Marx Bros Cafe Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Cucumber Salsa, Orange-Miso Dressing, and Nori Wrapped Green Beans

Recipe by Steven Andersen, Chef de Cuisine, Marx Bros. Cafe

Dressing
2 cups fresh orange juice
1/4 cup red miso paste
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 cup canola oil
6 tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
3 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)*

In a non-reactive sauce pan, reduce orange juice to 1/2 cup, whisk in the miso paste and ginger and cool. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Slowly drizzle one third of the canola oil while constantly whisking. Stir in two tablespoons of the rice vinegar. Continue alternating the oil and the vinegar until the oil is gone and sauce has emulsified. Before adding the last addition of rice vinegar, taste the vinaigrette, you may not need all the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir in the scallion (if using) and set aside.

*You can thinly slice the scallions on a bias (diagonal) and use it to garnish the plate.

Salsa
1 cup pineapple, small diced
1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and small diced
2 tbsp finely diced red onion
2 tbsp sweet red bell pepper, finely diced
1 tbsp roasted and peeled jalapeno pepper, (or more if you like it spicy)
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Juice of half a lime
Pinch of sugar
2 tbsp of olive oil
Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. The salsa gets better if it sits around (refrigerated) for a couple of hours.

Black Rice
1 cup black glutinous rice
2 tbsp crystallized ginger, chopped
1 3/4 cup water
salt and pepper

Cover rice with cold water and let soak 20 minutes, drain well. In a suitable pot, combine rice, ginger and the 1 3/4 cup water, bring to a boil over medium high heat, reduce heat, cover and cook 20-30 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper, and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Beans
20 evenly sized fresh green beans
Little good quality sesame oil
2 tsp of toasted sesame seeds
4 one-inch strips of nori seaweed

In large pot, bring salted water to a boil, add the beans and cook until crisp tender, 2-3 minutes, immediately dunk them in some ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well and toss with a bit of sesame oil, sesame seed and a little salt and pepper. Make 4 bundles of 5 beans each and wrap nori strip around each bundle (the moisture from the beans will be enough to seal the nori) and a trim off a little of the ends if desired.

Salmon and Assembly
4 salmon fillets, about six ounces each
Little canola oil
Salt and pepper

Prepare a grill with medium-high heat. Lightly brush the salmon with oil, and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the salmon, turning a quarter turn, for 2-3 minutes on each side (or until desired doneness).
Place a quenelle (a football shaped mound) of rice a little off-center of plate, spoon the salsa next to the rice and the beans next to the salsa. Carefully place the salmon on the center of the plate so that all the components can be seen. Drizzle the sauce around, garnish with some scallions or julienned vegetable if you wish. Serve immediately.