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25
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Salmon with Red Grape Agrodolce |
Before I begin, I want to take a moment to thank my readers for giving me the best Blogiversary ever. The voices I heard, both from “regulars” and those who have been following quietly, were truly more than a blogger could ask for. I think we all struggle sometimes, wondering if our content is “good enough” and if anyone is listening. Well, you all answered that question for me! From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
And, if you haven’t checked out my Blogiversary post, which happens to feature some fantastic (I think so, anyway) giveaways, what are you waiting for?
On certain days it’s quite surprising that my husband hasn’t packed me up in the car and dropped me at the looney bin. That’s what I’d probably do to him if he was constantly talking about a bunch of strangers as if they were his best friends. Honey, those are your imaginary friends, I’d say. They aren’t real.
But you guys would back me up. You know what it’s like to have a friend (or many) that you talk to on a daily basis, sharing what’s for lunch and other deep dark secrets.
Actually, he knows too. Because we were online friends before we were real-life friends. True story. Two loonies under one roof, some might say.
Bridgetis an online friend and it’s pretty much impossible that I can keep a juicy bit of gossip from her, or a dinner party menu. She’s a great friend because she always helps me figure just what to make and cheers me on with my ideas. I’m not such a great friend because I’m essentially making her jealous (I’ve been told) by a) not flying her across the country to attend said dinner party and b) not re-capping with a blog entry.
Have I told you I’m miserable about plating and photo-shooting when I have company around?
In the meantime, I got a craving for one of the recipes I made for that New Year’s Eve tapas party. It was tuna agrodolce, a Mediterranean recipe for fresh tuna in a sweet and sour onion sauce. Of everything I planned to make that night, this was the recipe I was least secure about it. I couldn’t imagine the taste, especially given the fact that it was recommended to make ahead of time and serve at room temperature. It just didn’t seem right. But for once, I went ahead and obeyed the rules, and it was a really good thing I did. I know for sure that this was a favorite of at least one person at the table (besides me!)
Just in case I ever get around to posting about that tapas party, I’m holding off on sharing that recipe. Instead, I made Salmon with Red Grape Agrodolce. Wild Alaskan sockeye salmon, to be exact (I wouldn’t have it any other way) broiled to perfection and smothered in a sweet onion and balsamic reduction with juicy red grapes. It’s by far one of the least fussy yet most elegant ways I’ve ever made salmon, perfect for a dinner party, or dinner for two.
Salmon with Red Grape Agrodolce
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
12 oz wild Alaskan sockeye salmon
1 teaspoon herbs de provence
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced (1 cup)
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, sliced in half
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
pinch of saltDirections:
Preheat the broiler. Place the salmon filets skin-side down (it's ok if they are skinless, too) on a foil-lined baking sheet. Rub the fish with the herbs de provence and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil for 10 minutes, or until desired doneness is reached. Set aside and keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When shimmering, add the onions and saute for about 8 minutes, until golden brown and slightly softened. Add grapes, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2-3 more minutes, until reduced to a syrup-y consistency.
Plate the fish, leaving the skin behind (it should stick to the foil as you lift the flesh off with a spatula) and top with the onion-grape mixture. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts:
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 410.6
Total Fat: 22.1 g
Cholesterol: 105.0 mg
Sodium: 84.9 mg
Total Carbs: 11.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.4 g
Protein: 36.9 gAdapted from Gourmet, April 2008
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I'm Cara, lover of creative, clean food and healthy living. Pumpkin, goat cheese, and eggplant make me swoon. I have an insatiable sweet tooth and desire to lift heavy things. 
Molly Parr — March 25, 2011 @ 2:40 am
Oh my goodness, this sounds fantastic! I've only recently started applying heat to grapes, and have been thrilled with the results. I can only imagine how terrific this tasted with the salmon. Can't wait to try it for myself. Yum!
Shanon — March 25, 2011 @ 3:08 am
haha! imaginary friends! so true! the balsamicy goodness on top of that salmon is ridiculous. i seem to save ALL of your salmon recipes! yum!
Emily — March 25, 2011 @ 1:37 pm
My husband refuses to eat salmon so I rarely cook it but I love this grape agrodolce. I feel like it is a sauce transferable to so many other meats. Yum!
Shannon — March 25, 2011 @ 1:59 pm
wow, i love this. and great for a dinner party, indeed, i'll have to remember it 🙂
Elina (Healthy and Sane) — March 25, 2011 @ 2:58 pm
This looks incredible! Hope you share the rest of the party pics soon 🙂
That Girl — March 25, 2011 @ 4:31 pm
I really don't use grapes as often as I should when cooking
Joanne — March 25, 2011 @ 4:53 pm
I wish I lived closer so that I could TASTE your dinner party creations instead of just read about them! I've never cooked with grapes. Ever. But I do adore salmon with more sweet sauces…wonderful wonderful dish!
Lisa @ Cow Spots and Tales — March 25, 2011 @ 7:01 pm
These pictures are just gorgeous. I've got some salmon in my freezer that may just be begging to get smothered in grapes, balsamic, etc….!
Bridget — March 25, 2011 @ 11:09 pm
I can't believe we had a conversation this morning and exchanged emails, and you never mentioned that your latest blog entry stars me! Although I confess that now I remember you telling about this a few days ago, but I'd forgotten…sorta like how I'd forgotten about that fantastic tapas menu (and how I – and my husband – wish I would forget about the aborted Boston trip). What an interesting recipe! I made a salad that included roasted grapes a while ago, and it was pretty darn good, as I expect this is!
Testing — March 26, 2011 @ 6:11 pm
test comment
That Girl — March 27, 2011 @ 3:07 am
I really don't use grapes as often as I should when cooking
Missw23 — March 27, 2011 @ 3:38 am
This sounds amazing! I'm going to make this for dinner this week! What are herbs de provence??
Cara — March 27, 2011 @ 3:55 am
Thanks! herbs de provence is a dried spice blend containing thyme, rosemary, marjoram and some other things. You should be able to find it with the other spices in the grocery store 🙂
Barbara — March 27, 2011 @ 3:50 pm
Imaginary friends? Never thought of us that way! 🙂 This salmon dish looks marvelous. Never would have thought of grapes, although I have used balsamic vinegar with my salmon.
Chrysta — March 27, 2011 @ 5:44 pm
Oh man, another amazing delicious looking recipe. I swear, everyone is a winner! I love the salmon and the grapes together. Im thinking the grapes would add such a fabulous subtle sweetness to the salmon. Love it. I have to say Im the same way about taking pics at a dinner party! Ha! I make all this food and I have all these ideas of pics to take then I start hanging out and totally forget about it. Or I enlist the help of my hubs and I get random close ups of our table cloth. Not sure whats happening there. But dinner parties are definently fun. I hope you have a super amazing weekend darlin!
France@beyondthepeel — March 28, 2011 @ 12:43 am
Oh lordy that looks amazing. Absolutely fabulous. I don't often cook with grapes but when I do it's always spectacular. Congrats on your anniversary!
Shanon — March 28, 2011 @ 8:37 pm
haha! imaginary friends! so true! the balsamicy goodness on top of that salmon is ridiculous. i seem to save ALL of your salmon recipes! yum!
Emily — March 28, 2011 @ 8:37 pm
My husband refuses to eat salmon so I rarely cook it but I love this grape agrodolce. I feel like it is a sauce transferable to so many other meats. Yum!
Elina (Healthy and Sane) — March 28, 2011 @ 8:37 pm
This looks incredible! Hope you share the rest of the party pics soon 🙂
Bridget — March 28, 2011 @ 8:37 pm
I can't believe we had a conversation this morning and exchanged emails, and you never mentioned that your latest blog entry stars me! Although I confess that now I remember you telling about this a few days ago, but I'd forgotten…sorta like how I'd forgotten about that fantastic tapas menu (and how I – and my husband – wish I would forget about the aborted Boston trip). What an interesting recipe! I made a salad that included roasted grapes a while ago, and it was pretty darn good, as I expect this is!
Molly Parr — March 28, 2011 @ 8:39 pm
Oh my goodness, this sounds fantastic! I've only recently started applying heat to grapes, and have been thrilled with the results. I can only imagine how terrific this tasted with the salmon. Can't wait to try it for myself. Yum!
Shannon — March 28, 2011 @ 8:39 pm
wow, i love this. and great for a dinner party, indeed, i'll have to remember it 🙂
Joanne — March 28, 2011 @ 8:39 pm
I wish I lived closer so that I could TASTE your dinner party creations instead of just read about them! I've never cooked with grapes. Ever. But I do adore salmon with more sweet sauces…wonderful wonderful dish!
Lisa @ Cow Spots and Tales — March 28, 2011 @ 8:39 pm
These pictures are just gorgeous. I've got some salmon in my freezer that may just be begging to get smothered in grapes, balsamic, etc….!
Cara — March 28, 2011 @ 11:36 pm
Last summer I made some spiced chicken skewers with grapes – can't wait to do that again! And grapes on a pizza with ricotta and arugula. YUM 🙂
Cara — March 28, 2011 @ 11:36 pm
yes – I'd love to know if you try it on something else!
Cara — March 28, 2011 @ 11:36 pm
Thanks Lisa! I'd love to know if you try this dish 🙂
Lisa @ Cow Spots and Tales — March 29, 2011 @ 2:03 am
These pictures are just gorgeous. I've got some salmon in my freezer that may just be begging to get smothered in grapes, balsamic, etc….!
Joanne — March 29, 2011 @ 2:03 am
I wish I lived closer so that I could TASTE your dinner party creations instead of just read about them! I've never cooked with grapes. Ever. But I do adore salmon with more sweet sauces…wonderful wonderful dish!
Shannon — March 29, 2011 @ 2:03 am
wow, i love this. and great for a dinner party, indeed, i'll have to remember it 🙂
Emily — March 29, 2011 @ 2:03 am
My husband refuses to eat salmon so I rarely cook it but I love this grape agrodolce. I feel like it is a sauce transferable to so many other meats. Yum!
Molly Parr — March 29, 2011 @ 2:03 am
Oh my goodness, this sounds fantastic! I've only recently started applying heat to grapes, and have been thrilled with the results. I can only imagine how terrific this tasted with the salmon. Can't wait to try it for myself. Yum!
grace — March 30, 2011 @ 6:16 am
agrodolce = exciting new term and creation for me–it's pretty amazing! this is a lovely preparation for salmon, cara–well done.
grace — April 5, 2011 @ 1:12 am
agrodolce = exciting new term and creation for me–it's pretty amazing! this is a lovely preparation for salmon, cara–well done.
Emily — April 5, 2011 @ 1:12 am
My husband refuses to eat salmon so I rarely cook it but I love this grape agrodolce. I feel like it is a sauce transferable to so many other meats. Yum!
Lisa @ Cow Spots and Tales — April 5, 2011 @ 1:12 am
These pictures are just gorgeous. I've got some salmon in my freezer that may just be begging to get smothered in grapes, balsamic, etc….!
Lisa @ Cow Spots and Tales — April 5, 2011 @ 1:12 am
These pictures are just gorgeous. I've got some salmon in my freezer that may just be begging to get smothered in grapes, balsamic, etc….!
Bridget — April 5, 2011 @ 1:12 am
I can't believe we had a conversation this morning and exchanged emails, and you never mentioned that your latest blog entry stars me! Although I confess that now I remember you telling about this a few days ago, but I'd forgotten…sorta like how I'd forgotten about that fantastic tapas menu (and how I – and my husband – wish I would forget about the aborted Boston trip). What an interesting recipe! I made a salad that included roasted grapes a while ago, and it was pretty darn good, as I expect this is!
Shanon — April 5, 2011 @ 1:12 am
haha! imaginary friends! so true! the balsamicy goodness on top of that salmon is ridiculous. i seem to save ALL of your salmon recipes! yum!
Chrysta — April 5, 2011 @ 1:12 am
Oh man, another amazing delicious looking recipe. I swear, everyone is a winner! I love the salmon and the grapes together. Im thinking the grapes would add such a fabulous subtle sweetness to the salmon. Love it. I have to say Im the same way about taking pics at a dinner party! Ha! I make all this food and I have all these ideas of pics to take then I start hanging out and totally forget about it. Or I enlist the help of my hubs and I get random close ups of our table cloth. Not sure whats happening there. But dinner parties are definently fun. I hope you have a super amazing weekend darlin!
Testing — April 5, 2011 @ 1:12 am
test comment
Shannon — April 5, 2011 @ 1:12 am
wow, i love this. and great for a dinner party, indeed, i'll have to remember it 🙂
Molly Parr — April 5, 2011 @ 1:12 am
Oh my goodness, this sounds fantastic! I've only recently started applying heat to grapes, and have been thrilled with the results. I can only imagine how terrific this tasted with the salmon. Can't wait to try it for myself. Yum!
Em (Wine and Butter) — February 17, 2012 @ 9:09 am
I LOVE cooking with grapes and have added them to stir fries since forever – and, obviously, to chicken salads etc… I’d never thought to have them with salmon though. Cant wait to leave London for Cali for a few months and have better access to great salmon – YUM!!!
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