King Salmon Poke with Black Sesame and Quick Pickled Beet

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Salmon Poke with Beets.jpg

One of my favorite colorful summertime dishes to serve at any special gathering is poke. This poke is packed with super rich, all the good for you fat from the king salmon and folate iron from the red beets. Pickled beets also contain high amounts of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins A, B, and C, among others. The acidic sweetness from the beets and the brininess from the seabeans bring the luscious rich salmon to a balanced unami bite.

INGREDIENTS

Salmon Poke

  • 1 lb. sushi-grade salmon fillet, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tbsp sesame oil

  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

  • 2 tbsp rice mirin

  • 1 tsp ginger, grated

  • 1 tsp garlic, minced

  • 1 tbsp black sesame seeds

Red Beets

  • 3 red beets

  • sea salt

  • 1/4 cup apple cider or sherry vinegar

  • freshly ground pepper

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Garnish

Seabeans and scallion

PREPARATION

Salmon

In a medium sized bowl, combine soy sauce, oils, rice wine vinegar, mirin, ginger, garlic and add salmon. Toss gently with 1/4 cup of the marinade. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, refrigerate for 30 minutes or serve immediately.

Beets

  1. Place beets in a large pot, and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat; add 1 tsp sea salt. Reduce heat slightly to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, and let cool slightly. Trim stem ends, then peel beets using a paring knife or a vegetable peeler. Using a mandoline, cut beets 1/4-inch-thick slices for medallions. Using a carrot peeler to make ribbons as well.

  2. Whisk together vinegar, sea salt to taste, and the pepper in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Pour vinaigrette over beets.

TIP

Before you begin making the poke, put the raw salmon in the freezer for about 30 minutes to partially freeze it. You want the salmon to be firm, but still soft enough to slice. The firmer texture allows for more sharply defined cuts.