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  • Cookout Favorites for Memorial Day

    Spicy Poblano Burgers with Chipotle Cream - Smoky and spicy, these burgers are a different and delicious take on the standard grilled burger recipe.

    Bacon Burgers with Bacon Onion Balsamic Jam - These are for the serious bacon lover. There's bacon inside and on top of the burgers, and the sweet and savory jam is the perfect topping.

    Bacon Ranch Potato Salad - Homemade ranch dressing and crispy bacon turn traditional potato salad into something magical.

    Smoky Baked Beans - There's no need to buy canned baked beans when you can make these at home. The ingredients list includes chipotle, bacon and beer, so you know these are good.

Monthly Archives: August 2011

08.01.11

Sesame Crusted Salmon

Posted in Asian,Main Dish,Seafood

Sesame Crusted Salmon
I’ve been trying to include seafood more in our weekly menu plans. Until a couple of years ago, I didn’t eat any seafood unless it was deep fried (hey, I grew up in Alabama). Thankfully I’m open to more preparations of it than I used to be, and that is a very good thing. Eric is a big fan of seafood and has helped broaden my horizons in regards to it. The process started with me trying a bite of any fish he ordered when we ate out, slowly progressed to me ordering my own and then finally ended with me being brave enough to make it at home.

In learning to like fish, I discovered that the crusted variety was my favorite. Panko is always a good way to go, and now I’ve got a new one to add to the mix – sesame seeds. They get toasted while the salmon cooks and add so much flavor and crunch. To complement the salmon, an Asian flavored sauce is served underneath it. The sauce is savory-sweet, with a little punch from the fresh ginger and garlic. While you might be tempted to pour the sauce over the top, serving it beneath the salmon ensures that the crust stays crisp. We served this dish with some type of thin Japanese noodles, but I think we’ll opt for rice the next time around. We also made oven roasted broccoli that went well with the fish and cooked in about the same amount of time. The salmon doesn’t take long to prepare, but it looks quite impressive when done. Now that my dislike of seafood is something of the past, I’m sure we’ll be making this one again soon.

Sesame Crusted Salmon

Sesame Crusted Salmon
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1 egg white
4 salmon fillets, about 8 ounces each
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup cooking oil

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, broth, sugar, ginger and garlic. In another small bowl, dissolve the 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in the water.

Whisk together the egg white and remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and brush the skinless side of the salmon with the mixture. Dip in sesame seeds and gently press to coat. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, place the salmon in, sesame seed side down, and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and continue cooking an additional 3 minutes (for a 1-inch thick fillet) and remove from skillet.

Pour off any oil remaining in the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the soy sauce mixture and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the cornstarch-water mixture and continue cooking until sauce has thickened, about 1 additional minute. Serve the sauce alongside or underneath the salmon.

Barely adapted from Food & Wine


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