This idea came to me as a combination of simple components: 1. Crispy Skin 2. Charred greens 3. Tea as a spice. The plating was admittedly a little extra– but overall this is one of the easier ones to make.

The first component is the most straightforward; crispy skin is especially important with fish. Wild salmon has a lot of flavor, but it can put some people off because it’s much “fishier” than a lot of white fish. Assuming that the fish is fresh, that extra flavor comes from a combination of the natural diet of the salmon (which includes things like krill) and the high fat content in the meat that stores the flavor. This makes the meat great for cooking, and if you can time it correctly, the skin can get really crispy. This renders out a lot of the fat, adds texture, and when you combine acid and spices, and that overly fishy taste disappears.

Now for the second– I like to char things, since you can get some really unique flavors when you *lightly* burn certain ingredients. Turns out, you can even do this to certain leafy vegetables– in this case, collard greens. Charred leaves crisp up a little, and end up more savory than the raw form–as long as it doesn’t go so long that it turns bitter. I did all of this during one of those wet, cold weekends over the winter, but it would be even better on the grill..just sayin’.

Finally, the third component: tea as a spice. You might remember the Gunpowder Stir-Fry that I posted last near which utilized the same *secret* blend of tea and spices. Sorry, still not giving that one up, but there will be opportunities for you to get your hands on some in the next few weeks…keep an eye on Instagram (@craving_mad) for more info.

I wanted the noodles to actually turn green, but the flavor was there, so I just let it go.

Combine all three components with a quick satay sauce, and you have a meal.

Let’s cook.

You’ll need:

2 Salmon Filets, skin on

Wheat Noodles, cooked

*Gunpowder Blend*

2 Limes

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce

2-4 Whole Collard Greens

2 Green Onions

1/2 Cilantro

1 Guajillo Chili, sliced thinly

1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds

1 Tbs Paprika

1 Tbs Onion Powder

1/2 Tbs Turmeric

2 Tbs Oil

Satay Sauce

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Season the fish with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, then place in to heavy pot *skin-side down* and gradually raise the heat to medium-high until the skin is crispy. Flip once, cook to your desired temperature, and set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 350, then mix oil, salt, and a pinch of salt, and brush the collard greens on both sides. Place directly on the over rack for five minutes, then broil for an additional five. Once charred, let cool on the counter.
3. Stir-fry wheat noodles with any remaining oil, and add garlic, ginger, and/or the gunpowder blend. Add lime juice, and sesame seeds.
4. Garnish with cilantro, satay sauce, lime and sliced guajillo chili.

Done.