After a few busy days being out and about, we decided to enjoy a quiet evening at home. The evening temperatures in Palm Springs have been quite pleasant of late, so we opened up all the doors along the back of the house, which surround the pool. It provides a pleasant atmosphere, particularly for dinner. I decided to make salmon, having been inspired by a recipe shared by my friend Tom. I used his Mom's recipe and modified it a little. OK, I modified it a lot, but I still give Tom's Mom credit for the idea. It was just John and me for dinner, but I set the table with cloth napkins and place mats just because. After all, I'm worth it. (Why does that sound like the L'Oreal commercial??) I sliced a loaf of fresh French bread, and opened a bottle of wine to breathe. I returned to the kitchen to begin preparations for dinner.
above: It was a nice calm night, the pool was glowing and still. You can see it from inside the house in the photo above right (which is the same as the large one above, just no flash).
The Chef At Work
above: I sliced and chopped the block of fresh feta cheese.
above: Using fresh, locally grown organic Medjool Dates, I pitted and sliced them into quarters.
above: The fresh salmon was marinated in lemon-infused virgin olive oil. I sprinkled a layer of feta cheese on the base, placed the salmon down, and began layering sliced dates and sliced apples.
above: Then a full layer of feta cheese, along with some White Vermouth and a drizzle of lemon-infused olive oil on top.
above: using a top layer of aluminum foil, I sealed the edges and baked at 350 for 20 minutes. Before removing from the oven I browned the surface under the broiler to give the feta cheese and dates a slight crisped finish.
above: I served the baked salmon on a warmed plate, garnished with slices of the baked apple slices, fresh wilted organic spinach and spears of steamed organic asparagus.
above: I served the plated salmon and snapped this photo before sitting down to enjoy.
above: the kids sat underneath the table at out feet, enjoying the smell of dinner. They are so well behaved, neither of them bothered us while we dined.
Well that's all really. This is a REALLY EASY dinner to make- if you have aluminum foil and a few odds and ends in the house anyone can make salmon. Try it sometime. But do me a favor, if you do, regardless of what variation you use, please call it Tom's Mom's Salmon. It's good karma to do so.
-Rick Rockhill
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