Crisp Salmon with Avocado Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients
2½ tbsp [37 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp [15 ml] mayonnaise
1 tbsp [15 ml] freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp [15 ml] freshly squeezed orange juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 6-oz [170 g] skin-on salmon fillets
1 head Bibb lettuce, large leaves torn into bite-size pieces, small leaves left whole
1 Hass avocado, thinly sliced
To serve
1 tbsp [15 ml] toasted pine nuts
½ lemon
Method
In a large bowl, whisk 1½ tbsp [22 ml] of the olive oil with the mayonnaise, lemon juice and orange juice and season with salt and pepper. Reserve.
Pat the salmon fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. In a very large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp [15 ml] of olive oil over mederately high heat until shimmering. Add the salmon skin side down and cook until crisp and golden, about 6 minutes. Turn and cook the fillets until just pink in the center, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer the salmon to plates.
Add the Bibb lettuce, avocadoes and pine nuts to the dressing and gently toss to coat. Mound the salad next to the salmon and serve with lemon and remaining dressing on the side.
Recipe Credit: Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine
Broiled Salmon with Miso Glaze
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 tbsp [15 ml] sesame seeds
2 tbsp [30 ml] sweet white miso paste
2 tbsp [30 ml] mirin
1 tbsp [15 ml] reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp [15 ml] freshly grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp [1.25 ml] hot pepper sauce
1 1/4 lb [565 g] center-cut salmon billet, cut into 4 portions
2 tbsp [30 ml] thinly sliced scallions
2 tbsp [30 ml] chopped fresh cilantro
Method
Position oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil. Coat foil with cooking spray.
Toast sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
Whisk miso, mirin, soy sauce, ginger and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Place salmon fillets, skin side down, in the prepared pan. Brush generously with the miso mixture. Broil salmon, 3 to 4 inches from the heat source, until opaque in the center, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer the salmon to warmed plates and garnish with the reserved sesame seeds, scallions and cilantro. Serve with steamed vegetables and rice, or a green salad with a sesame vinaigrette.
Recipe Credit: Eating Well Magazine
Salmon in Bengali Mustard Sauce
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 x 6 oz [170 g] skinless salmon filets
½ tsp [2.5 ml] kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp [2.5 ml] ground turmeric
¼ tsp [1.25 ml] cayenne pepper
1 tbsp [15 ml] mustard powder
2 tbsp [30 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp [1.25 ml] brown mustard seeds
¼ tsp [1.25 ml] cumin seeds
¼ tsp [1.25 ml] fennel seeds
1 dried red chili, whole
Method
Cut the salmon fillets in large cubes. Mix half the salt, turmeric and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl. Rub fish evenly with the mixture; set aside. In a bowl, stir remaining salt, turmeric, and cayenne with powder and 1/2 cup water; set sauce aside.
Heat oil in 12” [30 cm] skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and cook for 1–2 minutes. Add cumin and fennel, cook for 30 seconds. Warning: watch the spices very closely as they are toasting in the oil because they can burn and turn bitter in a snap. Add spice sauce and whole dried red chili. Add fish, and cook, basting, until done, 10 minutes. Serve immediately or keep warm, covered, in a very low oven until ready to serve (no more than 5 to 10 minutes). Enjoy with basmati rice and a side of spicy sauteed veggies like carrots, broccoli or eggplant.
Recipe Credit: Adapted from At Home With Madhur Jaffrey, via Saveur Magazine
Batter-Free Fish Tacos with Pico de Gallo, Salted Cabbage & Lime Crema
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the Salted Cabbage
½ small green cabbage, sliced thinly
½ lime, juice only
Generous pinch of sea salt
For the Pico de Gallo
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
½ small red onion, peeled and very finely diced
2 tbsp [30 ml] finely chopped fresh cilantro
½ tsp [2.5 ml] sea salt
½ lime, juice only
For the Lime Crema
1 cup [250 ml] sour cream or Greek yogurt
½ lime, juice and zest
¼ tsp [1.25 ml] sea salt
For the Fish Tacos
Canola oil, for frying
½ cup [125 ml] all-purpose flour
1 tsp [5 ml] cumin
½ tsp [2.5 ml] cayenne pepper
½ tsp [2.5 ml] sea salt
1½ lb [680 g] white fish fillets (cod, pollock or haddock), cut into finger-sized pieces
To Serve
Tortillas, lightly toasted
Diced avocado
Fresh coriander
Hot sauce
Method
Salted Cabbage: Combine everything together in a large bowl to make sure the cabbage is well coated by the lime juice and salt. Let sit for 20 minutes. The cabbage will wilt slightly but retain its crunch.
Pico de Gallo: Combine the tomatoes, onion and cilantro in a bowl. Season with salt and lime juice. Reserve.
Lime Crema: Combine everything together in a small bowl. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Fish Tacos: Preheat oven to 300°F [150°C]. In a large nonstick skillet, pour enough just oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat the pan on medium-high heat.
Mix flour, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in a large ziploc bag. Put half of the fish pieces into the bag, close it, then shake the bag to coat all the fish pieces with the flour mixture. Take the fish pieces out, shaking excess flour off. Repeat with the rest of the fish pieces. Fry the fish, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of the fish). Place the cooked fish on a baking sheet in the oven while you cook the rest.
Serve all the components together in the center of the table, family-style, letting everyone assemble their own tacos. Dig in!
Recipe Credit: Adapted from Gywneth Paltrow, My Father’s Daughter (via Saveur Magazine)
Salmon with Wasabi Sauce and Baby Bok Choy
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the sauce
½ cup [125 ml] light mayonnaise
¼ cup [60 ml] fresh cilantro leaves
3 tbsp [45 ml] fresh lime juice
1 tbsp [15 ml] wasabi paste
1 piece fresh ginger (1½-inch [4-cm] long), peeled and finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tbsp [15 ml] vegetable oil
4 skinless salmon fillets (6 to 8 oz [170 to 225 g] each)
½ cup [125 ml] mirin
1 tbsp [15 ml] soy sauce
½ cup [125 ml] water
4 heads baby bok choy (1¼ lb [565 g] total), halved lengthwise
Method
Preheat oven to the minimum heat setting. Put serving plates in the oven to warm them up.
In a blender, combine mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, wasabi, ginger, and 1 tbsp [15 ml] water. Blend until smooth, adding up to 2 tbsp more water to thin sauce as desired. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season salmon with salt and pepper; place in skillet, flat side up. Cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, and cover with aluminum foil and keep warm in the oven.
Wipe out skillet with a paper towel. Add mirin, soy sauce and water, and bring to a boil over medium-high. Add bok choy; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard liquid.
To serve, drizzle salmon with wasabi sauce and serve with bok choy and rice.
Recipe Credit: Everyday Food Magazine
White Fish, Green Olive and Citrus Patties with Fennel and Orange Salad
A fresh and light lunch that’s elegant enough to be served to company.
Serves 2.
Ingredients
For the patties
12 oz [350 g] cooked white fish fillets (such as tilapia), crumbled
1 tsp [5 ml] fennel seeds
½ tsp [2.5 ml] black peppercorns
½ tsp [2.5 ml] dried red chilies
Zest of half an orange
1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted and crumbled
¼ cup [60 ml] finely chopped green olives
2 green onions (scallions), finely chopped
¼ cup [60 ml] chopped fennel fronds, basil and mint, tightly packed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp [15 ml] lemon juice
¼ cup [60 ml] very fine and dry breadcrumbs, or panko
2 tbsp [30 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
For the sauce
4 parts prepared mayonnaise
2 parts freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 green onion (scallion), finely chopped
For the salad
1 fennel bulb, thickly sliced
2 handfuls arugula (rocket) leaves
1 orange, segments only
2 tbsp [30 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp [5 ml] freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch fleur de sel, freshly ground black pepper
Method
For the salad
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°). Coat the thickly sliced fennel with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread in a baking sheet and roast for 8 to 10 minutes until fennel is tender and lightly browned. Let cool.
For the patties
Using a mortar, crush the fennel seeds, black peppercorns and dried red chilies to a fine powder. Mix the crumbled white fish fillets, spice powder, orange zest, breadcrumbs, green olives, green onions and herbs. Add the egg and the lemon juice and mix to combine thoroughly. Shape mixture into 4 large 3-inch (7.5 cm) or 6 smaller 2-inch (5 cm) patties. Be careful when handling the patties because they are delicate and can break easily. Coat each patty with breadcrumbs.
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties 2 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. Keep warm.
Assemble the salad
Roughly chop the roasted fennel slices. Delicately mix the chopped fennel with the arugula leaves and the orange segments. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper. Mix again to coat.
Make the sauce
Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Double or triple the recipe to taste, following the ratio provided.
To serve
Serve 2 to 3 patties per person, with a little bowl of sauce and a portion of salad on the side.
Recipe Credit: Marie Asselin
Vietnamese Sweet and Spicy Fish with Jasmine Rice and Soy Broccoli
A delicate balance of salty, sweet, sour and spicy. So good you’ll want to keep both portions to yourself.
Ingredients
½ lb [225 g] fish fillets (a firm, white-fleshed fish works well here)
½ tsp [5 ml] freshly ground black pepper, and more for serving
2 tbsp [15 ml] brown sugar
¼ cup [125 ml] warm water
2 tbsp [15 ml] fish sauce
2 tbsp [15 ml] vegetable oil
1 shallot, sliced thinly into rings
2-3 Thai red chilies, sliced
2 stalks lemongrass
3 green onions (scallions)
1 cup [225 ml] cooked jasmine rice
2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
½ cup [75 g] broccoli florets
1 tbsp [15 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp [15 ml] Japanese soy sauce (less sodium)
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Method
Rinse the fish fillets under water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the fillets in 2 to 3 smaller pieces. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with black pepper and set aside.
Dissolve the sugar into the warm water and stir in the fish sauce. Trim the lemongrass stalks so you’re left with just the bottom pale-colored sections. If there are any tough, dry-looking layers on the outside, peel those off and discard. Mince very finely.
Trim the ends of the green onions. Cut the white parts in half lengthwise, then cut the whole green onions into 2-inch sections. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add in the oil and swirl around to coat the pan. Add in the shallots and allow them to fry until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon or chopsticks, remove the shallots and set on paper towels to drain and crisp up, leaving the oil in the pan.
If you turned off the stove after the last step, reheat the oil in the pan over high heat. Add lemongrass and stir for 5-10 seconds. Add the fish fillets into the hot oil and sear for 10-15 seconds. Using a spatula, carefully turn the fish over and allow it to sear on the other side.
Add in the liquid ingredients and let it come to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and add in the green onions and red chilies. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets), uncovered. Flip the fish over and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. If the sauce looks like it’s cooking off too quickly, lower the heat. You want the sauce to reduce to a syrupy consistency but not completely evaporate.
Transfer the fish to a shallow serving dish. Keep warm until service.
Prepare the broccoli and the rice: Place the broccoli florets in a shallow microwavable bowl. Splash with 2 tablespoons water [30 ml] and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1m25. Uncover (careful, very hot steam will come out of the bowl), drain the broccoli, then toss with extra-virgin olive oil and soy sauce. Sprinkle with black pepper. Reserve.
Warm the cooked jasmine rice, then mix with the sliced green onions. Transfer to a serving bowl.
To serve, top the fish with more black pepper and the reserved fried shallots. Put out all the dishes family-style and dig in.
Recipe Credit: Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey Through Southeast Asia, by Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford, via Rice & Wheat
