Pineapple is tropical and tangy. Salmon is juicy and fatty. Together they make my mouth wet.
It was all I could do to stop myself from picking at the sizzling pieces of fruit and the sweating fish while they were mingling in the saute pan over a flame. I must add, I love gas stoves. They make cooking even more romantic than it already is and they cook the food better, pure and simple.
I had no real plan in mind for the salmon or the pineapple; it just happened, like the best of things. A little coconut oil went down to lubricate the process, while ginger and garlic made sure the playtime would be safe and spicy. Ginger is an awesome digestive and garlic is a powerful, natural anti-biotic. They happen to be my favorite seasonings as well. Fresh-cut pineapple added the moisture, some zing, and a dose of anti-inflammatory relief. Say aloha and thank the islands.
Meanwhile, I have a few sweet potatoes baking in the oven, as is. I don't think I even washed them. I like dirt. It makes everything feel more real.
Covering the salmon for alone time with his sweet and savory ladies, I snap some asparagus and toss it lightly with hand-squeezed lemon juice, get in there and dig out the pulp with your fingers, its fun. Add some large garlic slices and a tiny bit of black pepper to get things going.
As the sweet potatoes soften and start to arouse the kitchen with hints of autumn, loosen the salmon from the pan, add more pineapple and toss in the small chopped red onion. When the lines in the fish flesh start to release their load of fats and oils, keep a closer eye on your handsome river-devil for he's close to finish.
I am not a fan of overcooked anything so I wait until the last minute to put the asparagus into the oven. Just when the sweet potatoes are soft enough to penetrate easily and the salmon is about to need a smoke break, I turn up the heat. Flash broil the asparagus and garlic, leaving the nutrients fresh and potent and the edges blackened from the rush of heat. The sweet potatoes will drip like honey and the pineapple juice will reduce perfectly into ambrosia, just as the salmon softly falls apart.
I'll go ahead and say it, this moment is what I cook for. This is for the gods. Ah, perfection.
A second later, my brain turns back on, back to reality... I've got to look presentable. Turn off all the heat, spruce up the slacking onions and get that guy out of there. Set the salmon on a plate next to a split-open sweet potato and top them both off with the mighty pineapple nectar. Place the crisp asparagus nearby with an extra sprinkle of lemon juice and dinner is served, sexy and so ready to go.
Indulge.
It was all I could do to stop myself from picking at the sizzling pieces of fruit and the sweating fish while they were mingling in the saute pan over a flame. I must add, I love gas stoves. They make cooking even more romantic than it already is and they cook the food better, pure and simple.
I had no real plan in mind for the salmon or the pineapple; it just happened, like the best of things. A little coconut oil went down to lubricate the process, while ginger and garlic made sure the playtime would be safe and spicy. Ginger is an awesome digestive and garlic is a powerful, natural anti-biotic. They happen to be my favorite seasonings as well. Fresh-cut pineapple added the moisture, some zing, and a dose of anti-inflammatory relief. Say aloha and thank the islands.
Meanwhile, I have a few sweet potatoes baking in the oven, as is. I don't think I even washed them. I like dirt. It makes everything feel more real.
Covering the salmon for alone time with his sweet and savory ladies, I snap some asparagus and toss it lightly with hand-squeezed lemon juice, get in there and dig out the pulp with your fingers, its fun. Add some large garlic slices and a tiny bit of black pepper to get things going.
As the sweet potatoes soften and start to arouse the kitchen with hints of autumn, loosen the salmon from the pan, add more pineapple and toss in the small chopped red onion. When the lines in the fish flesh start to release their load of fats and oils, keep a closer eye on your handsome river-devil for he's close to finish.
I am not a fan of overcooked anything so I wait until the last minute to put the asparagus into the oven. Just when the sweet potatoes are soft enough to penetrate easily and the salmon is about to need a smoke break, I turn up the heat. Flash broil the asparagus and garlic, leaving the nutrients fresh and potent and the edges blackened from the rush of heat. The sweet potatoes will drip like honey and the pineapple juice will reduce perfectly into ambrosia, just as the salmon softly falls apart.
I'll go ahead and say it, this moment is what I cook for. This is for the gods. Ah, perfection.
A second later, my brain turns back on, back to reality... I've got to look presentable. Turn off all the heat, spruce up the slacking onions and get that guy out of there. Set the salmon on a plate next to a split-open sweet potato and top them both off with the mighty pineapple nectar. Place the crisp asparagus nearby with an extra sprinkle of lemon juice and dinner is served, sexy and so ready to go.
Indulge.
