Sweet & Spicy Salmon

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard any stem ends from the green beans. Cut off and discard the stem of the pepper. Quarter lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then thinly slice lengthwise. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Roughly chop the peanuts. In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, soy glaze, 2 tablespoons of water, and as much of the sambal oelek as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be.

Carefully rinse the rice (sifting through for any small stones or impurities). Drain thoroughly. In a small pot, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 13 to 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the green beans; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add 2 tablespoons of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the water has cooked off. Add the sliced pepper, chopped garlic, and sliced white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a bowl; add the ponzu sauce and stir to coat. Cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the seasoned fish, skin side up. Loosely cover the pan with foil and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Flip and cook 2 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.

*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 145°F for fish.

To the pan of reserved fond, add the sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly and scraping up any fond, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the cooked fish with the cooked rice and dressed vegetables. Top the fish with the finished sauce. Garnish with the chopped peanuts and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!