Recipe: Pan-fried Salmon Slices with Orange and Champagne

Excerpted from New World Chinese Cooking By Stephen Wong

Serves 4 to 6

This recipe is inspired by a wonderful dish created by Chef Lam Kam Shing of Grand King Seafood Restaurant in Vancouver. Chef Lam uses only champagne in his creation, but we think the addition of orange gives it an interesting twist. You can also use white wine.

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1 lb boneless salmon fillet, skin off, 500 grams

cut into 2-inch (5 cm) by 1-inch (2.5 cm) thin slices

Batter:

2 tsp finely chopped cilantro 10 mL

2 tsp corn starch 10 mL

1 egg, beaten 1

1/4 tsp salt 1 mL

1/2 cup vegetable oil for shallow frying 125 mL

2 tsp minced garlic 10 mL

2 tsp finely diced red and green chili peppers 10 mL

1/2 tsp orange zest 2 mL

2 tbsp fresh orange juice 25 mL

2 tbsp sparkling wine, champagne, or white wine 25 mL

salt, to taste

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce 250 mL

orange slices & sprigs of cilantro for garnish

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In a mixing bowl, combine batter ingredients; mix well. Add salmon slices, coat them evenly and marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in wok or skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add salmon slices, a few at a time, and fry until golden, about 1 minute on each side. With a slotted spoon, transfer cooked salmon to a plate lined with paper towel; keep warm until all salmon is cooked.

Increase heat to high. Drain all but 1/2 tbsp (7 mL) oil from pan. Add garlic, chilies, orange zest and juice; stir and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the sauce becomes almost syrupy. Add salmon slices. Splash with champagne and toss gently until liquid is absorbed, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Season with salt.

Arrange salmon attractively on a platter lined with shredded lettuce. Garnish with orange slices and cilantro. Serve immediately.

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To date Stephen Wong has authored four cookbooks:

HeartSmart Chinese Cooking - commissioned by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, published by Douglas & McIntyre, 1996, now available also in French and Chinese editions.

New World Noodles, 1997 and New World Chinese Cooking, 1998, both published by Robert Rose Inc. (co-authored with Bill Jones.)

His newest cookbook, Chefs In The Market, based on the popular Chefs In The Market series which he co-hosts at Granville Island Public Market has been published by Raincoast Books.