombian dish, Pepino Rellenos.

  • 2medium zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise
  • 4oz 90% lean ground beef
  • kosher salt
  • ¼tsp cumin
  • 1½garlic cloves, minced
  • ⅓cup onion, diced
  • 1cup plum tomatoes, chopped fine
  • 1tsp olive oil
  • black pepper, to taste
  • ¼cup low sodium chicken broth

Using a small spoon scoop out and discard the seeds from the zucchini. Then use a spoon or melon baller, hollow out the center of the zucchini halves, leaving ¼-inch thick shell on each half.

Chop the scooped-out flesh of the zucchini in small pieces and set aside ⅓ of a cup to use in the meat filling, saving the rest to use in another recipe.

Drop the zucchini in boiling water for 1 minute, remove and drain.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp cumin until browned and cooked through, breaking up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the cooked meat to a bowl.

Add the oil to the skillet and cook the onions and garlic over medium heat until golden, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and simmer about 4 to 5 minutes, until it creates a sauce.

To the skillet, add ⅓ cup of the reserved chopped zucchini and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until soft, about 4 minutes.

Return the cooked meat to the skillet and simmer covered for about 8 minutes until tender. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting salt and pepper to taste as needed.

On a clean working surface, fill the hollowed-out zucchinis with the meat filling, dividing equally between each one.

Place the broth in large deep 6-quart saucepan with a fitted lid. Heat over medium heat and add the stuffed zucchini halves into the saucepan, cover and reduce heat to low, cook for about 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft and cooked through.

Serving: Calories: 214kcal, Carbohydrates: 15.5g, Protein: 17.5g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 129.5mg, Sodium: 119.5mg, Fiber: 4.5g, Sugar: 5g

Tuscan Vegetable Medley

Tuscan Vegetable Medley

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

This recipe was originally part of a baked Tuscan fish dish. The vegetables make such a great combination that they are worth making as a side.

  • 1medium onion chopped
  • olive oil
  • 1can (15 oz) great northern, cannelloni or navy beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 1small zucchini, chopped
  • 1-2garlic clove, minced
  • ¼cup white wine
  • ½tsp salt, divided
  • ¼tsp pepper, divided

Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped onion to a 3 quart sauce pan over medium heat and sweat just until the onion starts to soften.

Increase heat to medium high and add all of the remaining ingredients. Mix and cook until everything is hot, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve.

Salmon en Papillote

Salmon en Papillote

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Yield: 2 Servings
Scott Nowell

Circa 1993: I don’t make this often, but I’ve been doing it for a long time. This is a delicious fish and vegetable dish and you can vary the veg for new versions. I have included a simple dish of Sliced Potatoes with Chives below. Both recipes double or triple easily. You’ll get extra practice crimping parchment.  I will get some photos together soon showing the crimping process.

  • 26-8 oz boneless skinless salmon fillets
  • 1leek
  • 2carrots
  • 1medium zucchini
  • ½lb snow pea pods
  • dry white wine
  • vegetable oil
  • salt & black pepper
  • Parchment (baking paper)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.

Cut the base from the leeks and cut the leeks in the green white area. Discard the dark green leaves or save for stock. The remaining leeks should be about four inches long. Cut the leeks vertically in half. Separate the leaves and wash under running water to remove any grit or dirt. Re-stack the leaves and cut in half to make stacks two inches long. Julienne the leaks to form slender match sticks. All the vegetables should be cut to the same size.

Peel the carrots and cut into two inch lengths. Cut lengthwise and julienne to form match sticks the same size as the leeks.

Slice 1/8 to 1/4 inch planks from zucchini lengthwise. Julienne on the diagonal.

Remove the vein from the spine of the pea pods and trim the ends. Julienne the pea pods on a diagonal to the same width as the carrots and leaks.

Cut about a ten inch square of parchment and fold in half to make a 5 by 10 inch rectangle. Fold the open sides over to make about a half inch seam. Open the parchment again and brush a light coating of oil around the edges. This will help seal in the steam when the packages cook. For a fancier presentation, cut the paper into a ten by twenty inch rectangle, fold over to form a 10 by 10 square and cut into a heart shape. Be sure to leave one edge uncut.

In the center of one side of the parchment make a bed of the vegetables, using one quarter of each per package. Place one of the salmon portions on top of each vegetable bed. Pour a tablespoon of white wine over the salmon. Close the other side of the paper over the salmon and re-fold the packages. Fold the paper a couple of times and crimp the edges well to insure a tight seal.

Place the completed papillotes in a shallow sided baking sheet and bake for approximately fifteen minutes.

The papillotes will be very hot when taken from the over. They can be placed on individual plates and opened at the tables or opened in the kitchen and the contents placed on the plates. In either case, you might want to cut a small slit in the edge of each papillote and tip the package to let the excess liquid drain before serving.

Serve with Sliced Potatoes with Chives and a white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay.

Sliced Potatoes with Chives

Yield: 4 Servings
  • 4medium potatoes
  • water
  • 1tsp salt
  • 2TBS butter
  • 1TBS minced chives

Peel and slice potatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place in 1 1/2 quart sauce pan. Rinse a couple of times to remove excess starch, then add enough water to the pan to cover by 1/2 inch. Add 1 teaspoon salt to pan.

Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to strong simmer. Cook until tender, approximately 12 minutes.

Drain potatoes but keep in sauce pan. Add butter and chives to pan and cover for a few minutes. Carefully stir or swirl to coat and place in serving dish.

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera

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Serves 6 to 8
Adapted from Crème de Colorado Cookbook

1994: This is a labor intensive dish, peeling and seeding tomatoes is a chore, but well worth the effort. I should probably title this Pasta Semi-Primavera since I really like the addition of both chicken and kielbasa. The original didn’t include any meat.

  • 4medium zucchini, sliced (3-4 cups)
  • 2cups small broccoli florets
  • 8-16oz pasta
  • ⅓cup pine nuts
  • ¼cup olive oil
  • 1TBS minced garlic
  • 4large tomatoes, skinned and chopped (about 4 cups)
  • 1cup snow pea pods, cut in half diagonally
  • ¼tsp salt
  • ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 4TBS butter
  • ½cup heavy cream
  • 1cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼cup minced fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 1lb chicken, smoked sausage, kielbasa or combination. (Optional)

If using the optional chicken or sausage, cook and set aside.

Bring a gallon of water to a boil in 6-8 quart pot. When boiling add 1 TBS salt and stir.

While the water is heating, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Mix a couple of tsp of salt into the ice water.

Make a small X with a paring knife across the base of the tomatoes. Blanch the tomatoes in the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and put in the ice water. This should cause the tomato skin toloosen and split at the X. Peal the skin starting at the X. Half the peeled tomatoes at their horizon and remove seeds with a spoon or your fingers. Chop the tomatoes. Set aside.

Blanch the zucchini for 1 minute in the boiling water. Remove from boiling water and plunge into the ice water

Blanch the broccoli for 3-4 minutes in the boiling water until crisp. Remove from boiling water and plunge into the ice water with the zucchini.

Remove the broccoli and zucchini from the ice water to another bowl. Discard the ice water.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook to al dente. Slightly under cooked is best.

While the pasta is cooking, spread the pine nuts of a cookie sheet and toast for 2-3 minutes under a broiler or in a toaster oven. Stir and toast for a few more minutes until golden. DON’T BURN the nuts.

Save a cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta and transfer to the bowl used for the ice water. Add a little oil and stir to coat to prevent sticking.

In the pasta pot, heat the olive oil, add the garlic, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, snow pea pods, salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add the pasta, meat, butter, cream, Parmesan, pine nuts and basil. Cook until heated through.

Toss/stir gently. Taste, adjust seasonings and serve.

Note: This dish does not freeze well

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