Cookbooks aren’t just for learning new recipes.
Nope, they are veritable treasure troves of information - with a good cookbook in your hands, you can explore new cuisines and new cultures, discover new ingredients and new flavor combinations. You can learn new cooking techniques and refine your own skills and learn tips and tricks to make cooking easier and more fun.
So Is it really any wonder then that I am obsessed with them and read them like novels?
I think not.
As I mentioned, “Santa” always brings me a new cookbook or two for Christmas and so most January evenings you can find me happily ensconced in front of the fireplace with a stack of cookbooks by my side. This January is no different (well, except for the fire part – it’s been way to warm around here for a fire!). One of the cookbooks in the stack is “Stir” by Barbara Lynch. Her approach to food is restrained, balanced and elegant and so for New Year’s Eve I decided to make one of the scallop recipes from the book. The scallops were wonderful - seared in a pan and nestled in a celeriac puree they were topped with toasted panko crumbs and finished with a celery foam. A simple yet elegant dish that was absolutely delicious.What was different was how the panko crumbs were toasted. Rather than toasting them in the oven, Lynch sautes them in a little butter, which not only provides more even toasting, but also infuses the crumbs with a lovely nuttiness from the butter. They were the perfect counterpoint to the rich scallops and to me were the element that really tied the whole dish together.
After making the scallops, I kept thinking that those panko crumbs would be great with salmon – especially when paired with asian inspired ingredients. Following Lynch’s lead,the ingredient list is short in order to focus the flavors. The resulting dish won a “double thumbs up” from my family – both for the flavor and for the fact that very few dishes were dirtied in production of the salmon – always a strong selling point with those on KP duty!
The salmon would be great served with soba noodles tossed with a little soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and sliced green onions. Stir fried bok choy, onions and pea pods would make a great side vegetable!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. salmon filet, skinned with pin bones removed, cut into 4 - 6 oz. pieces
- 2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
- zest of 1 lime
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 400.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Stir to combine.
- Place the salmon on the foil. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the salmon.
- Let the salmon marinate for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Place the salmon in the oven and roast for 10 -12 minutes until the salmon is cooked through - salmon should be slightly opaque in the center.
- While the salmon is cooking, heat the canola or vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and the ginger and saute for 2 minutes until the garlic and ginger are softened but not browned. Add the panko crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until the panko crumbs are deep golden brown. Remove pan from the heat.
- Just before serving, stir in the lime zest. Top each piece of salmon with an even layer of the panko crumb mixture. Garnish with sliced green onions. Serve.
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks great, and love the incorporation of lime! Was a bit confused why it is called Asian Chicken when it’s salmon that is cooked and served… any ideas?
Hi Jenn! Yes! It’s called – “not proofreading and writing a post way-y-y past your bedtime!!! LOL!!!
I think I use panko twice as much as regular..love it, and especially love it on salmon. It looks and sounds terrific! I have to do my sharing from here because I can’t get onto Triberr fully, or into BS for some reason
BTW, is salmon Asia’s ‘Chicken of the Sea?’
LOL!!! No, this is one of those “not proof reading and writing a post way-y-y past my bedtime!!
I was looking for panko crusted salmon recipes and stumbled upon this one. Nothing special but was perplexed as to why the Nancy thinks everyone is “proof-reading” her post, why it seems that she either goes to bed too early or thinks others stay up too late, or why she seems just plain irritated (LOLs and lots of exclamation points notwithstanding). I’m just saying.
Hello Carlo!
Yup, I use a lot of exclamation points – can’t help it when I am talking about food! Hope you enjoy the salmon – you are right it isn’t extraordinary but it is good and sometimes that is all you need!
Do you think this would work with firm tofu??
Hi Mica!
I think it would be fabulous with tofu – should probably have included that as a substitute in the recipe!!
I do love how you can go around the world just by trying new dishes found in your cookbook! Good to know I’m not the only one who reads cookbooks like novels. In fact, I like cookbooks more! I’ve been randomly craving limes lately so I had to smile when I saw this one!
What Jenn said! Curious about the ‘chicken’ part of it. But in any event…it looks perfect for this time of year; lighter and yet still flavorful.
I have that cookbook. I have yet to open it. Now I’m inspired!
I thought I was the only one that read cookbooks like a novel. Apparently there is a whole group out there. Now my criteria for purchasing a new cookbook is, it must teach me: a technique or how to infuse more flavor in a dish, and not be just a collection of recipes. I am reading Ruhlman’s Ratio; Twenty is on my list and Simply Zov, a restauranter from Tustin, CA, and my favorite place to go. I love the tip of toasting the panko. Why did I not think of it? It is so simple and obvious.
Funny I missed the salmon/chicken at first. Glad you have a sense of humor.
Given how scatterbrained I can be, having a sense of humor is critical to my survival!! Sounds like we live in the same general area – I love to go to Zov’s too and I have that book – lots of great recipes!!
I do think salmon works so beautifully with Asian flavors and panko on anything is fabulous! What a wonderful recipe, Nancy! This could get me cooking fish more often!
Glad you liked it Jamie – we eat a LOT of fish around here! My oldest loves to catch it and we all love to eat it!
‘Santa’ always brings me one or two Christmas books too
I even have one on my nightstand right now, I’m such a dork! Oh ya, and the salmon looks scrumptious!
Well, if you are dork then I am truly in good company!!!
What a beautiful dish! The flavors work together here perfectly…and love the shot!
I love finding healthy, new ways to enjoy salmon. This sounds like a beautiful mix of flavors:-) Take care, Terra
Hi Terra! I am with you – we eat so much fish around here that I am always looking for new ways to prepare it!
This is a wonderful meal to have right now
and salad on the side…yum!
Hi Aileen! We are huge fish fans in this house and after all the heavy food of the holidays we’ve been enjoying more fish!
This looks good. I am always looking for new ways to cook salmon. Seems like this would be an easy weeknight meal too (with some rice and veg).
Hi Brandon!
It it definitely easy and perfect for weeknights!
Sounds like the perfect weeknight meal!