Salmon Wrapped in Napa Cabbage

Wild or sockeye salmon is known for its nutritional value and taste. I love finding a new recipe or a somewhat different way to prepare it, and noted chef Ming Tsai came up with this recipe. It was especially appealing since my weekly produce box had a large head of napa cabbage in it and aside from soup or a salad dish I didn’t have many ideas on how to use it.

Give this a try - I think you and your dinner guests will be quite pleased.

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Ingredients

4 six ounce filets of salmon, skin on or off 4 large napa cabbage leaves, blanched

8 lrg black mushrooms, de-stemmed 1/2 c. peppercorn salt

canola oil 1/4 c. finely diced ginger

3/4 c. finely diced red bell peppers 3/4 c.chopped green scallions

2 c. chicken or fish stock juice of 1/2 lemon

juice of 1 orange 2. Tbsp. butter

salt and white pepper to taste zest of one orange

Directions:

Sauce: Pepper, Ginger and Scallions Coat a saucepan with oil and saute ginger for 2 minutes; add peppers and scallions, Season and add stock and juices. Reduce by 20%. Whisk in butter and check for seasoning. Keep sauce in pan until salmon is done; pour sauce over salmon and serve.

Salmon: Season both sides of the salmon. Lay out 1 leaf of napa on a flat surface; place 2 mushrooms top side down and cover with salmon, top side down. Wrap cabbage around salmon and tie with baking string to hold. Repeat. Place all 4 wraps in a steamer for 8-10 minutes. ( I don’t have a steamer so I put them in a shallow pool of gently simmering water and covered.) Move to plate and remove string before serving.