Salmon with Cranberry Glaze and Spinach Risotto

We had a very quiet Christmas around here this year.  I was due on December 24th, which meant that it was likely we would be spending Christmas in the hospital.  December 24th came and went, as did the 25th, 26th and 27th (I'm writing this on the 28th and holding out hope!).  In any case, major travel or hosting plans were not in the cards for me this year, so we had Christmas dinner for two.  This also meant I got to spend six hours sitting in front of the fire and wore yoga pants all day.  Given my current mood, this was ideal. 

Fish is incredibly easy to cook.  This particular salmon was individually portioned filets separately vacuum packed and frozen.  I would highly recommend checking out the frozen fish section at your market, I find that it's easier to find fish that has been wild caught, and the prices are better.  Most of the fish at the counter has been previously frozen, anyway, and this way you don't have as much pressure to cook it the same day.  This was so straightforward I hesitate to call it a recipe.


Baked Salmon with Cranberry Glaze
salmon filets, pat dry
cranberry vinaigrette

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line a baking or broiler pan with foil.
Top salmon with cranberry vinaigrette and bake for about 10 minutes.
Turn on the broiler for a minute to caramelize the glaze.  Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn!


I'm sure I've posted my risotto recipe before, but since it's one of my favorite foods ever, I'll share again.  Risotto is time consuming, and takes a good 30 minutes of near constant stirring, so plan accordingly.  By that I mean have a drink and/or a helper at the ready.

Spinach Risotto
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth (may sub some of the broth for wine)
1/2 bag (a few handfuls) baby spinach

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat.
In a separate saucepan, heat broth over medium.
Add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes.
Add Arborio rice and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until lightly toasted.
Pour in hot broth, one ladle at a time.  Stir until completely absorbed before adding next portion.
Continue until all the broth has been used, this can take about 30 minutes.
At the end, stir in spinach to wilt.

Of course you can use any vegetable you like here, I just happened to have spinach in the fridge and thought it would pair well with the salmon. 

If you have risotto leftovers you want to reheat the next day, add a little water or broth before heating over medium low heat.  This will help prevent sticking.