I prefer to use wild salmon because it is not injected with artificial coloring. You can use farmed salmon for great results if you do not mind the added coloring. The coloring does not seem to affect the taste of the salmon. I purchase salmon at Costco, but I have to buy a giant piece and freeze the remainder in chunks. You can store individual pieces. If you only want a piece of salmon for this recipe I recommend getting it at your local grocery store in the fish deli section.

This recipe takes around 30 minutes to prepare and is my signature dish; at least at our home it is. My dog Buddy’s tutu, Rusty Warren (famous comedienne who made 9 Gold Albums) says it is her favorite. I think anytime you cook garlic and ginger in a fry pan the audience goes wild, but not as wild as Rusty’s fans used to get. In my column you get to meet my family and share some food and fun with us. Welcome to the Ohana.

http://www.rustywarren.com/

Ingredients Needed:

Recipe for 2 servings

• 1 pound of salmon; remove any large bones with pliers before cooking
• 1 cup cooked ginger from this recipe link or ginger in a jar
  http://www.aroundhawaii.com/lifestyle/food/2010-12-candied-ginger.html
• A few tablespoons of olive oil or any cooking oil
• 2 large crushed garlic cloves or 1 Tbl. of minced garlic from a jar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 3 Tbl. Honey, Hawaiian honey if you have on hand
• The Yoshida Sauce pictured is to be used if you want to add more juice to the salmon recipe.

Step 1:

Rinse salmon in cool water and massage it to find any bones. Take out the bones with needle nose pliers. I have a special pair if pliers just for fish bones. Wash the pliers or the ants will attack the pliers in your kitchen drawer. Set salmon aside.

Garlic in heated olive oil

Step 2:

Peel and crush the fresh garlic. Chop big pieces into smaller size and add to a fry pan with the heated olive oil. Place the salmon with the skin side down in the pan right on top of the garlic.

Brown sugar on salmon

Step 3:

Place the ginger, brown sugar and honey on top of the salmon in the pan. Some of this mixture will stick to the top of the salmon and that is ok. Cook the salmon about 5 minutes on the skin side on medium heat.

Step 4:

Scrape the ginger mixture off the top of the salmon and flip it over in the oil. Let this cook so the top of the salmon gets brown. Cook on medium heat about 10 minutes. If you like a crisper salmon turn up the heat for a few minutes. You will notice the ginger, sugar and honey will begin to bubble and caramelize. Be careful not to burn.

Flip salmon again

Step 5:

Flip the salmon again so the skin side is down and pile all the ginger from the pan on top. Cover and cook on low heat so the salmon is not raw inside the middle.

Top with all ginger before covering

Remove the salmon to a serving dish and use the caramelized sugar to make fried rice in the same pan. Add more oil if the rice sticks to the pan.

Use to fry rice

Ready to serve ginger salmon

If you like this recipe drops me an email. Remember to share with someone special in your life and spread the Aloha Spirit where ever you live.

A big Mahalo to all the folks who read this column and who email me with their questions or to share a recipe.