Szechuan Style Smoked Salmon Food

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.

HONEY SOY GRILLED SALMON WITH EDAMAME

Steps:

• Preheat the grill over medium-high direct heat. Oil the grill grates. Finely chop the cilantro and scallion and mix in the oil and ginger. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cut two 3-inch long slits through the skin lengthwise on the bottom of the salmon fillets, going about halfway into the salmon. Evenly stuff the slits with the herb mixture. Season the fish with salt and pepper.
• Stir together the lime juice, soy and honey until smooth. Place the salmon, skin side up, on the grill and cook until well marked, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the salmon and continue to cook, brushing the tops with the sauce, until the fish is cooked through, about another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle the tops with the sesame seeds. Serve with edamame and lime wedges.
• Broiler directions: Position an oven rack so that a baking sheet set on the rack is about 4-inches below the heat source. Preheat the broiler. Prepare the salmon as above and place the fillets, skin down, on a foil lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil, basting 3 to 4 times with the sauce, until just cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes.

SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix all brine ingredients thoroughly.
• In a large, deep pan combine whole salmon fillets with the brine mixture to soak over night, keeping refrigerated.
• Rinse thoroughly after brining.
• Pat dry with a paper towel and allow to air dry for at least one hour prior to smoking.
• Lay salmon fillets on smoker rack skin side down.
• Cook in smoker at 165°F for 3-5 hours.
• Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fillets.

SMOKED SALMON SUSHI ROLL

Steps:

• Soak rice for 4 hours. Drain rice and cook in a rice cooker with 2 cups of water. Rice must be slightly dry as vinegar will be added later.
• Immediately after rice is cooked, mix in 6 tablespoons rice vinegar to the hot rice. Spread rice on a plate until completely cool.
• Place 1 sheet of seaweed on bamboo mat, press a thin layer of cool rice on the seaweed. Leave at least 1/2 inch top and bottom edge of the seaweed uncovered. This is for easier sealing later. Dot some wasabi on the rice. Arrange cucumber, avocado and smoked salmon to the rice. Position them about 1 inch away from the bottom edge of the seaweed.
• Slightly wet the top edge of the seaweed. Roll from bottom to the top edge with the help of the bamboo mat tightly. Cut roll into 8 equal pieces and serve. Repeat for other rolls.