You may have noticed that we've run a few favorites archived In Good Taste recipes and columns recently. It's because I've been out of commission for several weeks with a back injury. I am slowly on the mend _ thank you.
But one the hardest parts of my recovery is not being able to cook that much. For someone who has had food and cooking on the brain 24/7 for nearly 25 years, it's been a rough go. Working my way around the kitchen without being able to bend or lift, reach up and into cupboards or even shop without assistance has been a tough assignment. And this happened just when I was getting used to a recent kitchen remodel that included a new dual-fuel Bosch range, which I was excited to use.
Early on in my recovery, my dear colleagues brought me things I crave from area restaurants and stores: tasty soups, chips and salsa and loaves of crusty artisan bread with a tub of delicious sea salt butter.
After a while I was able to put things together: make toast or heat soup in the microwave. My husband and caregiver made and continues to make most meals for me. He also moved things around in the fridge and pantry so they were at a level I could easily reach. And when I did need to grab something, I relied on one of those grabber reaching tools. (You can find them at Home Depot, Lowe's or Target. In fact, buy more than one. These are like having a pair of cheater reading glasses in every room).
A frugal and expert grocery shopper who uses coupons, I bought convenience items that I typically don't buy because they were easy, albeit not cost-effective. Pre-cooked bacon slices were my go-to. Bacon is comfort food, and, well, I needed lots of comforting.
Now I am slowly taking up small tasks one step _ and recipe _ at a time. I am thinking of ways to navigate around my kitchen efficiently _ while following doctor's orders _ by having things within reach.
So with today's recipes, what immediately came to mind was making good use of the broiler or outdoor grill (mine is at hip level for me), and using one sheet pan to cook all ingredients.
I thought about ingredients that can stand on their own and needed no help. I was reminded of things that many chefs tout: source quality ingredients; treat ingredients simply; and season, but don't over season. And when it came to seasoning, I turned to using ingredients that could do double duty. In today's Soy-Glazed Salmon, the soy sauce rendered the use of salt and pepper seasoning on the salmon unnecessary. And roasting vegetables brings out their natural sugars so they are good on their own.
I was also focused on eating lean sources of protein, like salmon, that I could easily put together without a lot of prep work. Buying center-cut salmon meant I could grill or broil the whole piece or cut into serving pieces. You can also ask your fishmonger to cut the filet into individual pieces.
This recipe serves two generously with salmon leftovers or four without leftovers. Because there are only two of us, the leftover salmon was perfect served cold on a salad the next day.
