Salmon en papillote with minted green peas

En papillote (in a parchment paper pouch) is possibly my favorite way to prepare salmon. It can be filled with whatever you have and whatever’s in season. Typically, the dish is brought to the table in the parchment to be broken just before eating, but I took this piece of king salmon out to be plated atop buttery minted pea purée. This dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner – the peas come together while the fish is in the oven. It’ll be ready in 30 minutes, I promise!

Salmon with minted green peas

About 30 minutes, including prep time

Serves two

For the salmon:

2/3 lb. salmon fillet, skin on

1 leek

1 lemon

Tops and fronds from one fennel bulb

1 tbsp. Italian (flat leaf) parsley, roughly chopped

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Lay a large piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place fennel tops and fronds on the right hand, then slice the lemon and place on top. Set the salmon on top of the lemon and fennel, skin side down. Remove the root end of the leek, cut in half lengthwise, and rinse thoroughly. Cut leek into 1″ pieces and scatter around the salmon. Drizzle the fish with the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. Fold the top half of the parchment over and tuck in the ends to create a half-moon shaped parcel. Roast for approximately 25 minutes. The top of the parchment will have browned and the top puffed with steam.

For the peas:

12 ounces fresh or frozen green peas (1.5 cups)

1 tsp. chopped fresh mint

2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tbsp. salted butter

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot of water to boil and add the peas, cooking them for about 3-5 minutes or until they float to the top. Drain them thoroughly and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

To serve:

Spoon peas over a plate. Carefully remove fish from parchment and set on top. Serve with a scatter of fresh parsley or mint and a wedge of lemon.

Carrot soup with arugula pesto

It’s a rainy spring night and soup is in order. I bought arugula to turn into a zingy pesto, and fully intend to use the remainder for Easter lamb. I decided to roast the carrots before adding them to the soup to amp up their natural sweetness, and find that white pepper is a nice match for a root vegetable. Chicken stock made over the weekend became the base of this soup, but vegetable stock could just as easily step in.

Carrot soup with arugula pesto

For the soup:

2 lbs. carrots, tops cut off, washed, and scrubbed well

1 white or yellow onion, chopped

1.5 quarts (6 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

Sea salt and white pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Place carrots on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tbsp. of the olive oil and season with salt and white pepper. Roast until just beginning to soften, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut into 1/2″ pieces. Heat the remaining oil in a deep soup pot oven medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook uncovered until just beginning to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the carrots, stock, and thyme, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat back down to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are completely tender, about 40-45 minutes. Remove thyme springs. Purée the soup in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender until completely smooth.

For the pesto:

4 1/2 cups arugula, washed and completely dried

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup almonds

2 tsp. lemon zest

1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Pinch of salt and cracked black pepper

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the arugula until coarsely chopped. Add the almonds and pulse again until the greens and nuts are chopped and combined. Add the salt, pepper, and zest, and then with the motor running, add the olive oil in a steady stream. Turn out into a bowl and stir in the cheese.

To serve:

Serve soup topped with pesto and a spoonful of fromage fraîs, ricotta, crème fraîche, or sour cream.

Debut – Italian ricotta and honey cheesecake

Hello, and welcome! I’m Kira. I hope to document my cooking and baking here and post recipes for anyone interested. I love tackling a difficult or fussy recipe, reworking the classics, and trying new tastes from around the world.

I got up early today to make a dessert for a dinner party this evening. Late winter’s transition to early spring in desserts is the time for custard, chocolate, maple, and citrus flavors to shine. While rhubarb is by this point beginning to creep into the market (and deservedly will earn itself later posts), I found myself making one last citrus sweet. A ricotta and honey cheesecake scented with orange zest and an Italian extract used for panettone called fiori di sicilia (flowers of Sicily). Fiori di sicilia is an extremely fragrant vanilla-orange combination, to the point where two or three drops is all one needs to scent an entire cake. The base is a pistachio and olive oil biscotti I baked for the first time this morning. No recipe yet, but I’ll share a picture before I put it in the fridge to chill.