Poached salmon recipe developed in Alaska

While in Alaska last week, I developed a couple of recipes using Alaskan sockeye salmon. I will introduce one of the recipes today.

Sockeye salmon, also known as red salmon, is in the peak of its fishing season in Alaska. Sockeye is mainly found in the northern Pacific Ocean and several rivers that flow into it.

The particular deep red color the sockeye salmon is the result of a metamorphosis that happens when the salmon are ready to spawn. The fishing season lasts until the first week of September.

At Café Collage, we be serving sockeye and king salmon this weekend.

POACHED SOCKEYE SALMON

Serves four

8 ounces butter

4 bok choy heads, washed and drained, cut into 1-inch pieces, see cook's notes

2 bunches Swiss chard, washed and drained, cut into 1-inch pieces, see cook's notes

1⁄2 organic red onion, peeled and sliced very thinly

1 cup Maitake fresh mushrooms or oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 small green peppers

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped very finely

1 cup organic cherry tomatoes, cut in halves

1⁄2 cup Meyer lemon juice

1⁄4 cup local blackberry honey

1⁄4 cup sweet chili sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

4 sockeye salmon filets, 7 to 8 ounces each

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup pickled pink ginger

Cook's notes: Bok choy and Swiss chard are toward the end of their seasons. They are available in health food stores or at farmers markets.

Preparation

In a deep wok or a large frying pan, melt the butter over low heat.

Over medium heat, sauté the bok choy, chard, onion, mushrooms and peppers. Cook for five minutes. Add the ginger and tomatoes and cook for another seven minutes. Add the lemon juice, honey, chili sauce and soy sauce and cook for eight minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture appears too dry, add 1⁄2 to 1 cup of water.

Season the salmon filets with salt and pepper. Add them to the vegetable mixture and cook for four minutes on each side, making sure to completely submerge the salmon in the liquid. Be cautious not to overcook the salmon: It is fine if it is still a bit pink in the middle.

Gently remove the salmon from the pan. In four Asian-style bowls or pasta bowls, divide the vegetable mixture and sauce equally between them. Place a salmon filet on top of the vegetables in each bowl and top with some of the pickled ginger. Serve hot.

Salim Ben Mami is head chef and owner of Café Collage restaurant in Oregon House, Calif. Contact him at 530-692-2555 or ccollage@succeed.net. His website is cafecollage.net.