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Salmon is the buzz word on the street. It seems everywhere people are trying to eat healthier and make better choices regarding their diets. And, why not? I guess people actually want to live longer and feel better as we "gracefully" enter maturity. We love salmon for being so healthy, but we also love it for being so simple to make. If you are not a fishy taste person, salmon might not be the fish for you, but that is not the case with us, so we tend to indulge about once a week or so. It is a wonderful fish to have on hand whenever you need something quick, and healthy at a moment's notice.

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons light olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 (6 ounce) fillets salmon
Directions
  1. In a bowl, prepare marinade by mixing garlic, light olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Place salmon fillets in a medium glass baking dish, and cover with the marinade. (Marinate in the refrigerator about 1 hour, turning occasionally if you can.)
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  3. Place fillets in oven, and bake 15 to 30 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork.

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2006 Seresin Leah Pinot Noir
Due to its rich texture, salmon is probably the easiest fish to pair with red wine. A Pinot Noir is the easiest choice because it is a light bodied wine with a subtle fruit that will not overpower the flavor of the fish. However, one have to pay attention to Californian PN, as some wineries like to blend them with a small amount of Syrah to boost color and flavor. New Zealand Pinot Noir are generally lighter, earthier and with less new oak influence. Only 25% of this wine has been aged in French barrels. 

Tasting notes
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Leather and smoky notes are dominant in the intriguing nose of this wine; there is some underbrush too, and the fruit is a subtle red cherry. On the palate it is light, delicate and silky; I got more fruit than what I could guess just by the bouquet, along with a slight earthiness and a subtle wood influence. The most interesting flavor is cola: it starts in the mid palate and follows throughout the finish with a beautiful pepperiness that evokes the effect of carbonation. (retail $ 29.99 - AVIN 7333286798174)

 
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This was a wonderful combination of flavors. I got the inspiration from a traditional Vodka sauce, but decided to try adding some Fino sherry instead. It was certainly a delicious success.

4oz Salmon (cooked or broiled  for 5 mins)
2Tbsp olive oil
frozen peas
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup fish stock or water
1/2 cup chopped onions
4 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup Fino sherry
fettuccine pasta
Cook pasta per directions. In the meantime, saute onions in oil over med heat. When onions are translucent, add tomato paste and cream until well distributed. Pour in the sherry and the fish stock and cook until boiling. Reduce heat to simmer and add frozen peas and salmon. Toss with pasta and season with salt and pepper.
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2008 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Salmon and Chardonnay is one of our favorite pairings. This fish is so rich, that can be paired with light red wine too; however we prefer a full bodied white. Chardonnay is all about winemaking. As the grape itself is quite neutral in aroma and flavor, what the wine will become depends on the work done at the winery. The grapes for this vintage have been harvested from cool vineyard sites in the Sonoma Coast AVA. In order to achieve a richer texture, 70% of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, and it has been aged on its lees for 7 months in mostly French oak (20% new). Here we wanted to pair the creaminess with the dish with the creamy texture of a barrel aged Chardonnay.
Tasting notes:
Clear, light golden color. Pineapple, butterscotch and a hint of minerals on the nose. Full bodied with creamy texture and a surprising acidity. The palate confirms the nose, with the addition of a lemon/lime note on the finish. Good balance of ripe fruit and new oak influence, with a fresh kick of acidity. Tasted at room temperature, it finishes a little hot, but below 60°F it is hard to perceive. The problem with this wine is that the longer it stays open the more it smells and taste like oak and vanilla only  (retail $16.99 - AVIN7104634614855) .