Herb-roasted salmon, potatoes, carrots, and sugar snap peas

Now that vacation is over it's back to cooking for ourselves! Last night was too nice not to break out the grill, so burgers were on the menu. Tonight it was salmon with roasted vegetables. This recipe is tasty, healthy and requires every mixing bowl in your kitchen. The sauce has quite a kick and would be great as a stand alone dip. Now, on to the recipe . . .

First, the salmon is marinated in an oil, lemon juice, garlic and coriander mixture.

A quick sauce is then made from yogurt, thaini, oil, lemon juice, garlic, lemon peel and an herb mixture of chives, dill and mint.

The vegetables are mixed with oil and coriander and roasted until tender. Finally, the salmon is roasted as the vegetables finish cooking.

Herb-Roasted Salmon, Potatoes, Carrots, and Sugar Snap Peas
Slightly modified from Bon Appetit
Serves 4

2 green onions, chopped (we used chives from the garden!)
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1 tsp coriander powder
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice, divided
2 cloves minced garlic, divided
1 tsp grated lemon peel, divided
4 6-ounce salmon fillets
1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 Tbsp tahini
12 ounces fingerling potatoes, halved (we used baby yukon golds)
1 bunch baby carrots, trimmed
8 ounces sugar snap peas (we used snow peas)

Toss green onions, dill and mint in a small bowl and set aside. Whisk 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel and half of coriander in a separate bowl. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper and add to the marinade. Let salmon marinate for 15-20 minutes. Mix yogurt, thaini, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 garlic clove and 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel in a small bowl. Stir in half of the herb mixture.

Position one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven; preheat oven to 400. Brush two large rimmed baking sheets with oil. Toss potatoes, carrots, remaining coriander and two tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Spread potato mixture on one baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on top oven rack until almost tender, about 20 minutes. Put the potatoes cut side down for best results.

Arrange salmon on second oiled sheet. When the 20 minutes are up, toss the snow peas in the remaining marinade, then add to the potatoes. Transfer the potatoes to the lower oven rack and place the salmon on the upper rack. Roast until the salmon is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer salmon to plates. Mix remaining herb mixture into vegetables. Serve with salmon and yogurt sauce.

Steak with pomegranate glaze and roasted new potatoes

What could be better than steak and potatoes? Um, nothing! In this case, the potatoes are our main course and the steak and salad are merely there to balance out the meal. Seriously, these potatoes are awesome. They have a slightly crispy exterior and a creamy, almost mashed potato-like interior. And they're pretty easy to make - just coat with an herb/oil mixture and roast about 45 minutes. Now on to the side dishes . . .

First, coat the steak with ground peppercorn melange and sear in a skillet in some hot oil. Cook the steak to the desired doneness and transfer to a platter to rest.

Next, prepare the glaze in the same skillet. Add pomegranate juice, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and reduce until slightly thickened.

Toss some arugula with oil and vinegar and plate with the steak. Cover the steak with the glaze and eat!

Steak with Mixed Peppercorns and Pomegranate Glaze
From Bon Appetite
Serves 4

1 1/4 lb top sirloin steak
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided
1 cup pomegranate juice
4 tsp brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar, divided
4 cups arugula

Sprinkle steak generously with coarsely ground peppercorn melange, salt and rosemary. Heat 1 1/2 tsp olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook to desired doneness (about 5 minutes per side for medium rare). Transfer steak to platter. Add pomegranate juice, brown sugar, and 2 tsp balsamic vinegar to skillet. Boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Toss arugula with 1 tsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt. Serve salad with steak and drizzle on glaze.


Roasted New Potatoes with Herbs
From Williams-Sonoma Potato
Serves 4

1 shallot, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 bay leaf, finely crumbled
1/2 cup olive oil
16 red new potatoes, scrubbed and patted dry

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. In a food processor, combine shallot, thyme, sage, oregano, garlic, bay leaf, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add the olive oil and blend just until the shallot is finely chopped. Transfer 1/3 cup of the herb mixture to a large bowl.

Peel a strip 1/2 wide around the center of each potato and add the potatoes to the bowl with the herb mixture. Toss the potatoes to coat. Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet and cook, turning occasionally, about 45 minutes. Drizzle the potatoes with the remaining herb mixture and serve.