From fish to dark leafy greens, our spin on a light Japanese lunch is loaded with brainy ingredients. Sprinkle with peanuts—another smart food—and you’ll love the added crunch.
Tip
Blanching green veggies in heavily salted water retains their colour. Don’t worry about the accumulated sodium in this method, as it is drained and rinsed then squeezed, leaving you with a beautiful deep rich green gomae—without the salt—to offset the colours in the dish.
Seared Sablefish with Swiss Chard Gomae and Pickled Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 mL) water
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) raw cane sugar
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) kosher salt
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchstick-sized pieces
- 1 medium daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchstick-sized pieces
- Swiss chard gomae with fish
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) coconut cream
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) creamy natural peanut butter
- 1 large garlic clove, smashed and very finely minced
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) peeled and grated gingerroot
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) tamari soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp (10 mL) coconut or cane sugar
- 1 lb (450 g) Swiss chard, about 3 bunches
- 4 - 3 oz (85 g) sablefish fillets, skinned
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) grapeseed oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories299
- protein22g
- fat18g
- saturated fat8g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates14g
- sugars6g
- fibre5g
- sodium569mg
Directions
01
In small saucepan, heat water, vinegar, sugar, and salt, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour into large glass canning jar. Add carrot and radish and press into liquid until covered. Set aside for 1 hour at room temperature. Then cover and store in fridge for up to 3 weeks.
02
In medium bowl, make peanut sauce by combining coconut cream, peanut butter, garlic, gingerroot, tamari, vinegar, sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Whisk to blend. Add a splash of water if a thinner consistency is desired. Add more seasonings, to taste. Transfer to glass jar, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
03
Cut ribs from chard and reserve for another dish. Chop chard leaves into bite-sized pieces. You should have about 12 cups (3 L). Fill large bowl with ice water ready to shock the chard following cooking.
04
Bring large stockpot filled with generously salted water to a boil. Add chard and boil for 1 minute or just until wilted. Drain and plunge chard into ice water. Stir to cool. Thoroughly drain. Gently squeeze chard with your hands to remove as much water as possible. Place on cutting board and chop into slivers. In medium bowl, add half the peanut sauce, then add chopped chard, folding in until lightly coated. Set aside.
05
In large nonstick frying pan, add grapeseed oil and butter over high heat. Tilt pan to spread evenly. Just as it begins to smoke, add fish fillets in single layer. Cook until seared on bottom, about 3 minutes, then gently flip fillets and sear other side, about 3 more minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook for a minute longer, depending on thickness of fillets. Cook only until centre of fillets are just opaque and fish flakes easily.
06
Serve fish on single-serve dishes with a scoop of chard gomae and some pickled carrot salad. Drizzle fish with a little peanut sauce and sprinkle with some toasted sesame seeds, if using. Add salt and pepper to taste, if you wish. Garnish further with chives or cilantro as desired.
Irene McGuinness
Irene McGuinness is a nutritionist, food writer, food stylist, and recipe developer.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Arugula Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash, Pomegranate Molasses, and Pine Nuts
Oven-roasted delicata squash makes a crispy treat atop this green salad. As its name suggests, this squash has a thin, delicate skin that’s tasty when cooked. Pomegranate molasses, an ingredient common in Lebanese and Middle-Eastern cuisine, brings a sweet and sour flavour to the dressing. No pine nuts? Use squash seeds! Simply collect about 1/4 cup (60 mL) seeds from cleaned squash, rinse, and mix with 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) of the spice mix used to roast the squash and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) olive oil. Roast at 425 F (220 C) on parchment-lined baking sheet for 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Cardamom and Ginger Scented Farro Breakfast Porridge
Look for whole grain farro, which leaves the germ and bran intact, for this satisfying porridge that’s sure to kickstart your day. While the cooking time is longer than for pearled or semi-pearled varieties, you’ll get more nutrition. Take the time to enjoy the delicate scent of cardamom and ginger wafting through your kitchen as you prepare this. Ancient grain Farro (also referred to as emmer or einkorn) is a variety of wheat known as an ancient grain, which means that it hasn’t changed over time through breeding as is the case with many varieties of modern wheat.
Chocolate and Orange Chickpea Pudding
Spanish-inspired flavours of almond and orange and a good punch of protein make this pudding a delicious and nutritious breakfast, snack, or dessert. The tiniest amount of large-flake sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil help bring all the flavours together. Amp up the orange For some additional orange flavour, when cooking chickpeas from dry, add a few strips of orange zest to the cooking water. Tastier toast Take your toast to the next level by using this pudding as a satisfying spread.
Sorghum Tabbouleh with Kale and Navy Beans
Breaking with tradition, think of this as a guise of tabbouleh salad with staying power, thanks to the addition of hearty sorghum and fibre-rich navy beans. It also ages fairly well, so it serves as a make-ahead meal that can keep for up to 3 days. A perfect plant-based option for weekday lunches.