WHAT'S COOKIN'?

I love cooking. I think I'm a fairly good cook. I'm not Betty Crocker by any means, but what I do cook turns out well and everyone seems to enjoy it. I prefer simple recipes that don't call for a ton of ingredients. I also like cooking more than baking. I'm not much of a sweets person.

A few years ago my husband had a physical and his triglyceride level was more than 300. We knew we had to start eating healthier. He started eating oatmeal every morning (the real stuff) and at the doctors urging we decide to start eating salmon. I had no idea how to cook it. We found this recipe at the store next to the salmon. I tweeked it a little to make it my own (like the original recipe called for tomatoes, but I'm not big on cooked tomatoes). We've tried it cooked different way, but in our house nothing compares to this recipe. (FYI- Hubby's triglycerides are now down in the mid 150's.)

(I am not a strictly-by-the-book-measure kind of person. I usually just eyeball the ingredients. These measurements are my best guesstimate)

Sweet Basil Salmon

1- 1 & 1/2 pounds salmon*
Crushed red pepper flakes- 1 to 2 tbsp. depending on your preference
Salt
1 cup olive oil
1 cup red wine vinegar
1-2 cloves garlic, depending on your preference
2 tsp fresh sweet basil

Mix the oil, vinegar, garlic and basil in a bowl. Set aside to let the flavors mingle while you cook the salmon.

Brush plain olive oil lightly on top of the salmon and sprinkle with the crushed red pepper and a little salt. (If you don't have crushed red pepper you can use ground Cayenne pepper, but it's better with flakes). I use the back of a spatula to press the red pepper into the fish.

Cook starting skin side down until flaky turning once. Careful you don't overcook it- usually about 8 minutes or so. (I prefer to cook it on a grill, but we've also used the broiler and even our George Foreman Grill so it's up to you!)

Once the salmon is cooked immediately take it off the heat and set on a serving dish. Pour the oil mixture over the salmon. Let it marinate for no more than 10 minutes (the acid in the vinegar will make the skin mushy if it sits longer than this). Enjoy! I like to serve this with fresh grilled veggies.

*Make sure you use wild caught salmon.