cook: salmon dinner

I spied this recipe on Instagram and even took pictures of it in order to re-create it. I love a medium rare salmon and thought slow roasting would result in that soft, juicy fish. 

Even though I roasted the salmon 5 minutes less than the recipe called for, I thought the fish was overcooked. I had some leftover crushed garlic and heavy whipping cream leftover from Ooni pizza night the previous week and folded it into cappellini or angel hair pasta boiled for 2 minutes. I forgot to reserve pasta water and instead just added hot water to the cream sauce to thin though grated Pecorino Romano thickened it again. Oh and I had sugar snap peas languishing in my vegetable bin, and so the green vegetable was tossed into the boiling pasta water too.  

I did not love this dinner. The salmon was meh. I don't care for the brown sugar and salt rub and will return to slathering salmon with butter and olive oil and a little salt. Also I think I prefer the high heat of 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 minutes more or less and then done--the interior of the fish is rare and to my liking. However, the chive, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil with 1/2 teaspoon salt poured on top of the cooked fish before it rests tasted amazing--that I'd do again. I also discovered I'm not a fan of Pecorino Romano--too strong though hubby seems to like it more than Parmigiano Reggiano. And adding greens to the boiling pasta is such a handy shortcut to integrating vegetables into a creamy pasta.

At least I tried a new cooking technique, and maybe I will try slow roasting again. I think that 200 degrees in a convection oven and checking the temperature of the fish halfway through roasting would've produced better results. This past Monday night, hubs and I ate a birthday dessert gifted by my beautiful assistant, Michaela. She bought him a chocolate chiffon layered with whipped cream and fruit and me a whipped cream white cake layered with blackberry and blueberry fruit. The cake slices came from my favorite Korean bakery, Paris Baguette. She even included candles in the gift box.

Patrick, of course, had to drizzle Guittard chocolate syrup on his cake. I love this bakery's fluffy and soft cakes because they're not overly sweet. Dinners this week have mainly been leftovers or grilled sandwich and soup.                                  

The weather has definitely been autumnal. All I've wanted to do is nest and rest.