I am a bitter disappointment to my parents.
I know! Who would be upset with a daughter who’s prone to accidental arson? But when you have parents who are excellent fisherpeople like I do, my aversion to seafood is… Regrettable.
Have you ever been squidding? It’s possibly the funniest activity under the sun that doesn’t include a bouncy castle. There is nothing more hilarious than the Russian Roulette of copping ink in the face.
There’s also the pure relaxation of a day spent cruising around on the open water, reeling in whatever is biting. So when my folks bring home their catch of the day, I’m not usually interested. On the bright side, more for them! No, seriously. That’s my mother’s mantra. There’s usually a sigh involved.
However, in the interest of eating better,I’m forcing myself to like things I wouldn’t normally. I’m learning to love fish. Salmon, to be precise. Asian flavours are a great way to mask that fish taste, if it’s not your thing. It is, of course, recommended that you buy the freshest fish you can. Make friends with your local fishmonger, they will provide you with the best, sustainably caught produce. Or catch your own! Wheeeee!
This is a great weeknight meal, quick and so easy to throw together. While the fish marinades, you cook the rice, while the greens blanch, heat the sauce. Done, dusted with less than 30 minutes real cooking.
Miso-Ginger Marinated Salmon
From Serious Eats
1/4 cup miso (I used the instant packets)
1/4 cup mirin
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons minced spring onions
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
4 salmon fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl, then add the salmon and turn to coat. Marinate for half an hour, turning occasionally.
In a frypan over medium heat, cook the salmon for 3 or 4 minutes each side. The sugar in the mirin will blacken a little bit, but its good. Trust me.
Restaurant-style Chinese Greens with Oyster Sauce
From Rasa Malaysia
Your favorite Chinese greens (I used bok choy and broccolini)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 dashes of white pepper powder
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add a couple of drops of oil to the water. Add the vegetables to the water and blanch for only 20 – 30 seconds, you only want them to wilt slightly. Place them on kitchen paper to drain and then place on a serving plate.
In a wok or saucepan, heat the oil and then add the sugar, oyster sauce, water and pepper. Mix well, then pour over the vegetables and serve immediately.
The sauce for the greens? So. Effing. Good. I just had ground black pepper (the powdered stuff that I normally wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot pole) in the cupboard, so I used a couple of dashes of that instead of the white pepper used in the recipe.
I would have happily drunk it with a spoon. It’s brilliant.