Aromatic Steamed Salmon Food

HOT SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• The night before serving, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, the peppercorns, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a large flat ceramic or glass dish. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the salmon. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• At least 1 1/2 hours before you plan to cook the salmon, soak the wood chips in water.
• Thirty minutes before you¿re ready to cook, heat the charcoal. Place a double layer of coals on one side of the grill, light them, and allow them to burn until the coals are gray on the outside. (I use a charcoal chimney to light the coals.) Sprinkle half the soaked wood chips on the hot coals (you will see lots of smoke). On the other side of the grill, place the foil pan and pour in 1 cup water. Place the cooking grate over the coals and the pan.
• Scrape most of the sugar mixture off the salmon and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Place the salmon skin-side down on the side of the grill directly over the foil pan. Put the lid on the grill, making sure the top and bottom vents are open. Smoke the salmon for 10 minutes. Add the remaining wood chips directly on the coals and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon, until it's firm to the touch and barely cooked. Don't overcook the salmon or it will be dry!
• Transfer the salmon to a clean platter and immediately cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin, if desired, and serve hot, at room temperature, or cold with the Fresh Dill Sauce.
• Place the mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, cream cheese, scallions, dill, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for a few seconds, until well mixed. Add the cucumber and puree for another few seconds, until combined. Pour into a container and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.

STEAMED SALMON WITH HERBS AND LEMON

Steps:

• Season salmon with salt and pepper. Steam until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Serve with rice. Sprinkle with herbs and lemon zest.

STEAMED SALMON WITH GARLIC AND GINGER

Steps:

• To make the flavoring sauce, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, pepper, oyster sauce, and soy sauce and stir to dissolve the sugar. In a small skillet or saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 15 to 20 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the ginger and cook for about 1 minute, or until aromatic and pliant. Pour in the oyster sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Add the chopped scallion, stir to combine, and remove from the heat. Set aside. (The sauce may be prepared up to 4 hours in advance. Let cool, then cover it to prevent it from drying out. Keep at room temperature until ready to use.)
• Select a heatproof plate or nonreactive cake or pie pan 1 inch smaller in diameter than your steamer tray. (Ideally, you will be able to serve the fish from whatever you choose, thus avoiding the need to transfer it to a serving plate.) Set aside a few scallion strips for garnish and scatter the rest on the plate or pan. Arrange the fish on top and pour on the flavoring sauce. Place the plate or pan in the steamer tray.
• Fill the steamer pan half full with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Place the tray in the steamer, cover, and steam the fish for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a knife inserted at the thickest part easily pierces the flesh all the way to the bottom.
• When the fish is done, turn off the heat. Use pot holders or a Chinese steamer retriever (see Note, opposite) to remove the plate or pan from the steamer (you may find it easier to put the steamer tray on the counter first) and place it on a platter. Or, use 2 wide spatulas to transfer the fish to a warmed serving platter and pour the juices on top. Garnish with the reserved scallion strips and the cilantro and serve immediately.

SALMON WITH LEMON, CAPERS, AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Brush top and bottom of salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place each piece of seasoned salmon on a piece of foil large enough to fold over and seal. Top the each piece of salmon with 2 lemon slices, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of wine, and 1 teaspoon of capers. Wrap up salmon tightly in the foil packets.
• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Place the foil packets on the hot grill and cook for 10 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece of salmon. Serve in the foil packets.

DANNY CHAN'S STEAMED SALMON WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Thoroughly rinse the fish in cold water and pat dry. Put the fillets in a 9-inch shallow heatproof bowl. Drizzle the soy sauce, salt and pepper over the salmon. Sprinkle with the scallions and ginger. Cut the lemon in half crosswise. Cut half a lemon into 4 slices and put on the fish. Juice the remaining lemon and drizzle over the fish.
• Put a 1-inch-high steamer rack in a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok. Add water to a depth of 3/4 inch and bring to a boil over high heat. Carefully put the bowl on the rack, cover, and steam for 8 to 10 minutes. Test the fish for doneness by poking the thickest party with a chopstick or fork; the fish should flake. If not, steam 1 to 2 minutes or until the fish just flakes. Be sure to check the water level from time to time and replenish if necessary, with boiling water. Carefully remove the bowl from the wok. Drizzle the sesame oil over the fillets.

SIMPLE STEAMED SALMON

Steps:

• Place salmon fillet on a sheet of foil large enough to wrap around with extra space ( like a metallic pasty!)
• Place the bay leaves on top of the salmon along with mixed herbs, salt and pepper
• slice the onion into half moons and put on top of the salmon with the lemon wedge
• fold foil over salmon leaving a small hole at the top and place in a steamer
• Put the new potatoes into a pan of boiling water with the salmon in the steamer above
• boil and steam for 25 minutes
• Serve hot or cold with a crunchy salad and a light french dressing