1 December 2009

Cooking Red to Remember with a Recipe for Crispy Salmon with Risotto and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Crispy Salmon with Risotto and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

When I was in San Francisco recently for the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival, one of the people I was fortunate to meet was Angela from Spinach Tiger.  I had heard in the blogosphere that she would be hosting an event in support and remembrance of World Aids Day which is today December 1st. What better way to gather "foodies" together than to get involved in cooking something red for her event Cooking Red to Remember. AIDS is a devastating disease that has affected people all over the world.

AIDS is not a disease that I have personally been touched by but that is certainly not the case for the estimated 25 million people who have died from 1981 to 2007 according to Wikipedia. In all parts of the world, people living with HIV still face AIDS-related stigma and discrimination, and many people still cannot access sufficient HIV treatment and care. Prevention efforts that have proved to be effective need to be scaled-up and treatment targets reached. Commitments from national governments right down to the community level need to be intensified and subsequently met, so that one day the world might see an end to the global AIDS epidemic.

You can also read a very poignant and touching story by Angela who's world has been affected by AIDS.  Please support the memory of  loved ones by reading her story and the significance of the 3 red tomatoes in this dish as described by Josee at Daydreamer Desserts. Please support the many more who are struggling with this disease on a daily basis today and every day.

In memory of those who saw no hope and for those who live with hope every day I am sending this red dish to Angela's event. This dish makes perfect use of those hard little bullets we call tomatoes available during the winter months. Slow roasting caramelizes the sugars in the tomatoes and makes us believe in the promise of anything!!!!

**Crispy Salmon with Risotto and Slow Roasted Tomatoes**
Printer Friendly Recipe

ROASTED TOMATOES

9 plum tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced

RISOTTO

4-1/2 cups fat free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-1/4 cups (1/2 inch thick) sliced leek
1-1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
6 cups torn arugula or spinach
½ cup half-and-half
¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

SALMON

2 teaspoons olive oil
6 (5-ounce) red sockeye salmon fillets, skinned
½ teaspoon. sea salt
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To prepare tomatoes, coat a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Place tomatoes, cut sides up, on baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 T. oil, sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. thyme, ½ tsp. pepper, and garlic. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours or until very soft and slightly shriveled, turning occasionally.

 To prepare risotto, bring broth to a simmer in medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat. Heat 1 T. oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek, saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 1-1/2 minutes, stir constantly. Stir in wine; cook 30 seconds or until liquid is nearly absorbed. Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently.

Add remaining broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes). Stir in arugula, half–and-half, cheese, ¼ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper.

To prepare salmon, heat 2 tsp. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. thyme, and ¼ tsp., pepper. Place fillets, skin side up, in pan, cook 5 minutes. Turn fillets over, and cook an additional 2 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Arrange 3 tomato halves, cut sides up, in a spoke-like pattern in centre of each of 6 plates. Mound 2/3 cup risotto in centre of each plate (leaving about 1-1/2 inch edge of tomatoes uncovered). Arrange fillets on risotto. Garnish with sprig of thyme, if desired.

Serves 6

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31 comments:

  1. A wonderful dish Val...great flavours and combinations. And def for a great cause!

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  2. Valerie You have moved me to tears again this week. Thank you and thanks for all the good information. Even I have at times brushed it off. Your dish is poignant and beautiful and so fitting in deliciousness. They loved good food.

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  3. What an absolutely gorgeous dish!

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  4. A beautiful tribute! And I love your dish, salmon sounds delicious with slow roasted tomatoes!

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  5. I'm glad you are talking about this event. What a great cause. Lovely meal Val.

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  6. This is a wonderful dish! I have been craving risottos for weeks now and I guess it is time for me to make one! Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe!

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  7. A beautifully tasty dish! Great combo!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  8. A touching and heartfelt post and a yummy dish!

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  9. Val, I just saw the cooking red at 5-Star Foodie. What a great idea. AIDS is such an awful disease and affects so many people.

    I love anything with salmon and the roasted tomatoes look divine. I've got to give them a try. I'm a real tomato girl.
    Sam

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  10. even though i don't care for salmon, i'd gladly fill up on the sides here. what an elegant dish!

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  11. What a fabulous recipe. I get weak in the knees just thinking about slow-roasted tomatoes and they sound lovely in this combo. Great entry to bring awareness to an important cause.

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  12. You just reminded me how much I NEED to make risotto, and soon!

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  13. Thanks for sharing the World Aids Day info!

    Your salmon looks divine! I haven't had salmon in so long. My husband doesn't care for it so the only time I get to enjoy it is when we go to dinner somewhere.

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  14. I have to say that salmon is my favorite fish!! And this risotto.. yummy!!!

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  15. Oh how I love salmon! What a great recipe and even greater cause! Thanks for sharing!! :)

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  16. I don't know how I missed this event! Your dish looks lovely!

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  17. These is an excellent combination of great recipes! I adore the slow roasted tomatoes!

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  18. I'm so proud of you and all the phenomenal causes you promote and support through your blog. Kudos for your kind heart and hard work!

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  19. Vall this look really tasty and yummy, I love salmon and this look awesome!!
    Vall I dont know why I cannot enter before to your blog! inally today I can! xxgloria

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  20. Delicious and fabulous recipe!iam very happy to found this one.Your blog always provide a great comfort and interesting recipes!

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  21. Those tomatoes look exceedingly tasty Val!

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  22. I make pans and pans of slow-roasted tomatoes every summer, and keep them in my freezer. This looks like a perfect way to use them.

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  23. A lovely dish for a great cause.

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  24. Wow, awesome looking recipe for a great cause.
    I only recently discovered how magical salmon got with a little crispen-ing oil (before that I always oven-baked it, which is good too, but it's so yummy when it gets crisped!)

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  25. That's a gorgeous dish - and an important post. Aids has been around so long we can become a bit immune if it doesn't touch our own lives. Thanks for the reminder.

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  26. I wish I had known about this. You created a lovely recipe, Val.

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  27. what a wonderful dish! just the reading the title is already satisfying!!

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  28. It's so rewarding to support a cause and a blogger colleague...and to have your readers applaud your efforts is just the icing on the cake! Lovely dinner and contribution to 'cooking red'.

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  29. I love those slow roasted tomatoes!
    The crispy salmon looks amazing too.
    A lovely dish for a great cause.

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  30. Half the battle is won here with your ever-excellent salmon fillets. The roasted tomatoes are all a bonus.

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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