MasterChef Junior Chinese Five-Spice Salmon

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut out and discard the cauliflower core; cut the head into small florets. Peel and large dice the sweet potatoes. Peel and roughly chop the ginger. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Cut off and discard the root ends of the bok choy; separate the leaves.

Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in a single, even layer. Roast 18 to 20 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and top with half the vinegar. Carefully stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the cauliflower roasts, add the sweet potatoes and ginger to the pot of boiling water. Cook 14 to 16 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Off the heat, add the crème fraîche, half the butter, and a drizzle of olive oil. Using a fork, mash to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a warm place.

While the sweet potatoes cook, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the garlic and white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the bok choy and 3 tablespoons of water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes, or until the bok choy has softened and the water has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a warm place. Wipe out the pan.

While the sweet potatoes continue to cook, pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels; season on both sides with salt, pepper, and the five-spice powder. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned fillets, skin side down, and cook 3 to 5 minutes on the first side, or until the skin is crispy. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate and set aside in a warm place.

Add the remaining vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water (be careful, as the liquid may splatter) to the pan of reserved fond. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently and scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pan, 45 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the roasted cauliflower, mashed sweet potatoes, and cooked bok choy among 4 dishes. Top the sweet potatoes with the cooked salmon fillets and sauce. Garnish with the green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!