Baked salmon with new year's vegetables

one large or two small organic salmon filets
one lemon
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt, pepper, and ground thyme
5 small yellow potatoes
one small onion
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/8 c. heavy cream
1/2 stick salted butter
3 c. French cut green beans
long grain and wild rice box mix

Salmon: Coat the bottom of a small baking dish with olive oil and lay salmon filets skin-side down. Rub olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme on the top of the filets, and squeeze the juice of one lemon. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes.

Vegetables: Peel potatoes or remove eyes only; cut into quarters. Boil water in a large saucepan and add potatoes. Sautée chopped onion and minced garlic in 2 tbsp. butter until brown and fragrant. Drain potatoes and return to pan. Mash with onions, garlic, butter, and cream until desired consistency.

Place green beans in a colander and steam over boiling water. Prepare rice mix according to package. Serves one archaeologist and one comrade.

Spicy shrimp and chicken Pad Thai

1/2 c. fish sauce
1/2 c. tamarind pulp
1/3 c. light brown sugar
crushed red pepper to taste
8-10 medium shrimps, peeled and deveined with tails on
1 boneless chicken breast
2 eggs
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 minced shallot
2 tbsp. pickled turnips
1 lime
1 c. mung bean sprouts
handful garlic chives
1 red hot chili pepper
3 tbsp. crushed peanuts
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 c. rice stick noodles

Pad Thai sauce (prepare in advance):
Combine the fish sauce, tamarind pulp, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer while adding crushed red pepper a teaspoon at a time to taste. Set aside.

Soak the rice noodles in lukewarm water until soft but firm, the consistency of al dente pasta. Heat a large wok over high heat until very hot, to the point of smoky.

Add a splash of oil, about 3-4 tablespoons. Add the chicken first, cook, stirring vigorously, until it’s half way done, about 1-2 minutes, then add a tablespoon or two of the sauce to flavor the chicken. Add the garlic, shallot, and red hot chili pepper.

Add the noodles, about 2 loosely packed cups for one portion is my standard, and then a ladle about ¼ cup of warm sauce. Stir rigorously, keep everything moving in the wok, and cook the noodle until soft. Remember to break up the noodle and don’t let it lump together. If the sauce evaporates too quickly and the noodle isn’t quite ready, sprinkle a bit of water and keep stirring.

When the noodle is ready, push it up to one side of the wok and crack an egg into the middle. Let it set for 10-15 seconds and toss everything all together. If an archaeologist tries to distract you with questions, try to ignore him. This will be difficult because he is very charming. Do your best.

Add the shrimps, pickled turnips, ground peanuts, and beansprouts. Keep things moving. Add more sauce if it looks a little pale. When the shrimps are done, add a handful of garlic chives. Turn the heat off, and quickly give the wok a good stirring to mix everything together.
Serve with red hot chili sauce, crushed peanuts, brown sugar, and lime wedges. Makes 3-4 servings.