Careme

Location: Quality Food Center - Bellevue East (1510 145th Pl SE)

Cantonese Sizzling Ginger-Scallion Coho

Silky steamed coho gets the classic Cantonese hot-oil sizzle over ginger and scallions, with crisp-tender baby bok choy and jasmine rice to catch every savory drop.

Total time: 35 minutes

Estimated cost: About $17–$22 using the listed salmon, baby bok choy, rice, ginger, and green onions, plus pantry sauce staples.

Health notes: Serves 2; about 560 calories per serving with high protein, moderate carbs from rice, and heart-healthy fats from salmon.

Drink pairing: A crisp Sauvignon Blanc or lightly off-dry Riesling works well with the ginger-scallion soy and rich salmon.

Ingredients

  • Coho Salmon Fillet (Farm Raised)
    12 ounces, cut into 2 portions $8.99
  • Organic Baby Bok Choy
    12 ounces, halved or quartered lengthwise $3.99
  • Simple Truth Organic® Jasmine Rice
    3/4 cup dry rice $4.99
  • Ginger Root
    2 tablespoons finely julienned, divided $4.99
  • Green Onions
    3, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated $1.50
  • Low-sodium soy sauce
    2 tablespoons
  • Rice vinegar
    1 teaspoon
  • Toasted sesame oil
    1 teaspoon
  • Neutral oil
    2 tablespoons
  • Brown sugar or honey
    1/2 teaspoon
  • Kosher salt
    to taste
  • White or black pepper
    to taste

Instructions

  1. Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs mostly clear, then combine with 1 1/4 cups water and a pinch of salt; bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, cook 15 minutes, then let stand covered while the rest of the meal finishes.
  2. Prep the aromatics and vegetables: halve or quarter the baby bok choy lengthwise, julienne the ginger, and slice the green onions, keeping the whites and green tops separate.
  3. Pat the salmon dry, season lightly with salt and pepper, and place the portions on a heatproof plate that fits inside your steamer; scatter the green onion whites and half the ginger around and under the fish for fragrance.
  4. Set the plate in a covered steamer or wide pot with a rack over 1 inch of simmering water; steam 6 to 9 minutes, until the salmon flakes gently and reaches 125°F to 130°F for the juiciest texture, noting that 145°F is the FDA standard if you prefer fully cooked fish.
  5. While the salmon steams, cook the baby bok choy separately: heat 1 teaspoon neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the bok choy with a pinch of salt, sear 1 minute, then add 2 tablespoons water, cover, and cook 2 to 3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender.
  6. Stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar or honey, and 1 tablespoon hot water; when the salmon is done, carefully pour off excess watery liquid from the fish plate while keeping the salmon in place.
  7. Pile the remaining julienned ginger and the green onion tops directly over the hot salmon; heat the remaining neutral oil in a small pan until shimmering and just smoking, then carefully pour it over the aromatics so they sizzle and bloom.
  8. Pour the soy sauce mixture around, not directly over, the salmon; fluff the rice and plate it with the bok choy, then slide the sizzling ginger-scallion salmon alongside and spoon the pan juices over the rice.
Harissa Grilled Chicken with Zucchini Couscous

A fast Tunisian-inspired grilled dinner with smoky harissa chicken thighs, peak-summer zucchini, and fluffy lemon-herb couscous.

Total time: 45 minutes

Estimated cost: About $14–$18 for 2 servings, assuming pantry spices and oil are on hand.

Health notes: About 620 calories per serving with high protein, moderate whole-meal carbs, and vegetables from zucchini and tomato.

Drink pairing: A chilled dry rosé or off-dry Riesling balances the smoky chile heat and lemony herbs.

Ingredients

  • Simple Truth® Natural Boneless and Skinless Fresh Chicken Thighs Griller Pack BIG DEAL!
    12 ounces $4.49
  • Zucchini
    1 pound, cut lengthwise into planks $2.69
  • Kroger® Original Couscous
    3/4 cup dry $2.49
  • Fresh Red Tomato
    1/2 pound, diced $2.49
  • Jumbo Red Onion
    1/4 small, finely diced $2.29
  • Garlic
    2 cloves, grated or minced $0.79
  • Fresh Organic Lemon - Each
    1 lemon, zested and juiced $2.00
  • Parsley
    1/3 cup chopped $1.89
  • Harissa paste
    1 1/2 tablespoons
  • Ground cumin
    1 teaspoon
  • Ground coriander
    1/2 teaspoon
  • Smoked paprika
    1/2 teaspoon
  • Olive oil
    3 tablespoons, divided
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
    to taste
  • Water or low-sodium broth
    3/4 cup

Instructions

  1. Prep the ingredients: pat the chicken thighs dry, slice the zucchini into long planks, dice the tomato and red onion, mince the garlic, zest and juice the lemon, and chop the parsley.
  2. Make the marinade by mixing harissa, garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper; coat the chicken and let it sit while the grill heats, about 10 minutes.
  3. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Toss the zucchini with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of salt, pepper, and a little lemon zest.
  4. Bring 3/4 cup water or broth to a boil with a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon olive oil; stir in the couscous, cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and fold in half the parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
  5. Grill the chicken for 5–7 minutes per side, until lightly charred and the thickest part reaches 165°F; transfer to a plate to rest for 5 minutes.
  6. Grill the zucchini for 2–4 minutes per side until tender with char marks. Meanwhile, toss the tomato, red onion, remaining parsley, remaining lemon juice, 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and pepper into a quick relish.
  7. Plate the couscous, top with grilled chicken and zucchini, spoon the tomato-parsley relish over the chicken, and finish with any remaining lemon zest.
Isan Steamed Dungeness Crab

A fancy but fast Isan-inspired summer crab dinner with steamed Dungeness, punchy lime-fish sauce jaew, crisp WA-season cucumber salad, and sticky rice.

Total time: 45 minutes

Estimated cost: About $28–$40, driven mostly by the sale Dungeness crab weight and whether fish sauce is already in the pantry.

Health notes: About 420 calories per serving with lean crab protein, moderate carbs from sticky rice, and a sodium-forward dipping sauce.

Drink pairing: An off-dry Riesling or crisp sparkling wine works well with the sweet crab, lime, herbs, and chile heat.

Ingredients

  • Wild-Caught Whole Fresh Dungeness Crab
    about 2 lb, cleaned if possible $9.99
  • Cucumber
    1, thinly sliced $0.99
  • VeeTee® Sticky Rice
    1 tray, 10.6 oz $3.99
  • Son Premium Fish Sauce
    1 1/2 tablespoons $11.79
  • Fresh Organic Limes
    2 $1.50
  • Organic Cilantro
    1/2 bunch $1.99
  • Mint
    1/3 cup leaves $1.49
  • Fresh Green Serrano Peppers
    1 small, thinly sliced $4.99
  • Green Onions
    2, thinly sliced $1.50
  • Private Selection® Petite Grape Snacking Tomatoes
    1 cup, halved $3.50
  • uncooked white rice
    1 tablespoon, for toasted rice powder
  • brown sugar or palm sugar
    2 teaspoons
  • kosher salt
    to taste

Instructions

  1. Prep the produce: thinly slice the cucumber and serrano, halve the tomatoes, slice the green onions, chop the cilantro stems separately from the leaves, tear the mint, and juice 1 1/2 limes; cut the remaining lime half into wedges.
  2. Make toasted rice powder by stirring the uncooked rice in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until deep golden and nutty, then crush it with a mortar, spice grinder, or the bottom of a heavy pan.
  3. Mix the Isan-style jaew sauce: combine fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, serrano, green onions, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves, and 2 teaspoons toasted rice powder; taste and adjust with more lime, sugar, or chile as desired.
  4. Toss the cucumber salad in a bowl with the cucumber, tomatoes, mint, remaining cilantro leaves, a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lime, and 1 to 2 spoonfuls of the jaew sauce; chill while the crab steams.
  5. Set a large pot with a steamer basket over 1 inch of water; add cilantro stems and the squeezed lime half to the water, bring to a boil, then add the crab. If the crab is already cooked, steam 6 to 8 minutes until hot; if raw, steam 16 to 18 minutes until the shell is bright orange and the meat is opaque and reaches 145°F.
  6. While the crab steams, warm the sticky rice in a small covered saucepan with 2 tablespoons water over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, fluffing once; keep covered off heat.
  7. Transfer the crab to a board, crack the legs and claws, and portion the body and legs for easy eating; discard any inedible gills if cleaning after steaming.
  8. Plate the cracked crab with cucumber-tomato herb salad, warm sticky rice, lime wedges, and the jaew sauce in a small bowl for dipping and spooning over the crab.

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Planned by Careme.