When we get Asian food, more often than not it is either chicken or pork. One of the things that we like about this dish is that you can vary the amount of spice to make it have a little tang or you can turn up the heat if you want. We chose to keep it on the milder side this time, but if you make extra marinade, you can always make that a little spicier and allow people to choose how much of the sauce to add to their finished dish. Asparagus is in season at the moment, so we chose to pair it with the chicken, but broccoli would work equally well. We also chose to serve it over white rice, but if you prefer brown rice, it will pair nicely as well. We made it for just the two of us, but obviously it is easy enough to increase the size to make it for more people.
Bibimbap is such a flavorful meal that has a perfect mix of spice and texture. Despite the number of ingredients, this meal is not a complex as it might look. It is definitely one of those meals that looks as good as it tastes. The gochujang sauce that is served with the Bibimbap can be used with many other dishes to create a sweet and spicy dipping sauce for all types of meats.
1cupcarrotscut into matchsticks or use pre-packaged
1cup shitake mushroomsthinly sliced
8ouncesbaby spinach
1cupbean sprouts
4tbspvegetable oil
4large eggs
1tbspsesame seeds
1pinchseasoned seaweedoptional
1tbspbutter
Equipment
1 Skillet
1 Medium Pot
Method
Combine 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of honey with the soy sauce and mirin in a small bowl and whisk to combine to create the marinade for the beef.
Coat the beef in a shallow dish with the marinade and let it marinade at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Mix 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of honey to create the sauce for the Bibimbap.
Once the beef has finished marinading, place the beef along with the marinade in a skillet heated to medium-high heat and sauté until the beef is cooked and the marinade has reduced, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
Cook the jasmine rice per the package instructions, approximately 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and the carrots to a skillet heated to medium high heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until they begin to soften. Remove and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of vegetable oil and the mushrooms and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of vegetable oil and the bean sprouts to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add the last tablespoon of vegetable oil and the spinach and cook until the spinach is fully wilted, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add the butter to the skillet and, once melted, add the eggs and cook sunny-side up ensuring that the yolk is still runny but the whites are fully cooked.
Place a scoop of the rice in the center of a plate and surround it with the beef and vegetables. Gently place the egg on top and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and seaweed, if using it.
Salmon is extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of recipes and styles of dishes. It can be baked, grilled, pan-fried, or even broiled with equally delicious results. It can be added to salads or casseroles as well, but we enjoy it as a main dish. One of our go-to meals is to have salmon and rice with hollandaise sauce, but these are some of the different recipes that we’ve made that we’ve enjoyed.
Our Version of Salmon Oscar with Asparagus
Salmon Oscar – During our trip to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, we had a very delicious meal that the restaurant called Salmon Chesapeake. It was salmon topped with lump crab meat with a cream sauce. For our attempt to replicate this meal, we went with a cross between a Veal Oscar and a stuffed flounder. This isn’t a complicated recipe at all, but it looks and tastes wonderful, so it is a perfect dish for entertaining.
Salmon with the Capers and Honey Sauce
Salmon with Capers and Honey Sauce – We had so many similar style dishes when visiting the Mediterranean regions, we only wish that we could have been sitting on a beach while we ate. The sauce is a combination of sweet and savory and can be used on a variety of proteins including chicken or other types of fish as well. Having salmon with a light and refreshing sauce such as this makes for a wonderful weeknight dinner. We decided to bake the salmon, but you could just as easily pan fry it if you would like to create a crispy skin.
Salmon with a Spicy Pepper Sauce
Salmon with a Spicy Pepper Sauce – During our trips to Mexico, we have always enjoyed having seafood cooked with local preparations. Not all food in Mexico is spicy and this recipe isn’t overly spicy, but it does have a little bit of heat. Although you can certainly use a fish other than salmon, we found that salmon was able to hold up to the bold taste of the creamy pepper sauce. We have often made a hollandaise sauce to go with salmon, but using the peppers provides a different alternative.
Salmon with Achiote Marinade
Achiote Marinated Salmon – This is another dish that is inspired by our many trips south of the border and one of the things that we enjoy about Mexican dishes are the various spices and peppers that they use in them. This dish has spice, but it isn’t at all spicy. Achiote is made from a hard seed that is ground up and provides a deep red color to whatever it is prepared with. We made a simple paste from the Achiote, which comes as a thick block with the consistency of clay. Using fresh lime juice brightens up the dish and makes it even more savory.
Salmon with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce
Salmon with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce – This a very simple dish, but it is also quite delicious. The combination of lemon, butter, and capers can make the fish both sweet and sour, as well as salty, which is a really nice combination. Like many of the recipes, it is something that works well with other fish as well, but salmon is able to take on the flavors while still having flavor of its own.
Single Serving of the Salmon and Farro
Baked Salmon Filets with Farro – One of the ingredients that you will sometimes find in Tuscan cooking is a grain called farro. We decided to bake the salmon and serve it with farro, which turned out moist and was quite delicious. We found it nice for a weekend meal since it has several steps to prepare, but it could be done on a weeknight as well.
Although these are some of our favorite recipes from the past, we certainly look forward to trying salmon in many different ways in the future. We also enjoy trying salmon during our travels and then seeing if we can replicate them after we return home.
