Slammin Salmon

MI CASA
TACOMA, WASHINGTON
I decide every once in a while that I need salmon, and I need a lot of it.  My favorite dish to make is this brown sugar, mustard and almond encrusted sandwich.  It takes about five minutes to prep and 12 to cook, so if your in a hurry and want something delicious you are in the right place.

I know there are a lot of debates about using Farm Raised (FR)/Wild Caught (WC) fish but I always use WC. As the FR get fatter you are actually getting less protein per bite and less Omega 3-s than in WC, but most of the wild salmon spend most of their lives on farms before being released into the wild.  The farm raised are given protein pellets that are mashed up fish and fish oil, So they are feeding fish with fish.  Personally, the color and texture is better in Wild Caught so that is why I buy it. 

I start out by making sure all the bones are out of the fillets then follow by rubbing them in olive oil, salt and pepper.  I put them skin up in the oven for six minutes on 395.  I take them out after six minutes flip them over to skin side down then proceed to cover them in the glaze.  Now I personally have never measured out how much brown sugar vs. mustard goes into the glaze, I just add it until it gets to a room temperature maple syrup consistency.  I start with about a cup of brown sugar add Dijon mustard, a couple shakes of Tabasco and half a lemon squeeze.  You can make as much or as little as you want.

I then add almond slices and put back int he oven for another six minutes.  When it comes out some of the almonds might be a little burnt but it just adds more texture and color...

The way that I enjoy it the most is on a lightly toasted deli roll with a healthy slather of goat cheese that has also been warmed when toasting the roll.  I then add a healthy hand full of the still steaming salmon onto the roll but alas it is not done yet.. it needs color.  The one trick that is up my sleeve is baby spinach.  Baby spinach adds such a freshness and explosion of color to any meal...

The final product is a winner every time.. You can never go wrong with leftovers either...

Speaking of leftovers, look what i had for breakfast the next day... A broccoli and salmon over medium egg confection... it started as an omelet and ended up with me licking the plate...  I swear this is the fastest and such a delicious meal that everybody has to try it.

Vietnamese then IKEA

SAIGON PALMS
RENTON, WASHINGTON
As I am posting these pictures my mouth has started to salivate.  One of my favorite places to get Vietnamese Cuisine would have to be here.   Muc Nhoi Thit or Stuffed Squid is "pan fried pacific calamari stuffed with pork, lemongrass, garlic, onion."   lightly tossed in sauce that is sweet, salty and delicious that made the pork and lemongrass flavors really pop.

 Bun Dac Biet or Special Vermicelli is my favorite Noodle of all time!  if you have eaten a spring roll you have eaten a Vermicelli Noodle.  This dish is paired with a slightly sweet house fish sauce that has such a delicate flavor but makes the dish a perfect Ten.  The noodles are usually paired with grilled pork, carrot slivers, lettuce and cucumbers.  I upgrade so I can get a shrimp cane and a prawn skewer which is almost pureed shrimp formed around a bamboo stick and then deep fried.  If you love Vietnamese food, this is one stop you have to make.

I am slowly getting my front room put together.  I love IKEA for the odd and yet amazingly cheap and fashionable items it has.  This lamp was only $60, so of course I had to get two.  With a full belly and a happy house today turned out to be not so bad.

To-Go Thai

 SILK THAI
TACOMA, WASHINGTON
I usually go for Vietnamese food but when it comes to Thai food the only place I go in Tacoma is Silk Thai.  They have such an amazing menu, they can satisfy even the picky eater.  I started off with a Tofu Salad Roll and as you can see from the picture even to-go food can look delicious.

 Miang Kum is something I have never tried before.  you take a spinach and you add a little bit of toasted coconut, lime, onion, ginger, dehydrated shrimp, peanuts, Thai peppers, shallots and "Suki's Signature Sauce."  I was unsure of this dish as soon as I smelled the Shrimp, but as soon as all the components married together.... heaven!  the sweetness from the coconut, the salty shrimp, the slowly creeping spice of the peppers and the zing of ginger.  TOTAL WINNER in my book.

Five-Spice Crispy Duck.  Duck is my favorite protein when it comes to fowl Now I like my duck cooked more on the medium rare side and usually with a sweet to balance the heaviness of the duck. This was such an amazing dish is was glazed in cinnamon plum sauce that complimented the duck so well. It also came with a side of spicy green beans, cucumber, green onion and cilantro. FIVE STARS.

Now don't judge this delicious dish by the picture.  Black Rice Pudding is the best thing to happen to coconut since Malibu Rum.  The rice is always cooked so it almost pops in your mouth when you bite into it.  It is creamy, sweet but a little on the heavy side but leaves you completely satisfied.  Thank you Silk Thai for making my dinner at home so delicious.

Summer of Seafood

 GRUV NIGHTCLUB/LOUNGE TACOMA, WASHINGTON
Who thought Summer could taste so good!  Now even though the portion of shell vs. mussel is on the opposite ends of the spectrum it is worth the time and money.  These Black Mussels are cooked in a white wine and garlic butter and toasted bread for the dipping into the delicious confection.

Crab Cakes.  Although you can put anything into them they have a couple are ingredients that are key to keep it together such as mayo, eggs and bread crumbs.  Now I love cheese so instead of bread crumbs I would use Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan.  These bad boys are topped off with a chipolte remoulade which is like a french tarter sauce and almost an aioli.  Topped off with a squeeze of lemon juice and I couldn't put down my fork till the plate was clean.

ELVIS COOKIES

TACOMA, WASHINGTON
Now feel free to yell at me but I didn't know that Elvis's favorite sandwiches were; peanut butter, banana and bacon.  Can I tell you how delicious this is?  The salty bacon, the creamy peanut butter and the sweet banana.  The Ritz cracker added a butter flavor and crunch.  A Charlie Sheen winner in my book.

Irish Beer and Blood Sausage!

FADO IRISH PUB,
SEATTLE WASHINGTON love this pub.  It is like a maze almost the more you walk, the more rooms off to the side you find.  This is one of my favorite dishes, the Chicken Boxty. It is two potato boxties, (which is like a potato pancake) chicken, pepper jack cheese and tomato's with a red-chili aioli.  It is starchy and goes down well with a pint of Smithwicks.

This is Fado's Gourmet Burger.  A monster of a burger but bursting with flavor.  A seasoned burger with arugula, tomato, rasher (which is lean pieces of pork), cheddar and grilled onion.

Now this is what a Traditional Irish Breakfast looks like.  It has Rashers, Irish Sausage, Soda bread, oven warmed tomato, sauteed mushrooms, two eggs and some breakfast sausages or blood pudding which are made with animal blood and barley.

This is the Trinity Steak Boxty my boyfriends favorite thing and the only Entree he has ordered when we go there.  It has steak, mushrooms, and onions rolled in the boxty topped with a whiskey-garlic sauce.  After finishing our pints and Jameson and our belly's full we decided to brave the rain and go home so we could sleep on the starch and Irish Meat.

Korean BBQ!

CHUNG KI WA, WASHINGTON

I absolutely LOVE BBQ!  If you have never gone to a Korean restaurant before, GO!  I remember my first experience with Korean food.  Some of the taste, textures and even look of the food can make you turn your head away. Trust me it is a food experience you won't forget.

Now for the beginners if you are a small group I would suggest you grill it yourself.  But if there is a bunch of you it is usually easier to have the kitchen cook it for you.  The waitress will start the gas for you so don't try and do it yourself.

Now while you are waiting, they give you sides like these.  To the left kimchi which is fermented veggies such as Raddish or  Cabbage.  There is also red pepper flakes, garlic, green onion, fish sauce and salt.  On the right there is fermented sprouts and a tofu/egg kimchi mixture.

This is my absolute favorite thing to order off of the menu.  Kimchi Jeon, a Korean pancake.  Its

slightly greasy with a flour base. 

Another favorite of mine is Jap Chae/Chap Chae aka Korean Glass Noodles.  Now I am not exactly sure what they put in their recipe but it had a sesame oil flavor mixed with a little peanut butter its a really delicate flavor but my opinion of the noodle is between a jellyfish and tapioca.  If you have an issue with texture then I suggest you don't try this which just leaves more for me.

Now this is what your grill should look like.  They have different kind of meats you can choose from but my favorite is Kobe Short Ribs or Bulgogi. 

Well I hope I turned you onto some Korean BBQ, I know I am wanting some more right now!