Exploration 1: Fish...particularly - Salmon*

Dear Sheleena, if you're reading this, you've visited this blog after I posted a new entry. The kick ass lasagna I told you to try out is in the previous post. Yours truly, Tyson. :-) 

Speaking of that lasagna (have you tried it?) I just have one more miracle story from the miraculous dish from heaven. My two nieces, who I have not seen since before I left to New Mexico, finally came home last night from their personal adventures. Luckily for them, they arrived just before the last of the pasta was licked from the dish it was cooked in. 

My nieces are picky - PICKY, when it comes to food. One likes cheese, the other does not. I know, who really doesn't like cheese? I think she might be an alien. One likes peanut butter but not jelly. One likes jelly but not peanut butter. One likes syrup and...you guess it, one doesn't. Despite their polar opposite likes and dislikes, there are a few things they do agree on. 

They don't like vegetables. They especially don't like onions, mushrooms, tomatoes..and well, vegetables. I'm assuming they pick it up from their mom. Although, their mom does like mushrooms, but that's not really a veggie. I imagine if my sister is reading this, she's thinking, they like corn. Stop! Stop. They do like corn...but corn is not a vegetable. It's a starch. It's the same as a potato and rice. Not even trump in all his self-centeredness can make it a vegetable.

It took some hard core, high pressure sales man techniques, but we got them to consider eating it. I warmed up one plate for the youngest of the two. She's a tad more willing to go along with things, the brave soul she is. Everything rested upon her shoulders, if she expressed any dislike, there was absolute no way the oldest would even attempt it. I stood behind her in nervous anticipation. Not going to lie, my heart jumped a little bit when, after having a hard time cutting through the cheese, she gave me this look. My first thoughts, "Crap! This is the one who doesn't like cheese. It's over. Game over!" 

I swooped in gently and helped her navigate around it in every way possible, careful to avoid saying "cheese"

Small bite. Silence....

"It is good!" She exclaimed, her face lighting up.

It was only after thather sister said, "Okay, fine, I'll try it. But I probably won't like it."

So there she was, sitting at the table looking down at her bowl.

"Why do you keep looking at me?" She raised her voice.

"Because, I want to see the magic of this lasagna light up your face in undeniable ways when you take that first bite."

"Is this an onion?" she said holding up an obvious onion part.

"No, it's not." I lied.

"Yes it is!" 

"Trust me, it's good!"

Her sister, sitting across from her continued to enforce the fact that it was good. Slowly, in the most careful way, she took her first taste.

As I expected, the worry on her face blossomed into delight.

With a smile she looked up, "I don't like it."

"Lies! You totally do! I know you do. You have a big ol' smile that goes from ear to ear, any bigger it wouldn't fit on your face."

The entire time she ate her dinner she insisted she didn't like it. I just laughed.

Then just before finishing, in her softest voice I heard her whisper to her mom, "This really IS good."

So there you have it, another testament of that damn lasagna. 

To shift gears, beginning to navigate us away from meat and back onto the path of vegerianism - let's ease into it with fish. I stated at the start of this exploration that I never intended to become a complete vegetarian, nor was I going to make any extra effort to certify myself a vegan. I would eat fish from time to time. With the exception of catfish I ordered from a restaurant before Christmas, there hasn't been a whole lot to demonstrate this.

I found this recipe on Instagram from a friend and former co-worker of mine. She and I met when we both were hired to be the opening crew for the new version of "Hellsfire Saloon" in Reno. Hellsfire established itself on the south side of Reno as a bar. After years of creating memories with the locals, it shut its doors and reopened sometime later as a bar & bbq restaurant. 

They have good food. I mean, it really is good bar-b-que. In addition, it's owned by Heff and his wife, Deb, they are also great people.

Tiffany was a bartender and I was a server, but as with any restaurant "couple" we got to know each other during those down times when we pretended to work. lol Anyone in the restaurant business knows how this goes. 

As time went on, I left the growing business. Tiffany and I managed to stay in touch.

"This better be worth this trouble," I vented out loud. This was my third trip to the grocery store and I still didn't have everything.

You see, here in the small Southern town that I now call home, there are two grocery stores. One located about 2 miles away and the other, in the town over, which is about 3 miles from the house. During my first trip, I grabbed everything except for the Salmon. Their frozen fish selected was rather extensive: catfish, trout, tilapia and other finned creatures that I'ver never ate nor had any idea what it looked like alive and swimming. I figured I'd swing around to the other grocery store later, they had to have salmon. I needed some boiled peanuts anyway. The Piggly Wiggly (I just like saying the name) is the only one that carries the cajuan ones in our area.

I was horribly wrong. Not only did they not carry salmon, their idea of frozen fish contained entirely of breaded, deep fried fish sticks and catfish. Perhaps a tad too Southern.

I drove back over to the first grocery store ready to settle with tilapia. Then I noticed, they did have salmon. I over looked it. The skin was still on it, which kind of grosses me out...I don't know why, but it always has. Reluctantly, I picked it up and took it to the cashier. 

Salmon or bust kind of mentality I suppose.

Got home - no asparagus. I swear I bought some during my first visit. Nope, nope, and nope. Ugh! I opened the fridge to see what I could substitute in. What I had wasn't going to work, at least not in the same way. 

"Nope, I looked forward to this dinner all day, I'm going to make it happen," I said to myself before grabbing the keys and going back to the grocery store for asparagus. 

The recipe isn't difficult. That's partially what contributed to the lack of photos with this entry, I was gabbing on the phone the entire time I prepared it and forgot to take photos. Oops! 

To cut through the bushes - it's a 5. A solid 5. It's quick, it's easy, it's beautiful and it's rather yummy. I did prepare steamed rice as a side dish, may the record reflect.

I don't know if she got the recipe from somewhere or if it's something she just had up her sleeve, but Tiffany, thank you for the wonderful dish. It was great, definitely going to cook it again in the near future!

If you want to make this dish, the receipe is located below. I'm calling it

 "Bartender's Secret Salmon"