Ginger-Balsamic Salmon + Hot and Sour Slaw

SEARED GINGER-BALSAMIC SALMON WITH HOT AND SOUR SLAW From Simple Asian Meals: Irresistibly Satisfying and Healthy Dishes for the Busy Cook by Nina Simonds (Rodale Books, 2012). Copyright © 2012 by Nina Simonds. Photographs copyright © 2012 by Romulo Yanes. All rights reserved. Used with permission of the publisher. Serves 4 Due in large part to its health-giving omega-3 oils, salmon has become one of the most popular types of fish consumed in the United States. I prefer to buy wild salmon for its flavor. The seared salmon and easy slaw are excellent served hot, room temperature, or cold 4 pieces (6 ounces each) center-cut salmon fillets with skin, patted dry 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 teaspoons olive or canola oil 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 medium red pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into dice 1 bag (9 ounces) shredded broccoli slaw (3-1/2 cups) 2 tablespoons rice wine or sake Hot and Sour Dressing (combine in a small bowl) 1/4 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup water 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 1-1/2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar 1. Season the salmon fillets with the salt and pepper. 2. In a wok or heavy skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive or canola oil and the sesame oil over high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the ginger and red pepper flakes and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the diced red pepper and toss lightly over high heat. Add the broccoli slaw, toss lightly, and pour in the rice wine. Stir and cover. Cook over medium-high heat for a minute or two. Uncover and add the Hot and Sour Dressing. Toss lightly for a minute and remove to a serving bowl. 3. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 10 seconds. Arrange the salmon fillets in the pan, skin side up. Partially cover and sear until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the fish over and continue cooking for 5 to 6 minutes, until the fish flakes in the middle when prodded with a knife. 4. Using a slotted spoon or a spatula, portion the slaw on 4 individual serving plates (or keep in the serving bowl). Place the cooked salmon fillets on top. 5. Drain off any oil and reheat the pan with the water, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, ginger, and brown sugar, stirring to combine. Simmer over medium-high heat for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, until thickened and reduced to 1/3 cup. Carefully pour the glaze over the salmon. Serve with rice or another whole grain. Broccoli is a member of the cruciferous family, which means it contains phytonutrients that lower the risk of cancer. In addition, broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins A and C and calcium and fiber. COLD GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH SOY-GLAZED ALMONDS From A Spoonful of Promises: Stories & Recipes from a Well-Tempered Table by T. Susan Chang (Lyons Press, an imprint of Globe Pequot Press, 2012). Copyright © 2012 by T. Susan Chang. All rights reserved. Used with permission of the publisher. My friends Pat and Denny have adopted this as a standard, but they put the cilantro on the side, and so can you if your family is polarized on the cilantro front. Pat and Denny also use low-sodium soy sauce, which is a great idea if you tend to have it around and handy. Even better is tamari sauce, which leaves the nuts sticky and shiny but not crusted to the pan (a drawback of soy); also, it's gluten-free. My friend Zarmik had this to say about the nuts: "Soy-glazed almonds were a revelation. I suspect I would think the same of soy-glazed cardboard. In fact, for the next few days, if it does not move, it stands a good chance of getting soy-glazed." For the beans: 1 pound slender green beans Salt Ice For the almonds: 1 cup whole almonds 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (any kind except olive oil) 1/4 cup soy or tamari sauce 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar For the dressing: 1-3/4-inch chunk ginger, peeled and minced 1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced 1 tablespoon corn or canola oil 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoon soy sauce 3 small or 2 medium scallions, finely sliced on the diagonal (use both white and green parts) 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 1. Prepare the beans: Trim the stem ends of the green beans (you can leave the pointed tips). Halve the longer ones if you wish. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. While the water's heating, fill a large bowl with ice water (using at least a dozen cubes of ice). 2. Once the water boils, add the beans and cook briefly: 1 or 2 minutes for tiny haricots, 4 or 5 for bigger beans. Don't walk away. Drain the beans quickly. Then shock them by dumping them in the ice water, agitating them briefly until they are quite cool (about a minute). Drain again and set aside. They can be refrigerated in a tightly sealed plastic bag for several hours with no loss of color or texture. If you do refrigerate, first dry them extra-thoroughly on a dish towel. 3. Prepare the almonds: Heat a small, heavy skillet over a high flame. Reduce to medium heat and add the almonds. Toast briefly -- no more than 5 minutes -- until the nuts take on a little color and begin to release their aroma. Transfer to a plate to cool. 4. Add the oil, soy sauce, and sugar to the same small skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce until syrupy, about 3 minutes. Add the almonds and stir to coat thoroughly until they're sticky and completely glazed. Transfer to a chopping board to cool. They'll stick together, but that's fine. Chop roughly. 5. Prepare the dressing: Mince the ginger and garlic together as finely as you can, and press hard with the side of your broadest chef's knife until you get something like a paste, or at any rate something cohesive. If you prefer, you can whiz them in a blender with the rice vinegar. Or -- and this is the easiest alternative of all -- you can just measure out 2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste from a jar, if you live near an Asian grocery that stocks Indian condiments. 6. Transfer the ginger-garlic paste to a large bowl and whisk in the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and scallions. (You can hold the dressing in the refrigerator at this point for up to a day.) 7. Toss the blanched beans and the cilantro in the bowl with the dressing, scatter in the nuts, and serve at room temperature.