Diane Morgan’s Thai green curry with salmon

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Salmon is one of the most popular fish in North America and the wild-caught type is back in season now.  As with any fish in demand, there are concerns about sustainability and supply. Then there’s the labeling issue, the threat posed to salmon by marijuana growers and the differences between wild and farmed salmon, organic and conventional fish, and Atlantic and Pacific species. The list goes on.

Lucky for us Diane Morgan has a new book out that is full of facts and figures about the pink fish called “Salmon: Everything You Need to Know and 45 Recipes.” The book includes many different ways to prepare salmon that I can’t wait to try, from raw and lightly preserved to sous-vide. This recipe for Thai green curry salmon is tasty, quick and pretty on the plate.

Thai Green Curry Salmon

Diane Morgan says she prefers the Thai Kitchen brand, which can be found in any supermarket, or the Mae Ploy brand that is available in most Asian markets. Without a lot of fuss, this big-flavored one-bowl meal goes together in about half an hour, making it ideal for a weeknight dinner. Serve the salmon and snowpeas together with steamed jasmine rice.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
4 each 6oz (170 g) thick salmon fillets, skin and pin bones removed
1 13 oz (405 ml) can unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup [60 ml] Thai green curry paste
1 tbsp golden brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
2 cups (130 g) snow peas, stem ends trimmed and strings removed
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

For the salmon: Remove the salmon fillets from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking and bring them to room temperature.

For the curry sauce: Open the can of coconut milk without shaking it. Spoon out the thick coconut cream that has separated and risen to the top, setting it aside in a small bowl. Pour off the remaining thin coconut milk and reserve separately.

In a large sauté pan, warm the coconut cream over medium-low heat. Add the curry paste and whisk until smooth, letting the mixture come to a simmer. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Then add the thin coconut milk, water and fish sauce and bring to a simmer, stirring once or twice.

Next add the salmon fillets to the pan in a single layer, turning the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Flip the salmon, re-cover and cook for 2 minutes longer. Then scatter the snow peas around the salmon, submerging them in the liquid and cover the pan again. Cook until the snow peas turn bright green and the salmon is cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Remove the pan from heat.

To serve: Transfer the salmon to warmed dinner plates or shallow pasta bowls.

Then stir the lime juice, green onions and cilantro into the green curry sauce. Ladle the curry sauce and snow peas around the fillets, distributing evenly between all four plates. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Diane Morgan - Salmon Cover