Salmon w/ String Beans

After eating out and getting takeout for the past week, I wanted a lighter meal and decided to cook. If anyone cooks after work, it's usually Jason. It's actually almost always Jason, but I had a work at home day yesterday and was able to shop and prep before heading off to martial arts class.

I found a salmon recipe on the Food Network website. I wasn't looking for salmon, but I clicked on the link for low fat recipes and this one must've been featured because it was the first one with a big picture and all. It got such great reviews, I didn't bother looking for something else. 5 stars after 128 reviews. Not bad.

It's a Giada De Laurentis recipe named Salmon with Lemon, Rosemary and Capers. I searched for a vegetable that might go well with the salmon. I was in the mood for string beans and thought the String Beans with Shallots recipe by the Barefood Contessa would go well with the fish.


I have to say, both came out really well. I would definitely make both recipes again separately and together.

I made the salmon just as the recipe stated. Except, I misread it and put in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and tried to scoop out that extra tablespoon before it went into the oven. Also, luckily I noticed it before I added the wine, so the only major liquid that was in the foil was the lemon juice and a little bit of excess oil that dripped off the fish.

It went into a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, I turned off the oven and let the salmon sit in there for another 3 minutes. The salmon came out fully cooked through and super moist. It was perfect.

I blanched the string beans ahead of time and finished it off with the shallots while the fish was in the oven. I cut the butter in half and still thought one tablespoon was a little much. Next time I make these, I'll try it with a half tablespoon of butter and a half tablespoon of oil to cut down on fat. I really don't think it would compromise the flavor.

Overall, it's an extremely easy recipe that yields wonderful results. It's definitely something that's doable for a weeknight meal after work.

Dim Sum at Yank Sing, San Francisco

We had an enjoyable dim sum experience at Yank Sing. It's a little more upscale than the ones we're used to going to in NYC. The service is better and the atmosphere is less hectic. The cart ladies all speak English.. Something that's not that common in NYC.

I like the variety, but I definitely prefer the dim sum in NYC. All the dumplings stood out for me. They were all really good. The skins were nice and thin and the ingredients tasted fresh. Everything else was average. The jellyfish was the worst out of the bunch. It was the blandest jellyfish I've ever tasted.

The price tag was a bit steep for what it was. 9 dishes plus beverages came out to $75. We were stuffed, but even when we stuff our faces in NYC, the bill never goes above $50. This is definitely the most I ever paid for dim sum.

Soup Dumplings

Jellyfish

Peking Duck

Beancurd Stuffed with Chicken

Seafood Dumpling

Lettuce Wrapped Chicken

Chicken Feet

Sticky Rice with Pork

Seafood Dumpling

Mexico DF, San Francisco

Mexican was one of the things I wanted to get my fill of while in San Fran. I had heard that they do Mexican and Asian food better there. I found low-key, hole-in-the-wall type places to try, but Jason wanted to dine at a Mexican place that's a little more upscale and he found Mexico DF.

The menu looked interesting and it was hard for us to narrow down our choices. We started off with two appetizers.. the Clasico guacamole and the California Hamachi and Prawns ceviche.

We then shared the Organic Heirloom Tomato Salad. I love heirloom tomatoes and I haven't had it any better than the ones I've tried in San Fran.

Next came the Local Albacore Tuna with Corn Puree and Grilled Jalapenos Heirloom Tomato Salsa. Sounds good. Looks good. But we sent it back. The tuna was as hard as a hockey puck. It was inedible. We had asked them to remake the same dish. But they said they ran out of the tuna and suggested we tried the Loch Duart Scottish Salmon with Poblano Chile Crema and Watermelon Salsa Fresca. The fish was cooked much better and I think a better dish overall.


And finally, the carnitas and a side of refried beans. I had read the carnitas are not to be missed. But, eh, I think I could've passed on them. They were pretty good, but we were stuffed after the salmon.

Overall, this place was pretty good, but not better than the Mexican I've had in NYC.