Our Valentine's Dinner 2012

Ever since I had a very bad dinner experience during 'Valentine's Day', I've decided to stop going out for dinner during this supposedly romantic day!!! Nothing can ruin a romantic day faster than a bad dinner!!! Food quality were downright lousy and we have to wait for more than an hour before we were being served... And the best part was the portioned of the food being served... It was a joke and not forgetting it was super duper expensive!!! 

So this year, I've decided to cook for my darling (more like a guinea pig to me!!!) and I will be cooking salmon this time... I spent a few days thinking on the recipe and this was the outcome!!! Actually I'm very proud of myself for cooking all this without any help!!! Not forgetting this was my first time attempting to cook salmon!!! 

Grilled salmon with caramelized onion mashed potatoes and sautéed asparagus top with my home made sauce... Not bad huh!!!

Okay now I will go through the process of cooking this dish (bear with me please as this was my first time attempting to cook salmon and I'm damn excited to be able to pull this off!!!)... 

First, cut the potatoes into small cube and throw it into a pot with water covering all the potatoes... Add some salt in for flavouring... Bring it to boil and lower down the heat... You're done when the potatoes turn soft and mash able...

Take one asparagus and cut it around 2 inches long... Use it as a guide and cut the remaining bunch to the exact specification... You don't want your asparagus to be in different length as this will not look nice when serve!!!

Next is the onion... Peel off the skin and slice it up...

Very minimal marinate for my salmon... I marinated it with a little bit of soy sauce and black pepper... 

Add lots of butter and black pepper for flavouring and you're ready to mash!!! I've added a little bit of fresh milk in it as well...

Besides that, I've added some oregano to enhance the taste of it... 

Viola... Mash potatoes done... 

Now is time to caramelize the onions... Heat the pan up with some butter and put your onions in when the pan is hot...

Remember to stir frequently and reduce your heat so that your onions will not get burn easily... Add some salt for flavouring...

Add the caramelized onions into the same pot where you mashed your potatoes earlier...

Stir and mix it around and you're done with your caramelized onions and mashed potatoes...

Heat up the pan with some oil and we are ready for the asparagus... Chop some garlic and sautéed it with the asparagus...

Add some oyster sauce for flavouring and your asparagus is ready to serve...

Before putting the salmon into the grilling pan, lightly oil the salmon (remember to oil both side) instead of the pan... Skin side down and cook it for around 3-4 minutes and you're ready to flip it over and let it cook for around 3 minutes on the other side and your salmon is ready!!!

Nice??? I like how the diamond charred mark turn out... Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside!!!

Now for my self made sauce... I heat up some butter and squeeze half a lime in and add a dash of fresh milk... Throw some dried rosemary in and finally some sugar and reduce the sauce... Once it thickens, turn off the fire and you're done!!!

Plating time... It is up to you on how you wanna plate it... But I like mine this way!!!

Caramelized onions and mashed potatoes on the bottom, grilled salmon in the middle with some home made sauce on it and top it off with the sautéed asparagus!!! 

Total cost = Less than RM100.00

Satisfaction = Priceless!!!

That's all for the recipe of my 'Valentine's Dinner 2012'... Prepared and cooked specially for my beloved darling!!!