allez cuisine!

one of my most dismal days in the fall semester was when i first moved into my apartment on the uws. back then, my schedule was from 9am-11pm, and i was all over the city, rushing from my internship at times square, to classes uptown, and then ohdcc meetings afterwards. at the end of one of those hectic days, i came home to my barren apartment, with everything still packed up in boxes, and realized that i had forgotten to fit in dinner. it was cold out so i didn't want to wander my new, strange neighborhood looking for a 24-hour place. i had no internet so i couldn't look anything up on menupages.com. i had nothing in the fridge, i didn't have plates or silverware, and none of the take-out menus that had been left on my stoop delivered past 11:30. so, i sat glum and miserable on my bed crunching on pez candy, the only source of sustenance in my apt, and i thought about how much being a grad student sucks.

since those bleak days in the fall, things have gotten better. translation: it takes me less than five minutes to figure out where i want to order from on any given night. it wasn't until recently that i've actually had the luxury of time to make anything other than hot tea in my kitchen. by recently, i mean yesterday and today. let me tell you, its been kind of rough getting back in the saddle. grocery shopping was an absolute disaster, because i basically had to rebuild my kitchen from scratch; when you haven't cooked in awhile, you lack the basic necessities: olive oil, salt, etc. last night, i made a safe-but-slightly overcooked helping of mama wolk's couscous, and a bland, blackened cajun salmon. this afternoon (i'm working remotely on mondays-yay!), i thought apples and sweet potatoes were an inspired idea, but the end product was not quite so amazing. the problem is, i've been watching top chef and iron chef america, and i have delusions that i can just throw in some spices that "sound like they would work." and i also think i can wield a knife with expertise, which almost ended in tragedy today.

anyways, after a couple of false starts, i ended up making something quite edible for dinner! an old throwback to the days i was domesticated: walnut crusted salmon served with asian green beans.

walnut crusted salmon
1. preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. in one dish, prepare a mixture of honey mustard and butter (enough to coat both sides of the fish)
3. in another dish, mix in breadcrumbs, dried parsley, and crushed walnuts (originally pecans, but i looked all over my neighborhood and couldn't find any. oh well)
4. skin the fish filet (yes, i actually did this myself, for all you nonbelievers)
5. dip the fish in the honey mustard mixture and coat both sides, then dip into breadcrumb mixture and do the same, salt and pepper to taste
6. place fish in a baking tin, add a couple of slices of lemon on top and bake for 12-15 minutes or until flaky

asian green beans
1. i use french green beans, they are skinnier, and i like the way they taste a lot better
2. chop up fresh ginger and garlic and sautee in a pan with canola or olive oil
3. throw in green beans with stems removed
4. cover and allow to steam cook for awhile
5. add soy-ginger sauce and sesame seeds
6. throw in a handful of shitake mushrooms

enjoy!

***

coming up this week, my secret ingredients are two chicken breast filets and one piece of tilapia. i'm not an iron chef yet. but i'm getting there.