Coho Salmon

It's salmon season, which means that the typical Atlantic farmed salmon that we see at the market every day is sharing shelf space with several of its cousins.  Coho salmon is supposed to be one of the firmer, meatier types of salmon.  I roasted mine with a fresh herb rub made from chopped oregano, dill and flat-leaf parsley.  Along with the salmon I roasted some tomatoes for a nice acidic kick.  Here is how it looked going into the oven:

Because it is a leaner, firmer fish, I made sure not to overcook it.  It came out perfectly medium rare and moist.  Here it how it looked on the plate:

Beef Koobideh

If you like grilled meats, like most Americans, then you will love Persian cuisine.  One of the standards is Koobideh, which is basically a grilled ground meat kabob.  I claim no authenticity with my recipe, but I tried to stay faithful to the basics, including tons of grated onion, turmeric, paprika, ground beef, egg and some bread crumbs (and salt and pepper, of course).  I formed the ground beef on wooden skewers that were soaked in water to prevent burning, and then I broiled them in the oven for a few minutes per side until cooked through.  I made a Greek-inspired tzatziki sauce with grated cucumber, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and fresh dill to go on the side.  The Koobideh was nicely charred on the outside and juicy on the inside, and the turmeric really came through to give it that exotic spiced flavor, and the tzatziki was a cool, zesty compliment.  Check out the tailgate party setup.