Cooking like Mom!

My daughter called me the other day to say that she and her roommates were having some friends over to their apartment for dinner. My daughter who is a junior in college has suddenly found an interest in cooking, well it makes sense.

Now out on their own getting fast food and eating out all the time has lost its appeal. They've found that if they can cook, not only will they be able to prepare the food how they like it, but also save money and have fun while preparing their dishes.

She's been cooking with me in the kitchen since she was a little girl, but it wasn't until this year that cooking took on a whole new meaning to her. Anyway, she asked me for my recipe for the Salmon Roulade. For those of you that have been following my blog for a while know that I prepared that recipe on Great Day St. Louis for an Easter and Passover dish.

The recipe is so light and delicious and although it looks complicated is really quite simple.

So I forwarded her the link to where I had it posted on my blog and told her to watch the video, then read the recipe several times over before attempting to make it. I even mentioned to her that the fishmonger at the store could butterfly the salmon so they didn't have to. However, her roommates boyfriend use to work in a market and knew how to do that.



After completing the recipe she took this photo for me and told me how much they all loved it. In fact she's never been too fond of fish but really enjoyed this dish and thought the salsa was incredibly delicious. Plus she said it was so much fun to make and everyone that came to dinner all pitched in to help with some part of the meal.

I thought their Salmon Roulade turned out fantastic! It just goes to show, that if you take the time to read a recipe in full prior to preparing a dish, whether you're
21, 50 or 70 the results will be just what you'd hoped for.

I'm very proud of my daughter and her friends and elated that a part of me has rubbed off on her. I'm certain that years from now she'll be a much better cook than I am. Before you know it she'll be doing the entire Thanksgiving dinner!

Passover & Easter Dish

Passover begins this coming Monday evening, March 29th. Many of you may remember that I appeared on Great Day St. Louis last year at this time. I demonstrated how to make both an Easter and Passover recipe. If you missed it I've attached the link to the video clip plus the recipe for my Salmon Roulade below, which can be made for both holidays.

I mean who says you have to have the traditional brisket for Passover or the traditional lamb for Easter? Why not have something light, healthy and refreshing this year?

Try my Salmon Roulade. I think it's wonderful!

Next week I'll post my Easter Bunny Cupcake recipe and video. To view the Salmon Roulade video click on the arrow below.



Salmon Roulade with Cilantro Pesto On a Bed of Gazpacho Salsa
Serves 4 (recipe can be doubled/tripled easily)

1 ½ lb. salmon fillet, skinned and butterflied

Gazpacho Salsa

• 1 small yellow pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/8 inch pieces (about ½ cup)
• ½ small cucumber, seeded, and cut into 1/8 inch pieces (about ½ cup)
• 2 Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1/8 inch pieces (about ½ cup)
• 1 small celery rib, cut into 1/8 inch pieces (about ½ cup)
• ½ small red onion, minced (about ¼ cup)
• ½ small jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use. The salsa will keep for approx. 4 days.

Cilantro Pesto

• 1 cup chopped cilantro (packed)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic

Combine ingredients in food processor and set aside until ready to spread on the butterflied salmon.

Make the Gazpacho Salsa, cover and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Make the filling for the salmon roulade by following directions for the Cilantro Pesto.

Place the salmon on a cutting board and carefully butterfly it. Starting at one of the long sides, make a horizontal cut with a sharp knife, and continue to cut within an inch of the opposite side--keep top and bottom layers as even in thickness as you can, being sure not to cut completely through the flesh at the end.

Open the salmon like a book and cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap. Pound evenly but firmly with a mallet, all over the surface to a thickness of about ¼ inch.

Remove plastic wrap. Place a piece of parchment on the counter and lay the pounded salmon on it (short edge) closest to you and the top edge of the parchment paper. With a spatula spread the pesto over that side of the salmon facing you leaving about a ½ inch border along both ends.

To start the roulade, fold over the edge closest to you making a roll and continue rolling from that side until rolled up like a cigar. It’s like making a jelly roll cake or sushi. (You can use the parchment paper as an aid in rolling up the fish, just as you would a bamboo mat to make sushi. Be careful not to roll any of it in with the fish.) Your roll should be in the mid-range of tightness. It cannot be too tight, as it will expand as it cooks, and it cannot be too loose, or it will fall apart.

To finish, take completed roll and remove from parchment paper and place on top of a piece of heavy duty foil. The foil must be wider and longer than the salmon roulade. With the shiny side of the foil in, roll the roulade tightly in the foil. Twist ends to secure. Chill for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours to firm the roll.

When you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. With a sharp knife cut the ends off the roulade where it’s been twisted with the foil. Then with a sharp knife cut the roulade through the foil in ½ and then ½ again giving you 4 equal pieces. Each section will be approximately 2 inches thick. Do not remove the foil.

With foil left on place individual roulades on a foil lined baking sheet in the oven standing upright with pieces close to each other as they were in the entire roll. This can be cooked in one large piece however it would have to be chilled prior to cutting otherwise it will tear apart.

Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes depending on if your oven in convection (10 minutes) or conventional (15 minutes).

To Serve: Place a large ladle of the Gazpacho Salsa on the center of a plate and set the Salmon Roulade on top. Remove the foil wrapping from around the roulade and serve.