Roasted Sesame and Ginger Salmon

by James
(Arlington, Texas)

This delicious salmon is a great way of getting the benefits of one of nature's superfoods. The seame seed crust in this recipe seal in juices and keep food moist while imparting flavor and texture. Other crusts I use in my favoirite recipes include herbed breadcrumbs, mustard butter, or chile and spice mixes, This particular recipe serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

4 Salmon Steaks
2 large shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon peeled, grated ginger
1 teaspoon chili oil (available in the supermarket Asian foods section)
1/4 cup dry sherry wine or Spanish sherry vinegar
1/2 cup bottled clam juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Brush the salmon steaks with some of the oil. Put the sesame seeds in a flat dish or pan, dredge the flesh side (not the skin side) of the steak in the sesame seeds, and set aside.

3. Combine the shallots, ginger, chili oil, sherry, clam juice, and soy sauce in an ovenproof dish. Season the salmon steaks with salt and pepper.

4. Heat the remaining canola oil in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat. Add the steaks to the pan and sear to a golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side, taking care not to burn the sesame seeds. Put the seared fish, sesame seeds up, on the seasoned shallots in the baking dish and put the salmon in the oven. Roast for 6 minutes for medium rare or until the fish is cooked to your preference. Serve the salmon immediately.

Serve with pickled ginger, Asian chile sauce, and additional soy sauce on the side.

Variations
* Use sea bass, codfish, or red snapper instead of salmon.
* Make a crust of 1/2 cup crushed corn tortillas, and 2 tablespoons chili powder to turn this into a Mexican Speciality