A Good Food Day: Reboot Your Health with Food That Tastes Great (25 page)

1
In a bowl, combine the salt, pepper, lemon zest, and herbs.

2
Pat the salmon dry on both sides with a paper towel and lay it skin-side up on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, score the skin diagonally in 3 places, being careful not to slice into the flesh. (This allows the salmon flesh to draw in the salt and cure faster.)

3
Put several long pieces of plastic wrap over a baking sheet. In the center, arrange half the salt mixture in a mound the same length as the salmon fillet. Place the fish skin-side down over the mound, then spread the remaining salt mixture evenly over the flesh side of the salmon. Wrap the salmon tightly in the plastic wrap. Put another baking sheet on top and weight it with several heavy jars or cans, sandwiching the wrapped salmon in between the pans. Refrigerate for 24 hours. After this time, the salmon flesh should feel firm, but not hard. (If it’s squishy, wrap it back up and refrigerate for another day.)

4
Unwrap the salmon and rinse off the cure under cold water. Pat it dry with paper towels. Use a sharp, nonserrated knife to slice the flesh into paper-thin pieces. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

1
Add the arugula to a large salad bowl. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper and cut each fillet into 5 even slices.

2
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over high heat. When the oil slides easily across the pan and wisps of smoke come off the surface, add the salmon and cook, untouched, for 2 minutes. Flip the pieces and cook for 30 seconds on the other side.

3
Put the hot salmon pieces on top of the greens, cover the bowl with a plate or baking sheet, and set aside for 5 minutes to wilt the arugula.

4
Drop the pomegranate seeds into the bowl, along with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt to taste, a good dose of black pepper, the lemon juice, and red onion. Using a fork, lightly break up the pieces of salmon into large flakes. Toss well to combine.

1
Rinse the shrimp and pat dry with paper towels.

2
Ball the parsley in your fist and press it onto a cutting board. Run your knife several times through the ball to roughly chop the leaves. Cut the garlic cloves in half across the equator, smash each half with the flat side of your knife, and roughly chop them. Put the garlic and lemon zest on top of the pile of parsley and finely chop them together. The mixture should yield about ½ cup of trifolati.

3
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Once wisps of smoke come off the pan, add the shrimp in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper, and cook without touching the shrimp for 2 minutes. Add the trifolati and toss to coat the shrimp. Add the chickpeas and lemon juice and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3 minutes more, allowing the flavors to combine and everything to become evenly coated with the trifolati. Pour into a serving bowl and top with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2
In a large ovenproof skillet combine the olive oil, onion, fennel, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the basil, and a pinch of salt, then turn the heat to medium-high. Cook for 5 minutes, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and become translucent, about 3 minutes.

3
Add the tomatoes, olives, and capers and increase the heat to high. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The olives and capers add a good amount of salt, so start with a little and taste as you go.) Cook for 3 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium-high and continue to lightly cook until the sauce has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

4
Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons basil. Lightly season the halibut fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Nestle them into the sauce, spooning some sauce over the top of each one until they’re mostly submerged. After 1 minute, transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the fish flakes apart with a fork or gives easily when lightly squeezed, about 10 minutes. Plate the fillets and spoon the sauce over each one.

1
Trim the asparagus by snipping off the tough, woody ends.

2
With a sharp knife, score the skin of each fillet, making three diagonal slashes about 1 inch apart. Scrub any sand and grit off the clams, then soak them in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes.

3
In a large, shallow pan, combine the olive oil, garlic, ginger, and scallions, then turn the heat to high. Once the oil sizzles, add the asparagus, snow peas, sugar snaps, frozen peas, and a big pinch of salt and stir to coat with the oil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring every 3 minutes, until the vegetables are soft, but not browned, about 9 minutes.

4
Drain and rinse the clams and add them to the pan. Add the wine, vinegar, and ¼ cup water. Cover, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook until the clams open, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.

5
Lightly season both sides of the fillets with salt and pepper and nestle them in a single layer among the vegetables and clams. The liquid should be just below an active simmer. Cover and poach the fish for 5 minutes. The fish is done when it’s opaque and tender when you pierce in the thickest part. Stir in the mint leaves and taste the broth, adding salt or pepper, if needed.

6
To serve, place a fillet and 3 clams in each bowl and ladle the vegetables and broth over.