Salmon Tacos with Sweet and Spicy Sauce

First things first. I love salmon. I love tacos. I love sriracha. I love crunchy slaws. So what did I do? I threw them all together in a tortilla. It's delicious.

Okay. Now let's discuss some fun stuff. I made these at my friend Kaylyn's because the dorm in which I am an RA for the summer doesn't have real kitchens? We survive with hot plates and mini ovens, but blog stuff is usually not really practical with such a setup. So the motto for the summer is "need kitchen, will travel". Being my friend this summer is going to be very fun.

So anyway. Cooking in others' kitchens has some funky side effects that you might not consider. Other people don't have the same cooking stuff that you do, and, as I learned when cooking at Kaylyn's, you can't just assume everyone will have a sharp knife and a can opener.

That's right. Everything in this recipe was cut with a little butter knife. The good news for you? There's no excuse not to make this. I did it with only a butter knife. You can handle it.

Despite the, um, challenges, these turned out delightfully. We ate them and watched the live-action version of Cinderella, which I highly recommend (yes, I am behind the times). It's such a sweet, aesthetically pleasing movie, that it might have even made the tacos better. I'm not sure, but it's possible. Either way, it was a nice break from the serial killer documentaries I've been binging lately....please tell me I'm not the only one with a weird fascination with those. 

Bottom line: these tacos are what your Wednesday night needs.

Salmon Tacos with Sweet and Spicy Sauce
Ingredients
salmon
1 lb salmon filet
1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
salt and pepper
sesame oil

slaw
2 cups napa cabbage, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 green onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
salt and pepper

sweet sriracha sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp sriracha (less if you aren't a spicy fan)
2 tsp sweet Thai chili sauce

tortillas

1. Salt and pepper the salmon filet, then place in a bowl and cover with the Thai chili sauce, turning a couple times to coat on all sides. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the slaw. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently with a fork. 
3. To make the sauce, stir ingredients together in a bowl.
4. After the salmon is done soaking, cook it in a pan over medium heat in the sesame oil, flipping after 6 minutes on the first side, and cooking 4 minutes more on the second side.
5. Gently cut the salmon into strips, then assemble the tacos by adding a piece of salmon, some slaw, and sauce to each tortilla. Enjoy!
   
   
   

Lobster Mac n Cheese

This dish makes me feel....classy. Because lobster. Even though I added beer. Which isn't classy. But lobster. Yum.

Actually, honestly, I probably like shrimp better? I don't know. I like the taste of lobster better, but the texture of lobster is usually a little weird. Like rubbery, kind of. Or maybe I'm just not getting good lobster. I don't know. I'll work on it and report back to you.

Also, this isn't technically macaroni and cheese. I used shells instead. Because it's lobster. You'll get that on the drive home. Anyway. It's good, I promise.

Lobster Mac n Cheese
Ingredients
1 lb shells
2 lobster tails
2 + 4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 cup dark beer
1 cup whole milk
1 lb white cheddar (I used extra sharp), shredded
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1. Cook the shells to al dente, according to package directions.
2. Melt the 2 tbsp of butter in a pan over medium heat. Sear the lobster tails on both sides, then reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook for 4 minutes, until white all the way through. Chop the lobster and let cool.
3. Melt the remaining butter in a pot over medium low heat. Stir in the flour, stirring constantly until golden.
4. Add beer and milk, stirring until smooth. Bring to a simmer and add cheese, stirring until melted.
5. Add lobster. Pour into a casserole dish, top with bread crumbs.
6. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until bread crumbs are golden. Enjoy!