Curry-Rubbed Salmon with Napa Slaw and Brown Rice

Dinner last night (and lunch today): salmon with a fresh veggie slaw and brown rice. I've sufficiently explored the Italian avenue of cooking for the time being. In other words, I'll be avoiding pasta for a little while. I need to push myself beyond repeatedly combining the contents of a couple saute pans into one pot and mixing it together. Don't get me wrong, I've learned a lot by doing so. I've been pushed to use strange vegetables and explore new flavor combinations. But for this next cooking stage in my life, I want to learn about fish and meat. About fresh and nutrient-rich side dishes. Hence, wild salmon and slaw!

Fish is so good for you. And I do not eat it nearly enough. So, I'm pushing myself. And I don't think Zack is arguing. Omego-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, nutrient- and vitamin-rich...all the things you don't really know that much about, but always hear that you need more of. Plus, have you seen the color of salmon? So vibrant. And I'm holding to something my dad says: you know it's good for you if it's vibrant and bright in color. And such is salmon. We didn't do too much to this fish. Just curry-rubbed it and placed it in the broiler about 4 inches from the heat source. Golden with a crisp finish. The curry was an excellent idea. What great flavor. What a great spice. If you like Indian influences, they you'll like this. It was a nice way to try something other than the usual lemon-marinated salmon (although, that is good also).

Oh, and the slaw! I always thought slaw had to be heavily doused in mayonnaise. But no. There's lime juice and grapeseed oil (which is a little expensive, but apparently like the best oil you can use)! And wow. The lime and grapeseed just richen the flavors of the carrots, napa cabbage, red bell pepper, and cilantro. Give it time to marinate too. It was even better the next day. So fresh with great crunch. If you're tired of salad, this could be a great side to a lot of things.

Not too bad of a start for my new direction. And I even have an orange-walnut olive oil cake to be showing up here soon. Get ready. More to come!