The Manicure and the Fishmonger

This week, I'm feeling a little behind in my quest and I have to make something tonight. I have 29 minutes to go to the store and buy ingredients before I need to be home to relieve the babysitter. I'm sitting in the parking lot with my fresh mani/pedi looking through the cookbook (which rarely leaves my side these days). I know time tonight will be tight so I focus on Jamie's "20-Minute Meals" section. Its always fun to see the thought process that goes into choosing a recipe for my adventure. A month into this, each recipe I've chosen so far has been inspired by something (the weather, a holiday) or someone (a loved one, friend or a family member's request). Husband has been asking me to cook a curry dish and I stop when I see "Quick Salmon Tikka with Cucumber Yogurt"(pg. 28). Today, my mani/pedi was a gift from one of my best friends (let's call her Roomie) and she took me to my first Indian restaurant on a double date about ten years ago. I missed her today and wished she had been with me for my day of pampering. Also, she and I were roommates in college and also for our semester abroad in London, WHICH brings us back full circle to Jamie Oliver. So, decision made.

In the intro to the recipe Jamie writes,"I love this dish. If you're a fan of chicken tikka masala, give this one a go. You might think it odd to use robust spice pastes on fish, but its very common in southern India. When buying your fish, ask the fishmonger to scale it for you. You'll be amazed at how quickly these cook." And I think, "Fishmonger? What a horrible job title! Sounds like a villain, the kind in the old movies that would kidnap a damsel."
Okay, back on track. So, I read through the ingredients: naan (mmmm!), 1 fresh chile, 1/2 a cucumber, 1 lemon, natural yogurt, salt & pepper, cilantro, two 7-ounce salmon fillets, a heaping tablespoon of tandoori or mild curry paste and olive oil. Careful not to damage the nails, I write the ingredients on back of the envelope my gift card came in and head into the store.

I decide to look for the curry paste first because if they don't have that, the whole thing is a bust. Now, growing up in a fairly rural area, I didn't have access to many ethnic restaurants while growing up. When I left the small farm town and went to the big city for college, one of my first friends was Indian, by way of Canada (where she was born) her family had come to the United States about twenty years before and her parents lived close to where we went to school. She and I were fast friends and soon, since her family was close by, our gang was eating awesome Indian food at family celebrations and the yummy leftovers she'd bring us back to the dorm after a weekend at home. Along with Roomie, she was one of my first blog followers and she's an amazing cook. She also doesn't live close by and I think about her too as I browse the "International" Food section of the store. Found it! Its even the brand Jamie recommends in his book so I'm very excited.

I head to the seafood counter to find this "fishmonger." I see some wild Atlantic Salmon and the fishmonger comes over to help. I get a little freaked out when I notice she kind of resembles the mean lunch lady on Jamie's show. And then, she opens her mouth and I think it must be her twin! I tell her that I need TWO 7-ounce salmon fillets and she looks at me like I have just walked off a spaceship. "Don't you mean a pound which is 16 ounces NOT 14?" she says harshly. I want to say, "JAMIE SAYS TWO SEVEN ounce salmon fillets and that's what I want!" But I hold back because she's a little scary and point to a piece and ask how much that one weighs. She puts it on the scale and I feel vindicated when the reading "14 oz." pops up. I smile and say, "I'll take that please." She wraps it up and then tries to make nice and asks if I need a lemon. I take her fishmonger-y lemon and skedaddle as fast as I can. I'm think that this trip can't be more complicated for such a simple list but then I can't find a red chile or cilantro! How can they not have cilantro?!?! I have exactly 12 minutes to pay and get home so I decide to forgo the chile and decide to call my husband and ask him to get the cilantro on his way home.

Boy, when Jamie says quick, he means quick! I whip this up in no time. I should have timed myself to see if it was the 17 minutes that he suggests but it had to be pretty close. I mix the chopped (and seeded) cucumber, lemon, yogurt, salt & pepper for the cucumber yogurt. I have some trouble cutting through the skin of the salmon and just go ahead and cut most of it off as well as cut it into strips. I brush the paste on each piece and throw it in my large pan with olive oil. It smells so good! The salmon is done in no time and I am so proud as I "plate" my beautiful dinner following Jamie's instructions.

Its so delicious and husband and daughter think so too. Hubby is so excited about this meal that he gets his iPhone and posts on Facebook about his yummy dinner before we even wash the dishes! And he gets an immediate response, three people ask for the recipe. I am now an official Food Revolutionary! As we start to clean up my darling daughter, never to miss a beat, says "I like your pink nails mom." The compliment makes me light up as I think about how I got to this recipe today, again, full circle. I think how lucky I am to have such great friends and that even when they aren't nearby, sometimes thinking of them, having them with you in spirit, is just as good.

Check out this great recipe:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish-recipes/quick-salmon-tikka-with-cucumber-yoghurt


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