Salmon with Wasabi Sauce

This dish brings back the bright, sharp flavors of a favorite takeout order, built entirely from real food. It comes together in 15 minutes, the kind of meal you actually want to cook.

Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fats, which help balance the inflammatory response, and it brings selenium too, involved in thyroid hormone conversion and antioxidant defense. The sweet-hot glaze does the flavor work so the fish can do the healing work. It is a clean, anti-inflammatory main with real depth.

The salmon sears to a crisp edge and the glaze reduces to a glossy, gingery coat that smells like a restaurant kitchen. Source the fish well, wild-caught where you can, and let yourself feel the quiet gratitude of eating an animal that fed you so directly. Scatter the green onion over the top, make the plate beautiful, take a breath, and eat slowly.

Ingredients

• 1 lb salmon, skinned
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons pure wasabi or fresh-grated horseradish
• 3 stalks green onion, sliced

The source seasons with black pepper, which we omit for the elimination phase. The bigger note is the wasabi: most prepared wasabi pastes carry non-compliant additives, so use a pure wasabi with a clean label, or swap fresh-grated horseradish, which is a crucifer and Core for AIP. Pre-reintroduction, fresh ginger also works as a milder heat. The vinegar and aminos already replace the soy elements, so there is nothing else to change.

Method

• Season the salmon with the salt. Sear it in the coconut oil over medium-high, about 4 minutes per side, until the outside is crisp and the fish is cooked through.
• In a separate small pan, bring the vinegar, coconut aminos, honey, ginger, and wasabi or horseradish to a boil. Reduce for about 5 minutes until it thickens into a glaze.
• Spoon the glaze over the salmon and garnish with green onion.

Oven variation

To bake instead of pan-searing, set the oven to 400F, place the seasoned salmon on a lined or greased sheet, and roast until it flakes, roughly 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. To finish with a crisp top, run it under the broiler for the last 2 to 3 minutes. Make the glaze on the stovetop as above and spoon it over. These oven and broil times are untested conversions, so check the fish and adjust in your own kitchen.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*