Baked Salmon with Lemon Caper Butter

Tags

Baked, Butter, Caper, Cooking, Fish, Lemon, Recipes, Salmon

I’ve made salmon several ways but this has to be by far the easiest to get a perfectly moist, fully cooked salmon, every time and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 (5 ounce) salmon fillets
• Salt and pepper
• 4 lemon slices
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoons of capers drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray (optional).
3. Place salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle fillets with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, then place 2 lemon slices on top of each fillet.
4. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, tent the foil and leave to steam outside the oven for 10 more minutes.
6. In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.
7. Once butter has melted add garlic, capers, lemon zest and lemon juice, then cook for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Remove lemon slices from the fish and discard. Gently slide a turner or serving spatula between the skin and the flesh of the fillet to remove the skin, it should separate very easily. Transfer fillet to a serving platter and spoon lemon caper butter over the top.

Taquile Island and back to Puno.

Tags

Alpaca, Culture, Fish, Food, Peru, Puno, Taquile, Titicaca, Travel

After a great filling breakfast, it was time to say some farewells and head back to the boat for the next island. It took just over an hour to get to Taquile, at which point, there was more uphill hiking and beautiful views, before arriving at the main square.

The group guide, Walter, explained the local dress and courting activities of the local people. Life appears to be very simple with the constant use of the phrases ‘at 16 to 18, they fall in love. They fall in love and they get married’. Falling in love is initiated by the boy throwing small stones at the girl to show interest, at which point if she likes him, they’ll get married; what a concept for me, coming from the western world. It’s expensive to buy anything on the island, with prices being three or four times more expensive than anywhere else. Walter explained that it’s the best quality and that the money goes directly to the people on the island. I’m not one for trinkets, especially grossly expensive ones.

A short walk from the main square was the luchtime restaurant. A great dinner of fried fish was devoured and a cold coke purchased. Good timing to chat to some of the other travellers and check out where people are from and/or going to. All downhill after lunch, to the other side of island and a re-uniting with the tour boat.  It was a long 2.5 hour boat ride back to Puno, with the Uros islands faint in the distance. You can’t get away from the Sun here and any travel seems to roll really slowly.

After a brief transfer back at shore, we were in the familiar walls of the Qelqatani hotel, and our backpacks, awaiting collection. Knowing the disaster that the dining experience in the hotel was, it was time to hit up a local restaurant after freshening up, where I finally got to try the Alpaca. Not sure what the fuss is all about, as it’s similar to sirloin steak and doesn’t hold a very strong flavour.

Time to crash now, as it’s an early start for the tour bus to Cusco tomorrow.

Ceviche

Tags

Ceviche, Fish

1lb Fresh fish (such as Halibut, Sea bass, Red Snapper and Shrimp).
6 Limes (Enough Juice to cover fish) – juiced.
1 Cup Tomato – diced.
1 Green pepper – chopped.
4 Tblsp Cilantro – chopped.
¼ Tsp Salt.
¼ Tsp Pepper.
½ Tsp Oregano.
2 Jalapeno peppers – chopped.
2 Tblsp White vinegar.
1 Medium onion – Finely chopped.
2 Tblsp Cilantro – chopped.
1 dash of Tabasco sauce.
Lettuce leaf, to line serving bowls.
1 Avocado – sliced.
2 Black olives – sliced.

1. Clean and dice the fish to approximately ½” pieces.

2. Marinate fish in the lime juice, in the fridge overnight, stirring often.

3. Pour off most of the lime juice, leaving enough to keep the fish moist.

4. Add remaining ingredients except lettuce, avocado and olive. Do this preferably a few hours before serving & refrigerate.

5. Toss well and arrange in individual serving bowls that are lined with the lettuce leaves.

6. Garnish with the sliced avocado and black olives.

Ceviche