This special Thai fusion recipe for grilled salmon celebrates all the sensual flavors and freshness of summer. The salmon is marinated in a Thai lemongrass sauce and then given a Western twist with a topping of fresh blueberries. I find the blueberries provide beautiful sweet & sour tones to this dish. Be sure to use fresh blueberries for the best flavor and texture. You can, however, cut corners with the lemongrass - I used the frozen prepared variety (available in the freezer section at your local Asian food store). Makes a gourmet-delicious dish to serve company. ENJOY!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- SERVES 2-4
- 2 to 4 salmon steaks or fillets, preferably fresh
- a handful of fresh coriander for serving
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
- LEMONGRASS SAUCE:
- 4 Tbsp. finely minced lemongrass (either fresh or frozen - available at Asian stores)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup liquid honey
- 1/4 cup good-quality coconut milk
- 6 Tbsp. fish sauce (available in tall bottles at Asian stores)
- 1/2 tsp. regular chili powder
- 1 fresh red chili, minced and de-seeded, OR 1/2 to 1 tsp. dried crushed chili, OR 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- OTHER: 3/4 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tbsp. water
Preparation:
- Combine all 'Lemongrass Sauce' ingredients - except the cornstarch and water - together in a food processor or blender. Bltz well to create a delicious lemony sauce. (If you don't have a food processor, mince the garlic and chili well, then combine with the other ingredients, stirring to dissolve the honey).
- Drizzle 1/3 of this sauce over the salmon - reserve the rest for later. Turn salmon pieces several times in the sauce ensuring all surface areas are covered, then set in the refrigerator to marinate at least 10 minutes (cover if marinating longer).
- Grill the salmon over a hot, lightly-oiled grill just until inner flesh is no longer translucent when gently pulled apart with a fork (10-15 minutes)
- While salmon is grilling, place remaining sauce in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a brief boil. (Note: if your lemongrass is fresh and minced by hand, you may want to boil it longer in order to soften it. Add 2-3 Tbsp. water in this case.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add the cornstarch dissolved in water. Stir as sauce thickens.
- Now drop in the blueberries. Shake the sauce pan to move them around in the sauce, or gently stir with a spoon (you want the berries to remain whole). When the natural blue coloring of the berries begins to seep into the sauce, it is ready to be served: 1-2 minutes (my sauce pictured above is half blue and half yellow). Remove from heat.
- Taste-test the sauce, adding more honey if you prefer it sweeter (this depends on the sweetness of your berries), or more lemon juice if too sweet for your taste. Add more fish sauce for saltier flavor, or a sprinkling of dried crushed chilies or cayenne for spicier tones.
- Plate up the salmon with the fresh coriander and drizzle the lemongrass-blueberry sauce over. Serve any extra on the side and enjoy this gourmet Thai dish with plain jasmine rice or new potatoes, OR Thai Coconut Rice.
