Salmon with Orange-Hoisin Sauce and Bok Choy

Mark and I don't eat a lot of fish, but not because we don't like it. It's just a little pricier than, say, the tempeh at Trader Joe's. But, we decided to "splurge" and get this salmon from New Seasons (my favorite grocery store of all time and one of my favorite places in Portland, period) to celebrate the new year. In the end, two large fillets set us back a whopping $11.50. Then again, when you really think about it, that breaks down to $5.75 a piece for a healthy and delicious meal, which I consider to be a good value.

One recent morning, pasting the recipes I'd cut out of my food magazines (Bon Appetit, Saveur, and old issues of Gourmet) into my cooking notebook, I came across a Bon Appetit recipe for Salmon with Hoisin, Orange and Bok Choy. The title alone ensured that I would have to make it---it just sounds too delicious to pass up. Then there was the fact that I needed a good salmon recipe---usually when Mark and I just wing it, the results are edible, but less than stellar. (Fish is not a food category that either of us has mastered.) And I am always intrigued by new ingredients; though I'd read about it, I'd never prepared anything with bok choy before.

Done deal. Except when the time came, I forgot the green onion and we subbed a white one instead. I also I got a little carried away with the orange zest and juice. (I'm usually the kind of person who assumes if a little is good, more is better! Which is not always the case...) BUT, I bought a whole orange just for this salmon---I didn't want to waste it, you see. Well, don't make the same mistake (stick to the quantities listed below) as the orange in my version dominated the other more delicate flavors.

As for the bok choy: it was good and I'm glad to have tried it, but it is not my new favorite.

NOTE: Hoisin can be found at Asian markets. I recommend having a bottle on hand for stir fries, marinades and the like. Savory-sweet goodness. Also, the picture here is of the salmon before it went into the oven. The photos of the finished project were a bit blurry. Sorry!

Salmon with Orange-Hoisin Sauce and Bok Choy

~Print Recipe~

• 2 heads of baby bok choy, each cut length-wise into 6 wedges
• 2  5-or 6-ounce salmon fillets
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced---or about 1/4 of a white onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced, peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon (only!) finely grated orange peel
• Pinch of salt
  
• 3/4 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds (I used a few pinches of ground coriander)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (or more, to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Form a bed of bok choy in the center of two large sheets of tin foil.  (Make sure they are large enough to seal over your bok choy and salmon.) Center your salmon fillets over the bok choy. 
2. In a small bowl, mix orange juice, onion, hoisin, ginger and orange peel. Spoon sauce over fish, dividing equally. Sprinkle with salt and coriander. Top with cilantro. 
3. Fold foil together and pinch to seal tightly above the fish and at each end. Place packets on a baking sheet and bake 12-14 minutes, or until the fish is opaque in the center. Plate and serve.

(Serves 2)

Kelsey's Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

 

A coworker of mine baked these scones and brought them in to work one day a couple of years ago. After tasting one, I demanded the recipe. Ok, I probably asked politely in between mouthfuls, but I was very insistent. I wanted this recipe! I want a lot of recipes, though, and most people do not deliver. But, Kelsey did.

Kelsey is a pretty amazing person. When I worked with her, she was still in high school, though she always seemed older and more mature. She is definitely the kind of person I would have hung out with when I was in high school--down to Earth and fun. And she bakes! Lucky for me, even though  I am (a tad bit) older than her and we no longer work together, we are still friends these days.

These scones were the hit of my recent brunch (even though there were pumpkin waffles and banana pecan pancakes). Well, maybe it just seemed like the were the superstars because Mark couldn't get enough of them. He raved about their slightly crunchy exterior and light and fluffy interior to anyone who would listen. These scones are not at all dense like some you might have come across, nor quite as dry. (In fact, in a way they are biscuit-esque.) The orange flavor really comes through and the chocolate chips add just the right amount of sweetness and crunch.

Thank you for the recipe, Kelsey!

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones
~Print Recipe~

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (mini or regular, semi- or bittersweet)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet (with either butter or parchment paper).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes and distribute them over the flour mixture. With a pastry blender (or two knives in scissor motion) cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs. 
3. In a small bowl, stir together eggs, orange juice, vanilla and orange peel. (Side note: does everyone out there have a zester/microplane? They are fantastic! I have this one and I really like it.) 
4. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. The dough will be very sticky. With lightly floured hands, knead in chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed.
5. Form dough into 8 even portions. Use your hands to shape them into triangles (if you don't mind getting sticky) or just use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to drop them onto the baking sheet. Space evenly as they will rise quite a bit. 
6. Bake for 18-25 minutes, until scones are golden brown. Remove from sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

(Makes 8 scones)

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

I needed something to pair with Christmas Blend coffee, so something with ginger, orange, cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves. I found this Martha Stewart gingerbread cupcake recipe (Martha always comes through in a pinch) online and that took care of all of the spices in one fell swoop. Then I saw a recipe on 52 cupcakes that topped gingerbread cupcakes with a lemon cream cheese frosting. I figured orange would work just as well. And done---I've got all of my flavors present and accounted for. This recipe makes 10 "jumbo" sized cupcakes, but since I only have the regular size pan it made about 20. And that's ok with me, because I figure the more cupcakes the merrier!

These cupcakes have 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt, which I felt made them a little too salty. I would maybe add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Then again, maybe that's just the way gingerbread is suppose to taste, so salt to your preference.

I had forgotten how much fun cupcakes are to make and eat!

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

~Print Recipe~

• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or less, to taste)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup unsulphured molasses
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line you cupcake tin with paper baking cups, set aside. In a saucepan or kettle, bring 1 cup water to a boil. In a small bowl, combine boiling water and baking soda and set aside. In a large bowl, sift flour, spices, salt and baking powder together and set aside. 
2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until light. Add the brown sugar and beat until fluffy, around 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, baking soda mixture and flour mixture. Beat in the eggs. 
3. Fill cupcake liners until 3/4 full. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for a few minutes, then transfer them to the rack to cool completely before frosting.
4. Frost and sprinkle with crystallized ginger.
 

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

~Print Recipe~

• 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
  
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• zest of one orange
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

1. Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until soft. Slowly add sugar, zest and juice. Beat until creamy--about 3 minutes.
2. Chill frosting before frosting cupcakes.