We have all heard the health benefits of eating Salmon. It is clear that not only is it a delicious food to eat but one that is key to a healthy lifestyle. However you might be confused about how exactly to cook it. How is it that you make this food sing with culinary delight. How is it you get your family to say, WOW, please make that again. Well there are countless ways and I want to give you just one.
Fish is a food that goes incredibly well with Asian style cooking techniques. After all so many Asian cultures are rooted in the sea. Japan for example, being an island, incorporates a lot of fish into their diet. There have been many studies demonstrating the health benefits this bestows on the Japanese people. Other Asian cultures, like the Vietnamese have an abundance of delicious seafood recipes. This one here is an adaptation of one I saw on the travel channel one evening. I believe it was Tony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” and it involves soy and fresh cilantro.
Here is the recipe. Pan seared Salmon, with brown rice, green leaf lettuce and warm soy and cilantro dressing.
-3-4 4oz Salmon fillets (I use farm raised as it is easy to get and cooks well)
-1 head of green leaf lettuce (or a bad cut and ready to go)
-Uncle Bens par boiled brown rice
-1/4 cup soy sauce
-chopped onion and garlic
-1/2 bunch of fresh chopped cilantro
-1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
-1 tablespoon lime juice
-salt and pepper
-canola oil
-chopped pecorino peppers
Cook the rice according to the box directions for the amount of servings you desire. Let it sit when done in the pan off the heat. In a small sauce pan, on low heat, cook the onions and garlic in canola oil until translucent. I use about 2-3 big cloves of garlic and 1/4 of a yellow onion. Low heat is key to sweat out the flavor in the garlic and onion. To the same pan, when garlic and onion are translucent, add 1/4 cup of soy sauce, the rice wine vinegar and lime juice. Bring to a boil and add the chopped cilantro. Remove from the heat and cover until ready to serve. This will meld the flavors perfectly.
In a large frying pan heat some canola oil. While waiting salt and pepper the Salmon. If there is skin do not salt and pepper the skin side. When the pan is hot place the Salmon in the pan. If the fillets have skin place skin side down for 1 minute and then flip and finish for 4 minutes. If there is no skin cook on each side for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through.
For presentation and eating place 1/2 cup of the cooked rice in the center of a plate. Spread the green leaf lettuce around the pile of rice. Lay the cooked salmon on top of the rice. Drizzle the warm soy and cilantro dressing on the Salmon and on the lettuce. Chop the pecorino peppers and garnish the salad with them. Serve and enjoy.