SALMON SALAD WITH FENNEL, ORANGE AND MINT - FAYETTEVILLE PILATES AND BARRE - RECIPEDOODLE WEDNESDAY

Bright and lively - this yummy Salmon Salad is also quick and effortless to put together.

SALMON SALAD WITH FENNEL, ORANGE AND MINT

2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 whole star anise
4 cups cold water
4 pieces of salmon
2 oranges
4 cups very thinly sliced fennel (about 2 medium bulbs)
1 cup fresh mint leaves, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place sugar, water, vinegar, star anise and cold water in a large deep skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add salmon pieces, cover skillet and remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, turn salmon over, cover and let stand until salmon is just opaque in the center, about 5 to 6 minutes longer.
Remove salmon from the liquid and cool. Coarsely flake the salmon, set aside.
Cut top and bottom 1/4 inch off each orange. Stand 1 orange on 1 flat end. Using a small sharp knife cut off peel and white pith. Working over a large bowl, cut between the membranes, releasing the segments into a bowl. Repeat with the remaining orange. Add salmon, fennel, mint and olive oil. Gently toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!

NOTE: you could add salad greens to this too!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2010
www.bonappetit.com/.../salmon-salad-with-fennel-orange-an...‎

THAI STYLE CHICKEN IN LETTUCE LEAVES - Fayetteville Pilates and Barre - recipedoodle Wednesday

My family and I loved these Chicken Lettuce "wraps".
Fresh tasting, with a delicious burst of mint, spicy ginger and cool cucumber. The flavors blended beautifully.
Placing everything out in the bowls, made it fun for the kids to put together, and even the adults enjoyed playing with their food.

THAI STYLE CHICKEN IN LETTUCE LEAVES

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 red pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts
1 head of butter lettuce
2 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan, mix the vinegar with the sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add 1 teaspoon of the garlic and the crushed red pepper and let cool.
In a large bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the sweet seasoned vinegar with the remaining 3 teaspoons of garlic and the soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil. Set aside 2 tablespoons of this soy marinade. Add the chicken and the remaining marinade in the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
Heat the broiler. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let it drain, slice thinly, then broil for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let it rest for 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, toss the cucumber with the remaining sweet seasoned vinegar. Put the red pepper, mint, cilantro and peanuts in separate bowls. Arrange the lettuce leaves in a basket.
Add the water to the reserved 2 tablespoons of soy marinade.
Wrap the chicken and garnishes in lettuce leaves, and pass the soy marinade and cucumber salad separately.
Enjoy!