Jicama Grill Seared Chilean Salmon

Source: Jicama Grill, Louisville, Kentucky

Flavorful and super-spicy, this dish is less trouble to make than it may appear. Once all the ingredients are measured, chopped and gathered in one place, the whole meal can be ready in less than 15 minutes.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (8 ounce) salmon fillet
3 ounces shrimp, shelled, tails left on
1 tablespoon julienned carrots (cut to look like matchsticks)
1 tablespoon julienned red bell pepper
1 tablespoon julienned red onion
1 teaspoon chili garlic paste (see notes)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 jalapeno or Serrano chile pepper, minced
1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork
1 cup cooked rice

Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons simple syrup (see notes)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon honey

To make salmon: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat oil in a large saute pan set over medium-high to high heat. When oil begins to smoke, add salmon fillets and brown on both sides. Place salmon on a cookie sheet; bake 5 to 6 minutes, or until cooked through (salmon should still be shiny).

Meanwhile, add shrimp to oil remaining in sauté pan (still over medium-high to high heat). Cook shrimp about 30 seconds. Add carrots, red bell pepper, red onion, chili garlic paste, sesame oil, jalapeno and egg. Cook, stirring often, until shrimp tails begin to curl in (shrimp will be done when tail is about a half-inch from forming a complete circle — a complete circle indicates over-cooked shrimp). Remove from heat and stir in rice.

To make sauce: Mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, simple syrup, red pepper flakes and honey.

Place shrimp and rice mixture on a plate. Top with salmon fillet. Spoon sauce around rice mixture.

Serves 1.

NOTES: Simple syrup: To make simple syrup, boil together 1 cup sugar and 2 cups water. Allow to cool.

Garlic chili paste: Garlic chili paste can be found in Asian markets and some larger supermarkets.