Roast Salmon with Perfect Pesto

What's Going on Today: Babysitter arrives for daughter in the morning, I am off to appointments, lunch with friend, then home to take daughter to playdate after naptime.

Naptime Goals: I'll be out to lunch! (Hope my daughter behaves for the sitter - it is so rare that I have one during the daytime!)

Tonight's Menu: Roast Salmon with Perfect Pesto, green salad with pine nuts and gorgonzola, Rice with Toasted Almonds.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Babysitters serve to remind us that sometimes we need a break from our kids, and sometimes the kids need a break from us!

Do you ever have one of those weeks when everything happens at the same time? Like, one week you have all the free time in the world to frolic in the park, and the next you barely have time to throw on some chapstick before running out the door? Well, I am having one of those weeks. I'm not quite sure how I managed to schedule things this way, but when I opened my planner yesterday I was slightly dismayed to discover that it was chock full of appointments and events. To some that may sound all very well and glamorous, me flitting around Manhattan in taxi cabs and high heels but, trust me, it's not.

So, what to do about dinner? Easy. For one of my meetings I will be near my favorite fish store in our neighborhood, so on the way home I'll stop by and pick up some fresh wildcaught salmon. I still have some Perfect Pesto in the freezer and it will make for a great main course, paired with some rice and a salad.

It is rare that we have a babysitter during the day, I usually choose to splurge in the evening when my husband and I are in the mood (re: desperate) for date night. But today I have no choice. This, of course, means that I won't have time to Naptime Chef today. Instead I'll turn to one of my favorite family meals that I can assemble on the fly, Roast Salmon with Pesto. As far as I can tell, there is hardly a better way to enjoy pesto. Yes, I love it roasted with creme fraiche as well, but this way is a tad tastier, I think. The garlic herb flavor of the spread contrasts beautifully with the fresh salmon, while the oil from the pesto prevents the fish from drying out in the oven.

So, after a day out and about this is what we will be enjoying, I am happy to report. And, yes, some of the other dishes like this or this are fantastic when there isn't much time for dinner either. The good news for you all, however, is that one of the many to-do's on my agenda is to working on my next Webisode for Thursday. In it I'll be baking with my Dad, a fellow home-baker who loves the kitchen as much as I do, and it is definitely not to be missed!

Roast Salmon with Perfect Pesto

from my busy home to yours...
2 T. Perfect Pesto or store bought pesto if you don't have any on hand
16 oz. Salmon (figure 6-8oz. per person)

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, this is immensely helpful with easy clean-up.
2. Rinse salmon briefly under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Spread pesto evenly over the salmon and place on the baking sheet. Roast for 15-18 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and no longer pink inside. Serve immediately.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipes Ideas: If you don't have pesto on hand simply cover the salmon with a layer of creme fraiche, that will keep in the moisture and flavor of the salmon you don't want to lose when roasting in the oven.
Naptime Stopwatch: This takes about 45 seconds to prepare, plus roasting time.
Naptime Reviews: We are still working on my daughter's introduction to salmon, so far she seems to like the rice that I usually serve it with!!

Poached Salmon with Leeks: Webisode #8

My Day So Far: Unpack from trip to Martha's Vineyard, morning jaunt to Children's Museum, errands, errands, errands!

Naptime Goals: Prepare for cooking segment on live TV (so nervous!) on WSYR Syracuse on Friday.

Tonight's Meal: Poached Salmon with Leeks. I don't have time to naptime chef today, but can pull together this delicious light meal in a snap.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: The toys that make the most annoying noises are always the child's favorite!

Sometimes people ask me if I spend 2 hours cooking every single day. No! Of course not! Sure, my daughter typically naps for that amount of time, but, as I've said before, naptime is my free time when I strive to get a lot of stuff done, including enjoying some time in the kitchen. Most of the time it works out that I can make a great casserole that will last for a couple of nights, or a large amount of sauce for pasta, with leftovers to freeze for later. But other times I don't have time to cook at all during naptime. Instead, I have to make dinner a few minutes before it needs to be served, which is when I turn to very specific arsenal of recipes at my disposal.

This week is book-ended by two very important trips for me. We just returned from celebrating a belated Christmas with my in-law's, and Thursday I am driving upstate to prepare for a live (!) TV show on Friday morning. (Don't get me started on my nerves, I haven't been able to eat for 2 days already). Once Saturday morning comes I'll be free as a bird, but until then I am running around like a madcap mommy, rushing my daughter to her classes, prepping during naptime and squeezing in the laundry whenever possible.

This recipe for Poached Salmon with Leeks was given to me by my mother-in-law when my husband and I first started dating. She served it one evening during a visit and I was instantly smitten. I love the mildly sweet taste of the tender leeks and how they mix with the chicken broth to soften the flavor of the salmon. Best of all, this is a light, healthy dinner that can be pulled together in a matter of minutes. Don't get me wrong, it's not one of these formulaic solution dinners I hate, there is plenty of inspiration and thought here. This is just simply an wonderful meal made with quality ingredients. I promise, I will never preach to you any time frame in which you pull it together.

Just yesterday I made this in the early evening while my daughter was playing in the other room with our neighbor. As the ear-grating songs of mechanical singing bears screeched away on repeat, I dedicated a few minutes to the kitchen. I had just enough time to let the leeks soften and salmon poach, with a few moments between to check on the kid's handiwork in the other room. (On a side note, can anyone explain the appeal to me of annoying singing animals and why children love them so much?) Dinner was prepared in a short amount of time and everyone adored it. And, believe it or not, my husband managed to capture it all on video, so here you go! Enjoy!

Poached Salmon with Leeks: Webisode #8 from Kelsey Banfield on Vimeo.

Poached Salmon with Leeks

1 T. butter

4 c. chopped leeks, well rinsed (!)

1 c. chicken broth

12 oz. salmon, cut into two strips 

Serves 2 (recipe doubles or triples easily)

1. Trim the roots and leaves from the leeks, leaving the soft white stem. Chop the stem into sections and place in a colander over the sink, or in a bowl of water. Rinse the leeks very thoroughly, these are notoriously grainy vegetables and you don't want the dirt to end up in your food, and pat dry.

2. In a straight edge saute pan with a lid over medium heat add the butter and allow to melt. Then add the leeks and saute until tender. About 8 minutes.

3. Once the leeks are tender pour in the chicken broth until it just covers the leeks. If you need a little more broth then the 1 cup called for, add a little more bit by bit. Then, add the salmon steaks on top, making sure they are separated a little. If there is skin on the salmon, place the skin side up so that the fish is resting directly on the leeks.

4. Turn up the heat so that the broth is simmering. Place the lid on the pan and cook the salmon for 8 minutes. After that, check to make sure the steaks are cooked through. If not, continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes.

5. Divide the leeks between two plates. Serve one salmon steak on top of each bed of leeks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Props: This definitely goes in the category of meals that can be made in a short amount of time and taste delicious. I've never tried it, but I bet this would work with other kinds of fish as well, if you don't like salmon.

Naptime Stopwatch: I made this in 20 minutes from start to finish.

Naptime Reviews: My husband grew up eating this and claims my version was better than he ever tasted at home. I hardly believe it since his mother is such a good cook - but I'll take the credit anyway! My daughter? This was not such a hit, we haven't had much luck with salmon yet.