SALMON IN CRISP RICE PAPER WITH SWEET & SPICY SAKE ESSENCE

SALMON IN CRISP RICE PAPER WITH SWEET & SPICY SAKE ESSENCE image

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 19

For the sake essence:
1 cup plus 2 Tbs. sake
1 cup mirin
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 Tbs. Minced fresh ginger
2 large cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon seeded and minced fresh Serrano chile
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 Tbs. finely diced red bell pepper
2 Tbs. finely diced yellow bell pepper
2 Tbs. finely diced zucchini (skin side only)
2 Tbs. finely diced carrot
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro; more sprigs for garnish
For the salmon:
4 skinless salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup canola oil
4 rounds rice paper (8 to 10 inches

Steps:

To make the sake essence: In a heavy, 2-quart saucepan, combine the sake, mirin, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and Serrano, bring to a boil over high heat, and reduce to about ½ cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the peppers zucchini and carrot until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and vegetables to the sake essence; set aside and keep warm. To prepare the salmon: Sprinkle both sides of each salmon fillet with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little of the vegetable oil, using 1 Tbs. total for the four fillets. Wrap each fillet in rice paper. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy, 12-inch skillet over medium to medium-high heat until it's hot and shimmering, but not smoking. Put the wrapped fillets in the skillet without touching and sauté, turning to brown top and bottom, until the rice paper is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side; don't overcook (if the fillets are very thick, you can also brown the sides for 1 minute each, but most fillets will be cooked through- just barely opaque - if just the top and bottom are seared.) Transfer to paper towels and let drain. Stir the chopped cilantro into the sake essence and spoon some onto each of the four warm dinner plates. Put a salmon fillet in the center of each plate, top with a cilantro sprig, and serve at once.