April 9th, 2012 
Last Christmas my sisters gave me Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook, My Father’s Daughter. I was immediately enthralled by her love for food, cooking and family. Cooking a delicious meal for my family is an expression of deep love and commitment to them. Paltrow shares those same ideals in her cookbook; she says in the introduction, “Making a home, cooking with love, and bringing everyone together are my tangible ways of achieving that kind of success.” When I prepare a meal for my family, I feel the same way.
As a mom, there is a new level of cooking that needs to happen for my family. I need to carefully prepare meals that I know my son will love and of course have major nutritional value. Paltrow’s recipes are exactly that! She shares the recipes that her children love and adaptations to certain recipes that make meals more kid-friendly.
Photo of "Duck Ragu" from "My Father's Daughter" (Photo Credit: goop.com)
In her cookbook, you will get a glimpse into her life as a daughter, wife, and mother. It is fascinating to get a look into her home life and to be able to relate to her more. Her dedication to cooking healthy meals for her family is a priority even though she is juggling a world of other responsibilities. Busy moms everywhere can appreciate that sort of devotion. Her love for her family is evident in that she takes careful steps to include her children in the cooking process and she includes tips in the cookbook as to how we can do that as well.
I love to be in the kitchen. For me, all the steps in preparing a meal are enjoyable. I enjoy following recipes and awaiting the outcome. Paltrow’s recipes are completely achievable. I find myself incorporating her recipes into all my meals, whether it is just a salad dressing or an entire menu. When I open up her cookbook I find myself wanting to try every recipe in the book. I know I’ll get there because I’ve already accomplished a lot of them and some have become my new favorite recipes.
I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes from My Father’s Daughter, although it was hard to pick just one. I strongly suggest you buy yourself a copy of My Father’s Daughter and enjoy the many wonderful treats that are included in the cookbook.
Photo from "My Father's Daughter" (Photo Credit: onekingslane.com)
Broiled salmon with homemade teriyaki sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons honey
1/3-cup water
1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated ginger
2 sprigs fresh cilantro
4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin discarded
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh chives, for serving
Combine soy sauce, mirin, honey, water, ginger, and cilantro in a small saucepan over high heat. Once it boils, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for two minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the sauce cool down. Once it’s cool, pour into a large bowl or plastic bag and add the salmon. Marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, up to overnight.
When you’re ready to eat, preheat the broiler.
Put the salmon on a heavy baking sheet with whatever sauce adheres to it and broil until cooked to your liking, seven to eight minutes. While it’s cooking, strain the extra sauce into a clean saucepan, bring to a boil, and let it reduce.
Photo of "granddad danner's favorite peanut butter cookies" from "My Father's Daughter" (Photo Credit: energyforthegoodlife.org)
To serve, drizzle the cooked salmon with some of the extra sauce and a sprinkle of chives.
Make it kid friendly: cut some of the salmon into 1-inch cubes, broil alongside the larger pieces, and serve without the chives–kids love these, especially if you call the teriyaki, “honey sauce.”
Make it vegan: replace the salmon with tofu.
I would serve this with Paltrow’s “fried rice with kale & scallions” or just steamed white or brown rice.
Enjoy and happy cooking for the whole family!
Great article, I’m going to try this recipe. Loks easy and delicious! And I love Gwyneth Paltrow.