As much as I love to cook, when it’s this hot outside, I look for alternatives that require a bare minimum of actual “cooking.” This delightful ginger marinated poached salmon comes together in about 10 minutes and the only cooking involved is bringing a pot of water to a boil for about 20 seconds.

By lighting coating the salmon in potato starch before poaching, it comes out incredibly juicy and melt-in-your mouth tender. The tangy sweet ginger and sesame dressing infuses the salmon with loads of flavor while the grated daikon topping offsets the rich salmon with a refreshing peppery taste.

The potato starch serves a couple of functions here. The first is that it forms a coating that helps keep the delicate salmon from falling apart. The second is that it absorbs the juices of the salmon as it poaches, preventing it from drying out. The last benefit is that the coating readily absorbs flavor, making the salmon absorb the ginger dressing like a sponge.

Ginger-Marinated Poached Salmon

This Ginger-Marinated Poached Salmon comes together in about 10 minutes for a quick and healthy meal. (Recipe Credit: Marc Matsumoto of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• 8.8 ounces (250 grams) daikon radish
• 0.53 ounces (15 grams, or about 1/2 tablespoon grated) ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound (450 grams) salmon
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• Sprouts , for garnish

Directions

1. Grate the daikon into a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the grated daikon to squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Set the daikon aside.
2. To make the dressing, whisk together the ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and salt.
3. Bring a pot a pot filled with about 3 quarts of water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water.
4. Remove the skin and any bones from the salmon and cut into bite-size pieces, I cut mine into .5 in x 1.5 in x 1.5inch pieces.
5. Put the salmon in a tray in a single layer and then add half the potato starch into a small fine mesh sieve (such as a tea strainer). Tap to dust the salmon evenly with potato starch. Flip the salmon over and repeat with the remaining starch.
6. When the water comes to a boil, add the salmon all at once and then give it a quick stir. Boil for 20 seconds and then turn off the heat. Let the salmon poach for about 2 minutes or until it flakes easily.
7. Transfer the salmon to the ice water using a slotted spoon and chill.
8. When the salmon has chilled transfer the salmon to a wire rack lined with a few sheets of paper towels.
9. Add the salmon to the dressing along with the sesame seeds. Toss to coat evenly.
10. Plate the salmon and then add the grated daikon to the remaining dressing in the bowl and stir to evenly combine. Mound the seasoned daikon atop the salmon and then garnish with chopped scallions or fresh sprouts (I used broccoli sprouts) and some extra toasted sesame seeds.

Yield: 2 Servings