Sangria, Salmon, and Sauce

June 21 - If I’ve learned anything so far, it’s that sauces make all the difference and sangria goes well with everything. Today’s recipe, like many of the past ones, required us to make a sauce, which turned out to be an easy and delicious addition to our salmon and cauliflower. Oven roasted, both the fish and the veggie were prepared very simply and left to bake. With the knowledge that we had little work to do, and with a case full of mangoes at our disposal, peach-mango sangria was a must. Although it’s up for debate whether Brenda and I bought peaches or accidentally used nectarines, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the sangria and it was perfect alongside our dinner.

For cooking, all we had to do was add some olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon slices to the fish and cauliflower, pop them in the oven and wait to eat. I had made salmon and other vegetables on a sheet pan before, so I felt pretty confident that this meal would come out good. While waiting, we made the lemon-caper sauce that was meant to be drizzled onto both parts. Using the food processor, I combined lemon juice, capers, parsley, garlic and olive oil. At first taste, we added way too much lemon juice, so much more olive oil was necessary, and soon enough we had made another great sauce.

Served with brown rice and complimented with the fruity sangria, the salmon turned out perfect, and the sauce added sharp and salty flavor to the cauliflower. Brenda was delighted again with this meal, and claims hiring me this summer was the best decision she’s made. Here’s to hoping I can keep it up!

Bonus: Make fish cakes with the leftovers! Bob made some bomb ones for dinner the next night (I didn't taste them but I trust him). Here's a recipe that I think sounds great, but feel free to get creative and make your own!