Meal-kit: Seared Salmon with Caesar Salad

Like I mentioned in my last post, I like to cook. I even have my own sourdough starter in the fridge - but that's another story. What I'm saying is; I know my way around the kitchen. So when I read on the chef's plate recipe card -- Salmon with Ceasar salad - 20 minutes and "easiest" prep (one out of three on their rating scale) -- I couldn't help but time it.

The kit unpacked

Starting at 6:30 PM, I washed and then prepped the produce.  The greens portion was generous and I really liked the addition of some kale in the mix. I was a bit surprised to learn I needed parchment - not everyone has parchment paper just lying around, right?

By 6:45, I had the croutons and onions ready to go into the hot oven.

Prepping

I was already 15 minutes into the suggested 20 -- so the pressure was on.  Frying the fish for four minutes a side and roasting the croutons for seven minutes meant I had to do some gymnastics with my one kitchen timer. And, then there was the salad - dumping two small containers, squeezing half the lemon, and putting in the fresh garlic and half the cheese - stopping once to flip the fish and once to pull the croutons out of the oven.

I finished the salad just before the salmon was done -- regretting the size of bowl I used because it was too small -- plated the meal and then checked the time - 7:14.  Sigh. 44 minutes, more than twice the 20 minute prep time estimated for this "easiest" rated dish.  

Dinner is served

Our plates were heaped high with salad and seared "Premium Catch" steelhead salmon. And there was still a quarter of the salad left in the bowl.

The verdict - WOW!  Delicious. Even though the fish was previously frozen.  The meal was wonderful.

The portions were so generous; I had leftovers for next day's lunch. So, you can teach an old cook a few new tricks.  I'm definitely going to try making salmon this way again. I'm also hoping to beat the clock on the next kit.  Piri Piri Chicken with Sweet Potato Wedges and Spinach Salad - 35 minutes and "average" rated for prep.