Seared Smoked Salmon, Cucumbers Presse

2 large firm cucumbers, about 1 1/2 lbs
2 T lemon olive oil (see recipe)
1 lb best-quality smoked salmon with skin, cut in 1 piece from center of fish

Wash cucumbers and, using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin in thin alternating strips to create stripes.  Slice cucumbers into paper-thin rounds.  Place in a colader and toss with 1 T kosher salt.  Weight down and place in a shallow casserole or in the sink.  Let sit 1 hour.

Wash off salt under running water.  Press cucumbers between your hands to extract as much water as possible.  Transfer to a bowl.  Add 1 T lemon oil, a pinch of kosher salt if needed, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Chill until ready to serve.

Cut salmon into 6 thick strips across the width of the fish.  Heat a large nonstick skillet until very hot (almost to smoke point).  Coat skillet with 1/2 T lemon oil.  Add fish, skin side down, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until skin is crisp.  Continue to cook on all sides, 1 minute each, or until outside turns golden.

Do not overcook, as the interior should be rare.

Place cucumbers in centers of 6 large plates and top with hot salmon.  Drizzle with remaining lemon olive oil.  Serve immediately.

Serves 6. 

From the Cookbook:  "Healthy 1-2-3" by Rozanne Gold
A great cookbook!  Fewer ingredients, yummier, not-so-messy kitchen, less expensive!

NOTE:  Lemon-flavored olive oils from Boyajian or Land of Canaan (Israel) are available in many supermarkets and specialty food stores, and all are kosher.  Be sure not to use the pure lemon oil generally used in baking.

Salmon in Parchment

A Dr. Weil recipe - commentary is from him too.

4 servings

Regular readers know that I'm a big fan of salmon. In fact, I gave up being a vegetarian because I didn't want to miss out on this fish, with its great flavor and health benefits. Salmon, like other oily fish (herring, sardines, mackerel), is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which reduce inflammation, protect against heart attacks, and possibly reduce your chances of developing cancer. I recommend eating two to three servings a week of salmon or other oily fish rich in omega-3's. When you want something out of the ordinary, this is an easy and elegant recipe to try. It requires cooking parchment, which you will find in rolls or sheets at kitchen-supply stores and even many supermarkets. Parchment-wrapped food turns into taut packages as steam inflates the sealed pouches. (Be careful when slitting them open to avoid being burned.) The results are a delicate mix of textures and aromas that's sure to please.

Ingredients:
8 oz. thin spaghetti
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh dill or parsley, chopped
1 cup carrots julienned
1 cup zucchini, julienned
1 cup asparagus tips
1 cup red bell pepper, julienned
24 oz salmon fillet, cut into four 6-ounce pieces
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 large sheets

of parchment paper
Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cook thin spaghetti in rapidly boiling water until al dente, drain, toss with a bit of olive oil, salt and chopped fresh dill or parsley.

3. Rinse salmon fillets and pat dry. Spread Dijon mustard evenly over the top of each one.

4. Prepare the parchment: fold each piece of parchment in half. With scissors, cut the shape of half a heart from the folded side. (Remember Valentine's you made in grade school?) Open the heart shape and place 1/4 of the pasta on the center of the paper, top with a salmon fillet, and add the vegetables. Bring the sides of the heart over the fish and fold the edges together starting at the top of the heart, overlapping the folded edge as you go. Fold the tip several times to secure it.

5. Place the pouches in the middle of the hot oven and bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately in the sealed pouches, opening them just before eating.