Soba bowls with tea-poached salmon
It may be the newlywed in me, but we often find ourselves eating dinner on the couch or wanting to sit on the floor and start a movie while we enjoy our food. How much easier is it to have everything in one bowl? Your vegetables, protein, and grain all in one vessel, one utensil, fewer dishes … it just seems efficient to me some nights.
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
- 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 bunch broccoli
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Pinch of sea salt
- 3 bags green tea
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- ½ cup mirin or dry white wine
- 1¼ pound wild salmon fillet
- 1 (9.5-ounce) package soba noodles
- 4 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup white or black sesame seeds
Instructions:
This meal actually requires using a number of dishes to get to the “bowl food” part, but you catch my drift. You’ll need to prep most of the ingredients first, since once you start to poach the salmon and cook the noodles, everything moves pretty quickly.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, tahini, agave nectar, lime zest and juice, tamari, and grated ginger until smooth. Set aside.
- Cut the broccoli into small florets, including some of the stems. Combine the broccoli in a bowl with the olive oil, garlic, and salt and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a gentle simmer. Turn the heat down to low, add the tea bags and peppercorns and steep for 3 minutes, then discard the tea bags. Add the mirin to the poaching liquid.
- Gently slide in the salmon, skin side down. Cover, and cook until the salmon is just barely cooked in the middle, 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. If in doubt, it’s better to undercook the salmon a bit rather than overcook it.
- Remove the salmon to a plate and flake it with a fork (you will notice a natural grain). Set aside and loosely cover with foil.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions or until al dente. While the noodles cook, chop the roasted broccoli. Drain the noodles.
- In a large bowl, toss together the warm noodles, broccoli, dressing, green onions, and half the cilantro. Divide the noodles among four bowls, top with a portion of the salmon, and sprinkle the remaining cilantro and the sesame seeds on top.
- Serve immediately.