Dinner from the Garden

I made an incredibly gourmet meal (which took me about 2 hours to concoct) with yesterday's garden harvest. Here's the full line-up, in case you want to try it at home:

Spicy Wild Salmon with Lime Sauce - fresh salmon coated with tumeric and chili pepper, broiled to perfection, and then drizzled with a tangy lime sauce. My basic framework for this was from http://www.simplygreatmeals.com.au/recipe/1761/spicy-atlantic-salmon-with-lime-mayonnaise , but I of course did not use the disgusting frozen beans suggested as a side!

Served with Sherry and Honey Glazed Beets and Carrots (harvested yesterday). The carrots (scrubbed, but unpeeled) were halved lengthwise (since they were already pretty thin) and the beets were peel and cut into thin wedges. I put these in a pan with half a cup of water, a few splashes of sherry vinegar (Balsamic would also work), a tablespoon of honey, and TWO tablespoons of butter. As it begins to boil, stir every so often to keep everything nice and coated, and watch as it begins to evaporate, and the honey begins to caramelize with the butter. If all the water is gone before the vegetables are al dente, then add a little more water. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Save the tops of the beets for Buttered Beet Greens, which can be lightly tossed in the remaining oily sweetness from the pan that cooked the carrots, plus a tiny bit of water, and cooked ever so slightly. Again, salt to taste.

The spicy tartness of the salmon paired perfectly with the sweet butteryness (a delicious word that should be added to Webster this instant!) of the vegetables, making for a truly satisfying meal. It does seem like a bit of a winter entrée, what with the beets and carrot, but whatever is coming out of the garden is our fresh, seasonal produce, regardless of what the "What's in Season?" chart says!