Teriyaki salmon. Sunset from the Bilikiki

The house is very quiet, too quiet I would say, and it feels strange. I am not used to the silence since we had the third child. I like the noise that my kids make, when they laugh or cry, because I know they are at home, here with me. Coming from a big family, it is the same noise I grew up with, and it is great.

Nick has taken both kids to Hong Kong, Disney Land. First time for Gab and second for Aure. Nick tells me they are having a great time!

It is healthy to be alone to enjoy that silence. It doesn't happen very often. I try to look for things to do when Juanan is sleeping, like reading and cooking. I finished one of the books that it has been on my bedside table for months. However, I realised that I do not feel like cooking if it is just me who eats. I like to cook, but I like more to share it with my family. 

So I decided to have a tomato bruschetta and to open the Pandora box again, this blog. 

This afternoon I took Juanan for a brisk walk around the village. The weather was lovely, not too hot as it was almost 5pm. It was a pleasure to have that nice breeze on my face, and Juanan seemed happy too. The sun was changing its colour and at this time of the year, when "winter" is around the corner, the heat isn't strong anymore. You can say good bye to the sun around 5.40pm.

While the sunset was in the background, I thought of Solomon Islands, my first official posting with Nick (although we were in a "mission" called RAMSI, not working for the High Commission). I need lots of posts through this blog to share with you my two years of my life there. And I will little by little. For now, I just want to  tell you that in the "happy islands" I tasted for the first time Teriyaki fish in a boat during a 2 days cruise called Bilikiki (if you want to read about it: www.bilikiki.com).

Nick and I just finished the diving course PADI (although the instructor never gave us the actual certification; not that I would use it, but at least frame it to show off). Nick was more excited about diving than me. I tried to, but never liked it. The equipment was uncomfortable and huge for a tinny woman like me and breathing  through that mask wasn't my thing.

Anyway, we went in this Bilikiki cruise with a few friends. We drank, they did some scuba diving and we ate beautiful fresh fish cooked in a sweet soy sauce called teriyaki. We also had sushi and sashimi. They were Japanese names I never heard of. 

While I was liking the teriyaki sticky sauce from the fork, the pink and orange sunset was so close that you could actually touch it, except for the fact that you would burn your fingers. It was one of those images for a post card "Wish you were here".

The colour of this dish reminds of that sunset and the good moments Nick and I had in Solomon Islands.

PS: Aurelia nd Nick are not very fond of oily fish like salmon. It is too fishy for them. I discovered this recipe and when I cook teriyaki salmon, they ask for seconds.

Teriyaki salmon

Recipe of Gordon Ramsay

• A knob of fresh root ginger, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp maple syrup 
• 1 tbsp mirin or rice wine (otherwise, I used 1 tbsp of white vinegar diluted with a teaspoon of water)
• Olive oil
• About 500g of salmon filets
• sea salt and ground pepper

1. In a small bowl, mix the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, maple syrup and miring. Then drizzle with olive oil.
2. Place the salmon fillets in a dish, season with salt and pepper and pour the sticky dressing over them. Cover with plastic film and set in the fridge to marinate for up to two hours, but at least 20 minutes.
3. Place a large heavy frying pan over a medium heat and add a dash of oil. When hot, add the salmon skin side down, reserving the marinade. Cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the marinade and cook until the fillets are opaque halfway up the sides. Turn them over and cook on the other side for 4 minutes, basting with the sauce so that the salmon is well coated. Add a bit of water if the sauce is to thick

Notes

• Do not forget to heat the frypan first until very hot and then add the oil.
• Remember always to cook fish skin-side down at first to protect the delicate flesh from too much heat. And don't be tempted to move it all the time. Just twice.
• Teriyaki is Japanese for poultry, fish or meat marinated in a sweet soy sauce preparation and grilled so that marinade forms a glaze.
• This Salmon is the king or chinook which is the largest. Its meat is firm and very flavourful
• Serve it with a simple salad of rocket or roasted tomato. Also nice with plain rice and steamed broccoli.