Salmon Cakes with Baby Bok Choy

Since I moved out here to the desert one thing I miss is really good chinese food like I am used to in NYC. Not to sound like I'm tooting my own horn, but here it goes: I've learned to make my own chinese food that is way better than the little chinese restaurants that we have out here. This is one of my favorite dishes. I made this for my girl Lisa when she visited last week.

Salmon Cakes

1/4 cup peanut oil

3 garlic cloves minced

1 shallot diced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 anaheim chile diced

1.5 lbs salmon fillets cut into cubes

1 cup panko

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely chopped

2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use low fat mayo)

1 lemon juiced (put it in the microwave for 10 seconds)

1 egg white

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons peanut oil

Baby Bok Choy

2 tablespoons peanut oil

2'' piece of ginger grated

3 heads of baby bok choy cut lengthwise in half

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)

1/4 oyster sauce

1/2 lemon juiced

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and pepper and sautee for a couple of minutes just to release the flavor. Take off heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl combine 1/4 cup peanut oil, salmon, panko, mayo. lemon and the egg white. Lastly, add the cooled garlic, ginger, pepper mixture. Gently fold everything together. Careful not to break apart the salmon. With your hands make into 8 salmon cakes.

Coat a large skillet with peanut oil and heat over medium heat. When oil is hot add the cakes and cook 4 minutes on each side. Remove and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add 2 more tablespoons of peanut oil and heat. Add ginger - when you begin to smell it add the halved bok choy cut side down. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the water and steam for another 2 minutes. Carefully remove to platter. Now add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, lemon juice and brown sugar. Cook for about 3 minutes until sauce thickens.

On the platter with the baby bok choy add the salmon cakes around the boarder. Then drizzle the sauce over the cakes and then the remainder in the middle of the platter of the bok choy. Garnish with the sesame seeds.