Sunday Food Review: Dec. 13

Around 10 p.m. on Sundays one can smell all sorts of spices coming from the apartment. That's because after 10 p.m. is when two or three dishes come together and it's time for an intimate taste test. Small plates, small portions; very exclusive. Actually no one is invited. You stand in the kitchen because the table is a mess of ingredients, utensils, empty shopping bags and a ravaged UPS package.

The kitchen, though, was spotless and clean. I didn't worry about staining my clothes while leaning on the sink.

Tonight's menu? Seasoned salmon with fried Brussels sprouts, toasted almonds and onions.

While cutting into a piece of salmon, it was obvious that it was cooked perfectly because it flaked beautifully. The salmon was seasoned lightly with garlic, salt and pepper and it was delicious. (The less you use on meats, especially fish, the better. You don't want to hide meat flavors, it doesn't do justice to the animal.). I did a little dance in the kitchen to the heavy sounds of Queens of the Stone Age playing from a small speaker on the counter. There's usually some sort of rock 'n' roll or rockabilly in the kitchen on Sunday nights.

The fried mix of Brussels sprouts, purple onion and toasted almonds were a perfect partner for the salmon. Some parts of the sprouts were caramelized but still had some green and a little bitterness to them. The onions were sweet and the almonds added a little nuttiness and a crunch. The butter used to cook this side dish added a little flavor which I'm not sure went well with these ingredients. Maybe olive oil or some fat more subtle might have been better. It was an exciting mouthful none the less.

Out of boredom and necessity, I cook a lot of food for the next couple of days on Sundays. I usually take out all the stops or try new dishes. In the Sunday Food Review, I review my own Sunday cooking creations.