Asian-Style Salmon Recipe

Ingredients

• Jasmine rice
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1 (7-ounce) salmon fillet
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• All-purpose flour, for coating
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, finely diced, more if desired
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 5 to 8 fermented black beans
• Chile paste, to taste (optional)
• 3 tablespoons white wine or sake
• 1 ½ tablespoons butter
• Pinch of chopped fresh cilantro
• Sugar snap peas, blanched and sauteed

How to make Asian-Style Salmon

1. Prepare the rice according to package directions, adding the split vanilla bean during cooking to add a mild vanilla flavor.
2. Assemble the remaining ingredients to cook the salmon.
3. Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
4. Flour the top of the salmon and place it flour-side down in the pan.
5. Cook for 2 minutes; flip over to cook for another minute.
6. Reduce the heat to medium and toss in the ginger, garlic, black beans and Chile paste.
7. (For a mild dish, omit the Chile paste.
8. For medium heat, use ½ teaspoon; for spicy, 1 teaspoon or more.)
9. Salute the fish for 1 more minute, then, with the fish still in the pan, deg laze the pan with the white wine.
10. Add the butter and cilantro.
11. To assemble, place the fish on 1 side of a dinner plate.
12. Top with the pan sauce.
13. Nestle the rice and the sugar snap peas on either side of the salmon.
14. Serve.