Annika vs. Chef Eric Ripert

Kids are sometimes tough to feed; or at least, they can be, if you actually care what they're eating.  With a toddler it's all too tempting to cook a nice meal for the adults and throw a hot dog and some tater tots onto a plate next to a pool of ketchup and call it day.  (And make no mistake, some nights, that's exactly what happens, much to the joy of all parties involved.)  The other side of the coin, though, is that we want our daughter to eat well.  Not just healthy, but hopefully to learn early the difference between good food and bad.  We're not exactly actively trying to turn her into a foodie, but on the other hand there are too many kids who don't have the privilege of a home cooked meal, of fresh ingredients, prepared with some degree of skill (he says modestly), to let her eat crap all the time, just because it's easier.

Sometimes this tact pays off in spades.  Last night I prepared three adult-portion salmon fillets (mostly) following this excellent recipe from Eric Ripert.  Basically it's salmon brushed with dijon mustard and then top-coated with panko breadcrumbs, but watch the video - it's enlightening in it's simplicity.  I've made this dish a few times in the past, but my recent failure to purchase all the ingredients forced a small improvisation this time around - I substituted some fresh Lemon Thyme from the herb garden for the Chives in the Creme Fraiche-based sauce, but it was a change that worked well.
The fillets were served alongside a long-grain and wild rice pilaf (our daughter's favorite) and roasted asparagus (not her favorite these days).  I admit, my plating here isn't as elegant as that of Chef Ripert.  Our daughter's favorite cafeteria-style tray isn't exactly refined, but the cool summer evening breeze and outdoor setting wasn't bad.  We started her with about six ounces of salmon and put just a small dollop of the sauce on a separate part of the tray, just for her to try.  The result?

Yeah, that's six ounces of salmon gone in about six minutes.  The sauce was also hugely successful as she insisted on dipping every bite.  
I wish I could say she wolfed down the asparagus too, but that'll be a taste for another day.  For now, I just have to say that Chef Ripert has done us a great service by sharing a wonderfully simple recipe packed with so much great flavor.