There really is a first time for everything
Today marks a first for Capt Mike and I. After slaving over a hottish stove for a good 40 minutes or so, we agreed that the salmon dish I had prepared was crap, and opted for delivery instead.
Now, I do not fancy myself a chef per se (despite applying for cooking school in Belleville... a girl's gotta do something to keep herself busy in Trenton, right?), but I am a pretty decent cook. I like to experiment in the kitchen, and usually the results are pretty tasty: roasted red pepper risotto on a bed of sautéed spinach, with Italian sausage meatballs; "teriyaki" salmon fillets; lemon-dill halibut steaks. I also like to try things I've seen on TV, particularly if they are touted as healthy and easy to make. So how was I to know that the salmon, spinach, and leek bake I borrowed from "You are what you eat" would end up tasting exactly like it was a recipe from a second-rate British cable show, and not haute cuisine?
In my own defence, never before has Capt Mike opted in favour of take-out over something I've made the effort of preparing myself. He's always game to try new things, and I like to challenge our palates with new flavours as often as possible. But tonight's dish was a complete disaster. Bland. Pale. The salmon looked poached, not baked. The baby spinach lost all of its chlorophyll. Describing the seasoning as "discrete" would be generous. Only the English could make salmon taste bad. And me following their recipe, apparently.
Comments
Mmm.... roasted red pepper risotto on a bed of sautéed spinach, with Italian sausage meatballs...
Um... but uh... don't feel that you have to cook or anything while you're here next week ;-)
Posted by: heather at December 3, 2007 02:54 AM
Reminds me of a pasta casserole I made a coupla weeks ago. Looked fantastic in the "Compliments" free recipe book, and the finished product didn't look too bad either, but it was nearly tasteless. I'll stick with macaroni, tomatoes and cheddar cheese.
Posted by: Dad at December 4, 2007 11:45 AM
I remember a prize-winning hamburger concoction many years ago that involved a hamburger patty, Swiss cheese and the old standard green beans in mushroom soup sprinkled with French fried onions that I served to Bob - the night after he had to do mouth to mouth on a woman who had tried to commit suicide at Toronto Island. Needless to say it was NOT very appetizing under the circumstances. I haven't ever repeated that one either!
Posted by: Dee at December 26, 2007 01:28 PM