Seared Salmon on Coconut Spinach

Stunning flavor, a bit spicy, and fish cooked to delicate perfection.

The salmon is a fairly standard approach - marinated in ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce - but then quick seared over very high heat. I used a large cast iron skillet, and cooked for about 4-5 minutes/side, rather than the 1 minute suggested. A thinner filet would be fine at the 1 minute mark, though the intention was to have this fish on the raw side of rare.

The salmon is served on top of the coconut spinach. This is prepared with asian chili sauce, garlic, and chili peppers -- I used three dried cayenne peppers from our garden, and they provided more punch than I had anticipated. Then you are instructed to add 2C coconut cream. I'm not sure what this meant, but I used regular coconut milk. Spinach is then wilted in the coconut-chili mixture. For me, this turned out soupier than suggested by the accompanying photo, probably because I used way too much spinach. But I do wonder if the coconut I used was intended to be all cream, no milk?? Regardless, the spicy coconut spinach was a perfect foil for the salmon.

Two 19-yr-old young men, one my son, were ecstatic over this dish. Every bit of it was eaten, including the salmon skin.

If you prepare this, use the thinner pieces for eaters who are squeamish over raw fish.