As everybody who knows anything knows, our own local salmon is marvelously plentiful right now, coming into our kitchens thanks to either family fishermen or the ready supply in fish markets. Time to capitalize on this seasonal happening, then.
But first, how to fix it is always the question. Sometimes, the recipe or technique of choice hinges on whether you have plenty and so are expecting to have some left over. And, if so, what you plan to do with that recycle-again portion of fish. Salmon-wild rice soup? Grace’s salmon spread?
Ah, but then there are those times when you have only enough (or intentionally buy just enough) for one single eat experience. That’s when you rely on either a surefire, always-pleases recipe, or instead set sail on an adventure into uncharted culinary waters.
That’s us we’re in discovery mode today, going for a salmon something that’s new and different. In fact, we’re about to try something brand spanking new, taken from a hot-off-the-press cookbook, “”Isabel’s Cantina.”
The book, created by chef/restaurateur Isabel Cruz (owner of three restaurants in the San Diego area, plus the Dragonfly in Ashland and Isabel’s, soon to open in Portland’s Pearl District), features Latin-inspired dishes infused with Mexican, Japanese and Thai touches. Wow.
Recipes run the gamut from good stuff to serve for ordinary weekday/weeknight/weekend meals to dishes designed for cooks who like to put on the dog a little for those special gatherings of family and friends. What’s more, the book is billed as “”full of unique and healthy but easy-to-make recipes loaded with taste.”
Whoa! All things considered, a combo of unique, healthy but totally tasty, and easy besides sounds like kind of an impossibly tall order, doesn’t it?
Not so, though, as this salmon specialty from “Isabel’s Cantina” proves. Healthy it may be, but it nevertheless should actually taste as good as it looks on the plate. That’s saying something, so I say let’s give this a go:
Isabel’s Cantina salmon with papaya-mango-mint salsa
Soy joy sauce (recipe follows)
Papaya-mango-mint salsa (recipe follows)
4 (6-ounces each) skinless salmon fillets
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups baby spinach or arugula
Prepare soy joy sauce according to following recipe. Prepare papaya-mango-mint salsa according to following recipe.
Heat a large saute pan, preferably with nonstick coating, over medium-high heat until hot. Rub the salmon fillets on both sides with the oil. Place the salmon in the pan and cook, undisturbed, for at least 3 minutes before turning. Turn and continue to cook until the fish is slightly undercooked – use a fork in the center of the fillets to test. (Total cooking time will depend on thickness of fish.) Drizzle 1/2 cup of the soy joy sauce over the fish, turn salmon over, and swirl the pan to nicely coat the salmon with the sauce; cook for another minute or two. When ready, the fish should be crisp and caramelized on the outside and moist and flaky on the inside.
Divide the spinach or arugula among 4 dinner plates and arrange a piece of the salmon on top of each plate of greens. Top each piece of salmon with some of the papaya-mango-mint salsa.
Makes 4 servings.
Soy joy sauce
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
In food processor or blender container, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic, cilantro and chile flakes; add water and puree until mixture is smooth. The sauce can be stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to one week.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Papaya-mango-mint salsa
1/2 small papaya, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
In suitable bowl, combine the papaya, mango, onion, jalapeno and mint; toss gently to combine. The salsa can be stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Time Out section.
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