Roasted Salmon with Grapefruit-Shallot Sauce and Spinach-Orange Salad with a Citrus Vinaigrette in Parmesan Cups

A light Sunday dinner is what I had  in mind. Usually Sunday dinners/lunches are huge and leave you feeling like, "damn, tomorrow's Monday!" I love putting on a huge show for Sundays, but decided that Saturdays are best for the elaborate meals. Something light, yet filling and delicious is perfect for Sundays to get you ready for those manic Mondays! Plus, my husband and I also decided, we should eat fish on Sundays, as well as throughout the week, but Sunday IS fish day. So this Sunday I went with my pretend best friend, you know who it is. Ellie Krieger! The side salad is from Giada De Laurentiis! Giada has some great light meals, too!




Roasted Salmon with Grapefruit-Shallot Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless salmon fillets, 5 to 6 ounces each
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 2 ruby red grapefruits
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 1/2 teaspoons honey
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the salmon with 1/4 teaspoon salt, place in a baking dish and roast until cooked through, about 18 minutes.

While the salmon is cooking prepare the sauce. Cut 1 of the grapefruits into sections by cutting off the top and bottom of the fruit, then standing it on 1 end, cut down the skin to remove the pith and peel. Then, with a paring knife, remove each segment of fruit from its casing and cut the segments in half. Set the segment pieces aside. Juice the other grapefruit and set the juice aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, grapefruit juice, honey, and cayenne pepper and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce is reduced by about half about, 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and season with salt, to taste. Right before serving, toss the grapefruit pieces and basil into the sauce. Put the salmon onto a serving dish. Spoon sauce over the salmon and serve.

Spinach- Orange Salad in Parmesan Frico Cups 

INGREDIENTS

For the Parmesan Frico Cups:

1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan

For the Citrus Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon orange juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

For the Spinach Salad:

6 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 6 cups)

1 orange, cut into segments

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
For the Parmesan Frico Cups: 
Place a silpat mat on a baking sheet. Place 6 (1/4-cup) mounds of Parmesan cheese on the mat and gently tap down until each mound is flat and 4 1/2 to 5 inches in diameter. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Working quickly, use a thin spatula to transfer the Parmesan Frico to a muffin tin. Gently place a small drinking glass on top of the Parmesan Frico to mold it into the shape 1 of the muffin cups. Let cool until firm, about 5 minutes. Continue with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

For the Citrus Vinaigrette: 
Combine all the ingredients in a jar or a tight-sealing plastic container. Shake to blend.

For the Spinach Salad: 
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to combine. Divide the salad among the Parmesan Frico Cups and serve immediately.

Enjoy!!!