30 Minute Meal – Delicious Avocado Stuffed Salmon

As everyone knows, this is official Fish Week. Well, ok, not everybody knows, at least not yet. But here at JoK, we are proud to announce Fish Week. Why? Because I love fish, because it’s healthy, and for the best reason: why not? Fish is brain food – at least that’s what my Momma says. I think she’s referring to all those omega 3s and essential fatty acids that are supposed to feed your brain all the right things so your children will be brilliant. I could never understand how something called “fatty acids” could be good for you, but I don’t argue with my Momma. Of course, you could go for fish oil, but I say get it directly from the source! After gefilte, salmon seems to be the kosher fish of choice in most kitchens, probably because it’s the most “pareve” of all fish in flavor; not strong or fishy – kinda neutral, like Switzerland. Even though I’m an adventurous fish eater, a perfect piece of pink salmon is still a pleasure for me. The key to great fish is freshness, so definitely go to a reputable place to purchase. Seek out a fish store that is busy and has frequent turnover. How do you buy a piece of salmon? You have two choices: a salmon fillet is cut from the side of the fish. It should be devoid of bones, not smell fishy, and should be a nice red, in color – which will result in perfect pink flesh when cooked up. A salmon steak, on the other hand, is cut across the spine of the fish and tends to be trickier to filet, so if you buy a steak, you may have to wrangle with a few stray bones. Way back when I was at NYU, I used to love going to a particular restaurant that served only the freshest and most fabulous fish. (The line for this place stretched out the door and around the corner on most days.) My favorite entrée there was teriyaki glazed avocado stuffed salmon, and I cannot believe it has taken me over 10 years to recreate this simple culinary wonder! I’ve paired my Avocado Stuffed Salmon with wild rice, so you have a complete meal in minutes -- less than 30 minutes to be exact! Most people either love fish or hate it, so fess up – is fish your friend or foe? Now that we’ve declared Fish Week, I really need to know! Here are some other Salmon recipes sure to stimulate your taste buds: • Grilled Salmon with Mustard and Herbs • Spicy Salmon over Sesame Noodles • Salmon Cakes with Tropical Fruit Salsa • Plank Grilled Sweet Soy Salmon • New World Gravlax • Moroccan Grilled Salmon • Seared Salmon with White Beans and Fennel • Broiled Salmon with Miso Glaze