Javanese Salmon

This recipe comes from an old restaurant called Saucebox in Portland, Oregon. I got it when my friend Iva-Marie had the chutzpah to ask for it at the restaurant.

Then somebody wrote into Bon Appetit asking for the recipe, and it was very popular on Epicurious for years.  And it’s my favorite way to serve salmon.

If you have leftover sauce, just drink it out of the pan, er, I mean use it with chicken. I once served this dish for a group who all started high fiving about it, which I took as a good sign.

1 T. red pepper flakes
1 T. garlic, minced
4 oz. butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup lime juice
½ cup soy sauce
2 t. cornstarch in 2 t. water

Melt butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add pepper flakes and garlic. Stir until garlic is fragrant. Add the brown sugar, and whisk to melt. Cook until bubbling on top, about 4 minutes. Add lime juice and soy sauce. Increase heat, bring to boil, and cook for 2 minutes until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups. Add cornstarch mixture and boil until thick, about 3 minutes. Set sauce aside.

OPTION 1 – Roasting

Preheat oven to 400. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Cook salmon until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Put that pan into oven if oven proof, or transfer to baking sheet. Spoon 1 tablespoon sauce over each fillet. Roast until fish is opaque in center, about 5 minutes.

Option 2 – Grilling

Put some sauce on salmon as you grill it in foil. Serve the salmon over jasmine rice and sautéed spinach, then top with about ¼ cup of sauce (roughly) per person. If you want to get fancy, sprinkle steamed baby carrots all around the plate, drizzled with a bit of the sauce.

My favorite option – layer over wilted spinach and rice in the center of a plate, sprinkle roasted or steamed baby carrots around, then drizzle sauce over all.

Wilted spinach: To wilt spinach, melt 2 T. butter in pot over medium high. Add spinach and toss until wilted but still bright green. Season with salt and pepper.