Salmon Fettucini with Grilled Zucchini and Peppers

Sauvignon Blanc or a Pouilly Fumé

You can cook this dish with the same wine you’ll be serving at dinner. Or, if you’re like me, you’ll keep a bottle of 2 buck chuck in the refrigerator to cook with, and save the better wines for drinking.

Ingredients for Salmon Fettucini

• 1 pound of wild caught salmon
• 1 lemon
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed basil (fresh is wonderful, but if it’s winter, dry will do)
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 lb of spinach fettucini
• ¼ cup of fresh chopped parsley
• ¼ pound Parmesan cheese
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into strips
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing

How to make the Salmon Fettucini
Marinate the salmon in ¼ cup of Italian dressing and the juice of one lemon while you cut the zucchini and bell pepper into strips.
Cook the salmon on the indoor grill, or on a grill plate on your stovetop.
The salmon is done when it flakes with a fork.
Cook the fettucini in boiling, salted water.
Cook the bell pepper and zucchini on the grill while the fettucini cooks.
While the vegetables are cooking, cook the onion and garlic in olive oil in a skillet.
Flake the salmon and place it in the skillet with the onion and garlic. Add the white wine, pepper, basil, and butter.
Drain the fettucini.
Stir the salmon mixture into the fettucini.
Serve the Salmon Fettucini with the grilled vegetables on the side and a white wine.

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Find more recipes and menus with the Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner and wine pairings with the Sacramento Budget Wine Examiner.




 

Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches

Creamy Tomato Soup

This is a nice fall dinner that cooks up quickly. Also, did you know that today is National Eggplant Day? I'm not sure who thinks up these days, but since I love eggplant, I'll go along with it. This is a way to use up the last of the eggplant that is still be in the markets. It uses the Orowheat Sandwich Thins which are a new whole wheat or multi-grain bun that is thinner than a regular sandwich bun.

Ingredients:

Orowheat Sandwich Thins
1 eggplant, peeled and sliced
4 slices of provolone cheese
Dijon style mustard
Tomato soup from the deli department
½ cup of half and half
Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Heat the soup over medium heat in a saucepan.
Stir in the half and half and keep warm while cooking the sandwiches.
Spray the plates of a George Foreman Grill with cooking spray.
Grill the sliced eggplant on an indoor grill for one minute.
Spread the mustard on the Orowheat Sandwich Thins.
Remove the eggplant.
Stack the eggplant and provolone cheese between two slices of sandwich thins.
Grill the sandwich for another minute, until the cheese melts and the grill marks appear on the bread.
Serve the sandwiches with a cup of soup. Garnish the soup with grated Parmesan cheese.



Photo credit for eggplants: Kevin Connors

Polenta with Grilled Veggies and Sausage

Polenta with Grilled Veggies and Sausage

Don't let anyone fool you and tell you that polenta is hard to make. It's so easy that I don't know why people pay premium prices for a small batch of it at the grocery store. The trick is to stir constantly as you add the wet cornmeal to the boiling liquid.


Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1 can chicken broth
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 cup of crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 lb bulk Italian sausage or pork sausage
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Set the table.
Cook the sausage in a heavy skillet until well done.
Drain the grease and set the meat aside.
Put the vegetables in the same skillet, and cook until tender.
Add the sausage to the pan. Stir in Worcestershire sauce.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Turn heat to low. Cover to keep warm until the polenta is done.
To make the polenta:
Mix the chicken broth with enough water to make 4 cups of liquid.
Bring 3 cups of the chicken broth/water mixture to a boil.
Stir one cup of the chicken broth/water mixture into the cornmeal.
When the water is boiling, slowly add the wet cornmeal, stirring constantly. (This is the key.)
Cook 5 minutes until the polenta begins to thicken.
Spoon the polenta into individual serving bowls and top with the vegetables.
This is best enjoyed immediately. Once the polenta begins to cool, it thickens even more.
If you have any leftover cioppino, it will go well with this dinner.