Coconut Lemongrass Wild Salmon
Wild salmon is low in calories, high in protein and loaded with omega-3 fats, which support attention, memory, learning and other cognitive processes.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb skinless wild salmon (1 inch thick)
- 1 lime (NOTE: Juice half and cut remaining half into 4 wedges.)
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper, divided
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp peanut or olive oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 stalk lemongrass (NOTE: Remove tough outer layers and mince tender inner portion of bottom 3 inches.)
- 1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 13.5-oz BPA-free can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite size florets
- 1 small red Thai chile, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 3 large makrut lime leaves, bruised (NOTE: Use the handle of your knife to bang the leaves.)
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 4 large baby bok choy, quartered
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 4 tsp fish sauce, optional
- ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro, optional
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Season salmon with lime juice, salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper. Mist a large square of foil with cooking spray. Wrap salmon and bake for 10 minutes; set aside in foil to cool. (TIP: You can line the foil with parchment to provide a buffer between the fish and the foil.)
- In a large saucepan on medium-high, heat sesame and peanut oil. Add shallots, lemongrass and ginger; sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add broth, coconut milk, cauliflower, chile, lime leaves and honey. Bring to a boil. Add bok choy and tomatoes and bring to a boil again.
- Remove salmon from foil, place into center of saucepan immersed in liquid, cover and steam for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from liquid and cut into 4 pieces or flake into smaller pieces.
- To serve, divide vegetables evenly among bowls. Add salmon and liquid over top, dividing evenly. Drizzle servings with fish sauce (if using). Sprinkle with remaining 1/8 tsp black pepper, cilantro (if using) and lime wedges.
More Uses: Roll five steamed and chilled asparagus spears in strips of smoked salmon and serve as an easy appetizer. Or swap salmon for beef in savory Thai-style burgers: Combine salmon fillets, red curry paste, shallots, basil and lemongrass in a food processor and process to make a thick paste; stir in bread crumbs, form into burgers and grill. For an easy dinner, wrap salmon fillets in parchment with fennel, olives and cherry tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and roast until tender.
Health Tip: Your mom always said fish was brain food – and she was right. Wild salmon is low in calories, high in protein and loaded with omega-3 fats, which support attention, memory, learning and other cognitive processes. Many studies show that omega-3 fats help protect the brain from developmental disorders, depression, cognitive decline and dementia, and low levels are consistently linked to delayed brain development and increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Besides healthy fats, salmon is also high in astaxanthin, a carotenoid antioxidant that gives the fish its pink color and aids in protecting the brain from inflammation, free radical damage, neurodegenerative processes and cognition loss.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/4 of recipe
- Calories 514
- Carbohydrate Content 25 g
- Cholesterol Content 66 mg
- Fat Content 32 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 36 g
- Saturated Fat Content 20.5 g
- Sodium Content 337 mg
- Sugar Content 13 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 3 g