Pulling inspiration from thin air

First order of business, I need to wish the most altruistic, charismatic, classy, brilliant, loving woman I know, my MOM, a Happy, Happy Birthday! Wish I was there to give you a squeeze and eat sushi. Next weekend. I hope all of your birthday wishes come true, Mom. I love you very much. xoxo

Being that it is almost Valentine's Day, I am writing about love today. I have no profound musings for you here at Hail's Kitchen on the topic, as my love life revolves around a certain blonde named Berkley. I have a Shakespeare paper due (my first graduate paper, and I am quaking in my slippers). I chose Merchant of Venice that is full of themes of deception, revenge, greed, all of which are very doable and very conventional. As mentioned, I am writing about love, as there are myriad relationships, sexual innuendoes, and of course, the main idea of the play is that a debt must be paid with a pound of flesh -- Antonio's heart. What is more Valentine's-themed than literally paying a debt with your heart?

The theme of love in the play is much more complex and vexing, which is why I am posting here and not writing a Shakespeare paper. Perhaps I should reconsider an easier topic.

Here's the salmon with warm lentil salad I promised earlier in the week. This is an easy, relatively fast (cooking the lentils requires the most time) and delicious meal. I am craving color these days. Our weather has been gray, ashen and quite dingy. In contrast, my food has been bright and cheery -- both in appearance and in flavor. This salad made for great leftovers, too, as you'll see. This would be a lovely Valentine's meal for your sweetheart. Although, I am not sure lentils have any aphrodisiac powers :)

The dressing for the salad:

red onions, parsley, grainy mustard, red wine vinegar,

olive oil, salt and pepper.

This would have been GREAT on the fish, too.

Wild salmon. The gal at the counter swore it didn't

have color injected. Not sure I believe her.

Pretty, eh?

Easiest way to cook salmon: salt and pepper.

Hot pan with olive oil.

Sear. Lemon.

One pan for the asparagus, too. Am I lazy or resourceful?

Color.

Store the leftover lentils on their own and

then serve them over greens.

Quickest, healthiest lunch in town.

Salmon with warm lentil salad

adapted from cooking light

x number of salmon fillets for your family

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup green lentils

2 tbs red wine vinegar

2 tsps grainy mustard

2 tbs olive oil, plus 1 tsp for the salmon

salt and pepper

lettuce or your favorite salad greens

lemon, cut into wedges

Bring four cups of water to a boil. Add the lentils and 1 tsp salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender -- about 20-25 minutes. Be sure not to overcook or you'll have lentil soup. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine the vinegar, mustard, onion, garlic, parsley, 2 tbs of olive oil, and 1/4 tsp salt and pepper.

Heat the remaining 1 tsp olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Cook on each side about 4-5 minutes or until the salmon reaches your desired doneness. Add the lentils to the vinaigrette and toss with salad greens. Serve with the salmon and lemon wedges.