wild salmon skewers + ginger scallion relish + lemongrass sticky rice

Cooking at home with friends is one of my favorite summertime (or anytime) weekend activities. But particularly in the summer though, when we can spend the morning sitting outside on the porch with some coffee, browsing magazines and cookbook for recipes … and the afternoon gathering ingredients from the local farm stands and fish markets. Our weekends pretty much revolve around our food schedule and I like it like that.

I am happy to say that this summer we have been cooking home even more than usual. Some weekends every single meal, every single latte, smoothie, tea, snack, lunch, dinner and dessert, is made at home. When friends come to stay with us, I like to get them involved as much (or as little) as they like with the cooking. Some friends like to dive in and get super ambitious, and some would rather sit back and hang out. I am happy in the kitchen no matter what is going on, but even more so if there is good wine (or coffee), good music, and good conversation with good friends. 

Last weekend, we did cook a lot, but we didn’t make these skewers. I did have them on my mind though, and I’ve been wanting to make a version of this ginger scallion relish ever since I saw it in the most recent Bon Appetite. I finally got a chance to try these (a few times) this week, and the ginger relish / sesame salmon / lemongrass rice combo could not be any more perfect for summer. Now that I’ve tested them on myself, I cannot wait to cook these with a house full of friends this holiday weekend ….. and maybe even recruit one or two so we can get a skewer production line going on ;)

wild salmon skewers + ginger scallion relish + lemongrass sticky rice 

Feel free to use any veggie combination you can find or that is in season. As you will see in the instructions below, I recommend doing the salmon and veggie skewers separate since their cooking times are different. However, if you don't mind your veggies being crunchy/undercooked then you can keep them on the same skewer. Also, using two sticks per skewers will make for a more sturdy skewer, and the fish and veg won't spin. 

The ginger scallion relish is adapted from the July 2016 issue of Bon Appetite, and also found HERE. 

MAKES
about 3- 4 skewers
**you'll need about 6-8 skewers (2 sticks per skewer)

INGREDIENTS

for the ginger scallion relish:
6 scallions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño (or a mild green chili) de-seeded, and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of grated ginger
1 tablespoon of lime juice
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
a pinch or two of kosher salt 

for the lemongrass sticky rice:
1 cup of thai sticky rice (or regular white jasmine rice)
1 lemongrass stalk, chopped into 1" chunks
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of ghee or olive oil
1 jalapeño (or a mild green chili), thinly sliced
a large handful of cilantro, chopped (optional) 

for the skewers:
1lb of wild salmon, skin removed, and chopped into 1" cubes
1 green zucchini, sliced into rounds
1 yellow zucchini, sliced into rounds
1 red onion, sliced into 1" thick pieces
1 lemon, sliced
salt, pepper, sesame seeds
grapeseed oil

METHOD

**Make sure to soak your skewers, for at least an hour, before you’re ready to grill.

Start by making the relish:

• Place all of the ingredients for the relish into a bowl, stir to combine, taste, and adjust any seasoning necessary. Set aside until you're ready to serve. 

Then, cook the rice:

• Place the rice into a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water (or however many cups it calls for on the package). Add the lemongrass, jalapeño, ghee, salt, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for the time recommended on the package (usually about 25 minutes for sticky rice). Once the rice is done, remove from the heat, but keep covered until you’re ready to serve.
• Right before you're ready to serve, stir in the chopped cilantro (if you're using). 

While the rice is cooking, prepare and cook the skewers:

• Pre-heat the grill to medium heat.
• Assemble the skewers however you wish, but use 2 sticks per skewer to keep the salmon and veggies from spinning on the skewer. After having made this a couple of times, I would recommend doing the salmon and lemon on one skewer and the veggies on a separate skewer, since the veggies take a few more minutes to cook than the salmon. However, if you don’t mind your veggies a little crisp, then you can place them onto the same skewers, alternating veg and salmon.
• Once they are all skewered, brush them with the grapeseed oil, season with the salt, pepper, and sprinkle the sesame seeds all over.
• Place the skewers onto the grill and cook (the salmon) for about 3-4 minutes on each side. If you are cooking the veggies separately, you can cook them for several minutes longer.

To serve:

• Place a skewer on a plate (or one salmon and one veggie) along side a scoop of the rice, and spoon the relish over top of the salmon pieces. Enjoy warm!