my quarter-century celebration meal, part I

{image credit: Maksis}

C'est moi, the shameless carnivore. Exhibit A: What I Ate On My Twenty-Fifth Birthday: grilled salmon steak, two salads, and chocolate cheesecake torte with a crisp organic zinfandel to round things out.

It really can't get much better.

Jared took care of the salmon so I won't be giving a recipe here. I have nothing to do with the grill, thank you very much. Flames mesmerise me, so much so, that I'd probably forget to turn the meat.

I do know that he brushed the steaks with olive oil, liberally doused them in salt and pepper, and grilled them on foil.

Every time my husband grills salmon, he makes some doubtful comment like "I don't know how this will turn out!" or "We'll see how this goes!" And every time it's astoundingly delicious.

Now for the salads.

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Mustard Potato Salad
(adapted from Stylish Cuisine)

1 1/2 lbs red potatoes
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2-3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon coarse-grain mustard
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/3 cup minced green pepper
black pepper to taste
chopped tarragon and thyme, to taste

1) Scrub potatoes and cut into bite-sized pieces. Bring place in large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil, then simmer until just tender (start with 5 minutes and go from there). Drain well, then place in large mixing bowl.
2) Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over potatoes. Stir to coat and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Green Bean Tomato Salad
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

1 lb green beans, stemmed and cut in half
1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved (I used a mix of red and yellow from our garden)
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
fresh herbs to taste

1) Bring large pot of water to boil; tip in the green beans and cook for 5 minutes, just until tender. Drain well. Place in large mixing bowl with tomatoes and red onion.
2) Pour olive oil and vinegar into blender, and combine thoroughly. Pour over vegetables and toss. Season to taste. Serve at room temperature. This salad is honestly one of my favorite things this summer!