Wasabi Pea Encrusted Salmon

While I normally ignore chain emails, I got lucky with a recent recipe exchange like you'd never believe.  One of my favorite finds is a wasabi pea encrusted salmon.  It's simple to prepare and is the perfect twist on fish.  It's a salmon fillet topped with a thin layer of mayo mixed with wasabi powder and topped with crushed wasabi peas and sesame seeds.  It's baked to perfection in 15 minutes flat and you can serve it with basmati rice and asparagus to tie in the Asian factor.  It's pretty awesome.

PC: Bon Appetit

Recipe: Danielle Kozin

Recipe after the jump: 

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 6 salmon fillets, with skin, pin bones removed
• 1 cup wasabi-coated green peas
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon roasted or toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rinse the salmon fillets.  Pat dry and place on a sheet pan covered in foil and sprayed with Pam.  Set aside.

Place the wasabi peas into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Process until most of the peas are crushed, but leave a little texture–don’t grind to a powder.  Transfer to a plate.  Add the sesame seeds and mix with a spoon. 

In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup mayonnaise with the wasabi powder.  Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on each fillet.  Dip the coated side of each fillet into the wasabi peas.  Use your palm to press the peas into the salmon to coat evenly.

Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the spicy mayonnaise: in a small bowl, mix the remaining mayonnaise, hot sauce, sesame oil, and cayenne.  Stir well.  Transfer the spicy mayonnaise to a heavy-duty ziplock bag. 

Snip the very corner of the ziplock bag and drizzle each plate with spicy mayonnaise sauce.  Place a salmon fillet in the center of the drizzle.  You may have extra sauce (which can be served on the side).