Hong Kong Salmon Cakes with Baby Bok Choy

Makes 2 to 4 servings

Bok choy is a white cabbage prevalent in Chinese cooking. This recipe calls for steaming the vegetable but bok choy is actually quite versatile. Slice the leaves cross-wise into ribbons and toss it into stir-fry, or braise the sliced cabbage in garlic, ginger, chilies, rice wine vinegar, mirin, and water. It can be folded into steamed rice, cooked pasta or warm salads. Be sure to give the bok choy a rinse before cooking as dirt can often settle between the stalks. Look for bok choy with dark green leaves and bright white stalks.

ingredients

Salmon Cakes:
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
1T grated fresh ginger
1 to 2 red or green chiles, minced
1 1/2 lbs skinless boneless salmon fillets, cut in small cubes
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (4 slices whtie bread with crusts removed pulsed in the food processor)
2T finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2T mayonnaise
1 lemon, juiced
1 large egg white
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bok Choy:
2T peanut oil
2-inch piece fresh ginger
2 heads baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup water
3T low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/2 lemon, juiced
1T brown sugar
Toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro leaves, and sliced green onion, for garnish

directions

1
Salmon cakes:
2
Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot, ginger, and chiles; saute for a few minutes to release the flavor. Remove from heat to cool slightly.
3
In a mixing bowl, combine the salmon, bread crumbs, cilantro, mayonnaise, lemon juice and egg white.
4
Scrape the garlic/ginger oil into the salmon mixture; season with salt and pepper. Fold the ingredients gently but thoroughly, taking care not to mash the salmon too much. Using your hands, form the mixture into 4 salmon cakes, they should be moist and just hold together.
5
Coat a non-stick skillet with the 2 tablespoons of peanut oil and bring it to a slight smoke over medium heat. Fry salmon cakes until brown, about 4 minutes on each side, turning carefully with a spatula. Keep warm on a plate lined with paper towels.
6
Bok Choy:
7
Return the skillet to the heat and coat with the 2 tablespoons of peanut oil and heat until almost smoking.
8
Split the piece of ginger open with a knife then whack it with the flat side of the knife. Lay the ginger pieces in the oil, cut-side down to let it start to perfume.
9
Pan-fry the bok choy, cut-side down, for a couple of minutes to give it some color.
10
Add the water and cook another minute to steam the bok choy; carefully remove it to a plate.
11
Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, lemon juice, and brown sugar. Cook and stir for 3 minutes until the sauce is the consistency of syrup.
12
Serve the salmon cakes with the bok choy, and drizzle the brown sauce over the whole thing.
13
Garnish the dish with the toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and green onion.