Glazed Salmon with Simple Egg Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing

Finally.... "The Darlings" have returned - and so has my camera cable - so better late than never - here are the photos....


Good intentions really do not count for much do they?

I have been meaning to post for days and days, but something always seems to get in the way.

Lifestyles change (you have one person away, then they come back, and another leaves, and then they come back and two more leave....) meals become different, and totally unblog worthy - and then finally you see some light at the end of the tunnel - you make a meal that is really good, and you hear the words - "make sure you put this on the make again list" - and you go to blog the meal, only to find that the last two evacuees from the home have taken your camera cable, and you are unable to download any photos!!!!! (can you hear me cursing from there???)

What can you do???  Take a deep breath, and just get on with it.

As I said life has been a little different of late.  Mr. CCC took himself off to New Zealand (on a blokey tour) to see the Rugby World Cup.  He came back, then "The One Who Can Never Be Filled" went off to camp.  He came back, and the same day "The Darlings" took off for a rugby tour of Japan.  Meanwhile I got to stay here and maintain the castle, as all good domestic goddesses do!!!  (Me thinks a trip is in the cards for me soon?!?!  You can only dream can't you?)

Yesterday was one of those days - off to the airport at the ungodly hour of 4 a.m. (makes for a very long day), then all the usual stuff - oh, and a Thermomix demo smack dab in the middle of the day too, just for good measure!!!  I'm sure I was totally brain dead at this point, but I did manage to pull it all off - not sure how how though.

Demo over, now what to make for dinner..... I picked up a couple of pieces of salmon hoping that I could make a reasonable meal with these and whatever I could find in the fridge and cupboard.  It did help of course that this week was the release date of all the new cooking magazines (there is a god!!) and I had a little inspiration in the way of Bill Granger's recipes in the latest edition of Delicious Magazine.

There was a lovely recipe for a simple Egg Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing - looks perfect - have all the ingredients - will go brilliantly with my salmon!!!

So here is the meal that transpired!

First of all a simple glaze is in order for the Salmon - this is my usual standby when all else fails.


Easy Salmon Marinade

1/4 cup mirin
2 tbs cooking sake
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 tbs caster sugar

Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl.  Add salmon pieces and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.

When ready to cook, heat a large frying pan over medium high heat.  Add a small amount of rice bran oil to the pan.  Place the salmon in the pan skin side down.  Cook for 3 minutes, or until the skin is crispy.  Turn over and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.  During the last minute of cooking add some of the marinade to the pan and allow it to bubble up around the salmon pieces - this will give it a lovely golden glaze!!

Now onto the salad...

Simple Egg Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing
Recipe by Bill Granger printed in Delicious Magazine, October Edition

Serves 4-6

400g medium-thick fresh egg noodles (I actually used dried)
1 1/2 tbs honey
2 tbs smooth peanut butter (I only had crunchy)
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs light olive oil (I used rice bran oil)
1 tbs sesame oil
2 tbs soy sauce (I used light soy)
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 carrot, finely julienned
1 red capsicum, seed removed, finely sliced
2/3 cup roasted peanuts, chopped (I used cashews)

Place the noodles in a large saucepan of boiling, lightly salted water and cook for 3-4 minutes or until just tender.  Drain well.

Whisk together the honey, peanut butter and lemon juice in a bowl, then gradually add in the oils, soy sauce and the vinegar.

To serve lightly toss the noodles, vegetables. and dressing in a large bowl.  Scatter with the chopped nuts.

Serve warm or cold.

This was truly a lovely salad, and yes, I will definitely be making it again.  It was made even more lovely with the addition of a splash of ketchap manis!!!

I also serve a few steamed snow peas with this dish just to add a little bit of colour.

My only regret now is that I cannot show you how lovely it all looked.... but stay tuned "The Darlings are due back in 11 days .... let's hope they don't lose my cable!!!  Photos will be downloaded then.

Today, I have spent the day cleaning out their rooms, I think a makeover is due while they are gone - tomorrow onto the painting (one of my pet hates let me tell you - but it is long overdue and might as well take advantage of them being gone!!). So dinner tonight... another throw together ..... we have some chicken, basil, chilli and coconut milk lurking in the kitchen - so a Thai inspired meal it seems to be!!!

So Dear Reader please excuse the lack of photos - but it is that or no post!!!  Blame "The Darlings"!!!!!  They will get an earful when we skype later!!!!!