Recipe: Wasabi Salmon with Spicy Swiss Chard

It’s swiss chard week at our house y’all. Yesterday I posted Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard Soup and today Wasabi Salmon with Spicy Swiss Chard. I think that will be enough swiss chard for a while. I like it well enough, it’s just not an eat 3 days in a row kind of food.

I really like swiss chard as a side dish to salmon. It’s slight bitterness is tempered nicely by the sweetness of the salmon. Shitake mushrooms are my favorite mushrooms, especially when I can find gorgeous, large fresh ones at the Farmers Market. Their earthiness complements the swiss chard and the addition of soy sauce and red pepper flakes adds just enough flavor while keeping the meal simple and easy to prepare.

And salmon. What’s not to like about salmon? It’s the one food that always gets yummed up by everyone in my family. If there’s any left over, salmon is a great add-in on a said for lunch the next day.

I like to cook salmon with the skin on. It helps hold the salmon together and keeps the salmon from drying out as it cooks. After the salmon is cooked, the skin is easy to peel off before serving.

Wasabi Salmon with Spicy Swiss Chard

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon wasabi powder
• 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 4 salmon fillets
• 1 bunch swiss chard
• 8 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced (discard stems)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Mix together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, wasabi powder, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil in a shallow bowl. Place salmon flesh side down in the bowl and marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Heat a grill pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place salmon on pan skin side up. Cook for 3 minutes, or until nicely charred. Flip over and cook with skin side down for 6-8 minutes, depending on how rare you like it.
3. Meanwhile, rinse swiss chard well and remove stalks from leaves. Chop stalks into 1/2-inch pieces. Roughly chop leaves.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped stalks and mushrooms and saute 4-5 minutes. Add leaves, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and crushed red pepper. Saute until leaves start to wilt.

Yield: 4 servings

More Healthy Salmon Recipes

Pepper Jelly and Soy-Glazed Salmon

Salmon with Pomegranate-Balsamic Glaze

Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon