Soba Noodle Salad with Salmon and Asparagus

Asparagus season is here! I see fresh asparagus on sale every where. Here is a great dish you can make with it!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
Fine sea salt
5 1/2 ounces soba (Japanese-style noodles)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
12 ounces wild salmon fillet, skinned
9 ounces thick asparagus spears, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 ounces baby spinach leaves (5 to 6 cups)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Soba noodles can be found in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets and at Asian markets.
Preparation
2. Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Season dressing to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Cook soba noodles in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain well; transfer to large bowl. Pour dressing over; toss to coat.
4. Heat vegetable oil in heavy medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with sea salt and pepper. Cook until browned but still deep pink in center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer salmon to plate; cool slightly. Wipe skillet clean. Add enough water to skillet to reach depth of 1 inch. Bring to boil. Sprinkle sea salt over and add asparagus. Simmer until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain. Add spinach and asparagus to noodles; toss to incorporate evenly. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Divide noodle salad among plates. Break salmon into bite-size pieces. Tuck salmon and avocado into noodles on plates. Sprinkle sesame seeds over and serve

Steak Picadillo Soft Tacos

This recipe was from the April issue of Bon Appetit. I love how simple it was to make it. To add some HEAT to the tacos I added some fresh jalapeno peppers.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 12-ounce strip of skirt steak
• 1/2 cup 1/4-inch squares green bell pepper
• 3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1/3 cup halved drained pimiento-stuffed green olives plus brine from jar
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 corn tortillas
• Chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Add to skillet; sauté 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to plate. Add bell pepper to skillet. Sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with green chiles, olives, raisins, tomato paste, cumin, and allspice. Simmer until sauce is thick, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and olive brine.

2. Cut steak into 1/3-inch-thick slices on diagonal across grain. Add steak and any juices to sauce in skillet; toss to blend.

3. Char tortillas over gas flame or in broiler until blackened in spots, 15 to 20 seconds per side. Divide filling among tortillas. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.