Its been hot in the Bay Area lately! What sup with that? But no matter... Because I have a recipe that is pretty good for the hot weather. Since my Summer Break is all devoted to work, I can only dream for a vacation. So what good way to go on a vacation without having to pack my bags? Food! =D
I've been wanting to go somewhere tropical... and I suddenly thought, "Why not Hawaii?" Food Network and Travel Channel has been showing non-stop programs about Hawaii. So why not?
I super thank my friend Phil for introducing me to the Hawaiian dish, Lomi Lomi. I loved it the first time I tried it. (^-^) I didn't get the recipe from my friend, but from Hawaii for Visitors. I think my friend used smoked salmon, which works just fine and is just as delicious! But knowing me... I went the extra mile and made my OWN salted salmon. I warn though... Be careful about your salting if you plan to salt your own salmon. I used Palm Island: White Silver Sea Salt . I used one whole pack on a small fillet, about 1 pound and 1 inch thick more or less, salted for about 24 hours, and it got quite salty. But I'll write my process in the How-To section.
When selecting your salmon, make sure it does not have that stinky fishy smell. Fresh fish should not have that fishy smell.
There isn't much to say... other than... if you want a quick get-away to the tropics, try this recipe.
What is left of my Lomi Lomi after my family had it for dinner.
Ingredients:
1 - 1.5 pounds Salmon fillet (All works fine: Sockeye, Copper River, Wild caught, or Farmed)
1 small onion (a sweet white onion, red onion... and if you are lucky, Maui onion)2 - 4 ripe tomatoes
1 - 2 stalk green onion
salt (kosher or sea salt)
How-To:
DIY salting salmon:
- Skin the salmon fillet, and wash throughly.
- Gently run finger over fillet to feel for bones. Pluck it out with tweezers or a pair of pliers.
- Pat dry fillet throughly with paper towel.
- In a glass casserole dish, line with plastic wrap.
- Place fillet in dish, and pour enough salt on it.
- Message salt into fillet on both sides. Make sure all sides of fish is covered in salt.
- Take the plastic wrap and fold all the sides over the fillet.
- Using a heavier pan, weigh it on the fillet, and place into refrigerator.
- Refrigerate for 8 - 24 hours (depending on desired salt level and fillet's thickness), changing the water every hour or so.
- After a 8 - 24 hours, rinse fillet throughly.
* If salmon is too salty, soak fillet in cold water for 3 - 4 hours.
Lomi Lomi:
- Chop onion into tiny pieces.
- Seed and chop tomatoes into tiny pieces.
- Chop green onion, white and green parts!
- Chop salted salmon into tiny bite size pieces.
- In a large bowl, dump everything in and MIX!!!
- Best served chilled.
Aside from the salting process, the actual putting-together process of the dish is SUPER EASY. It taste good chilled. But if you pre-make the dish and let it sit in the fridge overnight, the salted salmon and onion will mellow out by marrying their taste together. That's what I think though. I really hope you guys will try it. Please enjoy! (^-^)
