Szechuan Peppercorn Salmon Food

SZECHUAN PEPPERCORN SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the peppercorns, chopped garlic, lime zest, and salt until the peppercorns are finely ground. Rub salmon fillets with olive oil, then place onto the prepared pan, skin side down. Rub spice mixture onto top of salmon fillets.
• Broil until the salmon is flaky and no longer pink in the center, 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with soy sauce and serve.

SZECHUAN-STYLE SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Combine marinade ingredients (soy, rice wine, ginger, sugar) in a wide bowl.
• Add salmon and turn to coat in marinade.
• Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Line a stir-fry pan or deep skillet and the inside of pan lid with heavy-duty foil.
• Combine smoking mixture (brown sugar, rice, tea leaves, anise, cinnamon, peppercorns) and spread evenly in the bottom of pan.
• Set a round cake rack over smoking mixture (Be sure the smoking element does not touch rack).
• Remove fish from marinade and place on rack.
• Pour marinade into a small saucepan and set aside.
• Place pan, uncovered, over high heat.
• When mixture begins to smoke, cover pan; reduce heat to medium-low and smoke until salmon turns a rich deep color, about 10 minutes.
• Turn off heat; let stand for 5 minutes, undisturbed, or longer before removing lid.
• Bring reserved marinade to a boil; add cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens.
• Strain sauce into a bowl, discarding solids.
• If you plan to serve the fish hot, serve with the sauce on the side.
• Otherwise, serve at room temperature with no sauce.

JAPANESE EGGPLANT WITH SICHUAN PEPPER

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant into 1 to 2-inch segments, depending on the width of the eggplant. Set up a steamer on the stovetop. Season the segments with salt. Place the eggplant in the steamer in a single layer and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Cool on paper towels.
• For the vinaigrette, trim the garlic cloves and mash gently with the side of your knife, then finely chop the garlic. Peel and chop the ginger root.
• Trim and slice the scallion on a bias. Save the white part for the vinaigrette and the green part for a finishing garnish. Keep the greens fresh by covering them with a moist, cool paper towel. Chop the cilantro.
• To assemble the vinaigrette, put the three oils and the Sichuan peppercorns in a small pot set over low heat. Heat until sizzling, then strain out the peppercorns. Discard the peppercorns and put the oil back into the pot. Add the garlic and ginger and heat until sizzling but not browned. Add the scallion whites and Sichuan bean paste and stir. Add the black vinegar, soy, mirin, wine, sugar, sesame seeds and cilantro and bring to a boil.
• Transfer the vinaigrette to a bowl and cool. Put the eggplant in a serving dish and season with the cooled sauce (depending on eggplant size, you may not need all the sauce-the sauce keeps for a week refrigerated) and sprinkle with the scallion greens. Finish with freshly ground black pepper, if you'd like a little more peppercorn flavor.