Salmon and peas fried rice
When my husband Ted and I first moved to New England, we kept hearing salmon-and-peas, salmon-and-peas, right around the July 4 holiday (which is a pretty big deal up here -- and was, even before The Boston Pops turned it into a classy sound and light show). Salmon and peas first became an item because the salmon used to run just as fresh peas came up in the garden. Even though salmon is available year-round now, the holiday tradition endures. There's no one set recipe, so you have the luxury of combining the ingredients in any way, from grilled salmon and peas sautéed in butter, to poached salmon with peas and pasta, to soup. Some leftover cold rice in the refrigerator inspired my own take on the tradition (a new tradition, perhaps?), and the fish and peas worked so well in this fried rice that I'm going to add it to my year-round repertoire. I used red onion in the rice photos here, but now that the scallions have matured in my garden, I think I'll substitute those next time, for an additional pop of green. Happy Fourth, everyone.
Salmon and peas fried rice
From the pantry, you'll need: long-grain white rice, onion, egg, sesame oil, low-sodium soy sauce, oyster-flavor sauce.
Serves 2; can be doubled.
Ingredients
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 lb skinless salmon filet, bones removed, cut into large chunks
1/2 small red onion, halved and sliced, or 1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup fresh peas
1-1/2 cups cooked cold white or brown rice (leftover rice is great here)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp oyster-flavor sauce
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
Directions
In a wok or large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over high heat. Pour in the beaten egg, and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Move the cooked egg to one side of the wok.
Add the salmon, onion and peas, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until the salmon is just firm but not overcooked.
Crumble the cold rice into the wok, and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the sesame oil, stir once or twice, then drizzle on the oyster-flavor sauce and soy sauce.
Stir-fry vigorously for 30 seconds, until everything is combined.
Serve hot.
More fabulous fried rice recipes:
Vegetable fried rice
Chicken or turkey fried rice
Sesame shrimp fried rice with broccoli slaw
Turkey and kale fried rice
Tofu and Brussels sprouts fried rice
Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Pea pancakes with smoked salmon, from Cannelle et Vanille
Salmon with asparagus and spring peas, from Leite's Culinaria
Salmon and pea risotto, from Coconut and Lime
Mustard tarragon zucchini pasta salad with smoked salmon and peas, from Inspiralized
Kedgeree-style poached salmon salad with peas and toasted pepitas, from What Katie Ate
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I haven't ever heard of combining salmon and peas, but what a great idea! How can this not be wonderful?
I've never heard of salmon and peas being an "item" anywhere, but I do love both and turning them into fried rice is a really wonderful idea, Lydia! :-)
Hope you all have a wonderful 4th!
Shirley
Kalyn, Shirley: Salmon and peas is a very New England thing, because the salmon used to run at the same time peas came up in the garden. I love that there's no set recipe!
The best combination is Mama's salmon pie with peas in white gravy. Oh, what a memory!
Hi Lydia,
I've been following your blog for years. Love it!
Just wanted to comment on chopstick etiquette. This is coming from someone of Chinese descent; so I don't know if it applies to all Asian cultures. It is taboo to have the chopsticks sticking up vertically in your rice bowl; this is because it looks kind of like incense at a temple. Incense is burned when praying or as an offering for ancestors. So I usually rest my chopsticks horizontally across the bowl (or on the table).
Can't wait to try this recipe! I love peas.
Pauline, that sounds yummy.
Sonia, thanks for your comment, and for adding to our knowledge. I actually know that about chopsticks, and after I'd taken the photos realized my error. I usually rest mine across the bowl, too.
Massachusetts chiming in. I've made salmon and peas on The Fourth ever since I got married. My husband's birthday is the Fourth of July. I've cooked the combination in every configuration imaginable but this stir-fry is perfect for us as we prefer wok cooking more than any other method. Thanks Very Much!
Gio, it's great to try new ways of combining old ingredients. And I'm a fried rice fanatic, so this was perfect for us, too.
Basic Chopstick etiquette level 1: The things you absolutely must not do.
Breaking these rules is considered to be really bad.
Japanese Chopstick Etiquette:
Do not stick your chopsticks upright in your rice.
Do not leave your chopsticks crossed on your plate or bowl, or the table.
This is an absolute no-no because it’s the way a bowl of rice is offered to the spirit of a dead person, at their deathbed or in front of their photograph on the household Buddhist altar.
Chinese Chopstick Etiquette:
Chopsticks should not be left vertically stuck into a bowl of rice because it resembles the ritual of incense-burning that symbolizes “feeding” the dead and death in general.
Korean Chopstick Etiquette:
When laying chopsticks down on the table next to a spoon, one must never put the chopsticks to the left of the spoon. Chopsticks are only laid to the left during the food preparation for the funeral or the memorial service for the deceased family members, known as jesa.
Vietnamese Chop Sticks Etiquette:
Chopsticks should never be placed in a “V” shape when done eating; it is interpreted as a bad omen.
Taiwanese Chopsticks Etiquette:
Chopsticks should not be planted on the rice such that they stand up, as this resembles incense stuck in the ash of a censer and is thus connected with death.
Now that is a holiday tradition I was not aware of! Have a great 4th!
Epicurious Recipe of the Day is Salmon and Broccoli - what were they thinking?
The ingredients and directions you gave is very helpful for me.. I have tried this at home yesterday and its really very delicious, My wife love it as well.. I'll see more of your recipes and try it also.. Thanks a lot!