Smoked Salmon Fried Rice
Like all struggling artists, I paid my dues in the hospitality industry. And with each restaurant, I picked up a new skillset.
I worked at three Olive Gardens and two Applebees, on both coasts. I hung with those that were 6-8 years my senior and was introduced to the hospitality community and night owls — learned anticipating a guest’s needs, reading a table, understanding the beauty of casual dining.
The summer after high school, I worked at a diner and I’m sure it was a mob front. (I shouldn’t say anymore.)
At Gulfstream, in Los Angeles, I learned meal pacing, consistent alertness, silent style of service, and the importance of clearing and crumbing tables. I picked up a great Wild Rice Salad, wine knowledge, and a snobby attitude towards crab cakes with too much breading, because they had the absolute best crab cakes in the world!
But Buddha’s Belly, the last restaurant I ever worked in, was the best teaching ground. It was a casual pan-asian restaurant in West Hollywood. The prep kitchen was closed but most of the cooking was visible to the guests. Their server training was extensive. We learned ingredients of each dish to its very core. It felt like it was an immersion course in Asian culture.
I had two favorite dishes come out of that place. I’m sharing the second favorite with you first, because it’s pretty simple.
Smoked Salmon Fried Rice
Ingredients:
3 cups of Cooked Overnight Rice
12 oz. Wild Sockeye Smoked Salmon
2 Eggs
2 tbsp Sun-dried Tomoatoes
2 Jalapenos, sliced and seeds removed
2 tsp Chili Oil
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
3 tbsp Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Chicken Powder
1 1/2 cup of Asparagus, chopped
10-12 Basil leaves, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
Green onions
Preparation:
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large nonstick pan and heat it over medium-high heat until hot. Add the asparagus, jalapeños, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside
Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the garlic into the skillet. Stir a few times to release the fragrance. Add the rice and chicken powder, spread it out with your spatula. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is lightly toasted.
Move the rice to one side of the pan and add 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tsp of chili oil to the other side of the skillet. Add the beaten eggs onto the oil. Let it cook until the bottom sets, 30 seconds. Scramble a few times until most of the eggs are cooked but some parts are still runny. Mix the rice into the egg, chopping and stirring to mix everything together.
Move the rice to the edge of the pan to make a well in the center.Add the veggies back with the soy sauce and smoked salmon. Let it cook for a few seconds to evaporate the liquid. Stir everything together until the rice is evenly coated with the seasonings. Stir everything together. Taste the rice. Add a pinch of salt and mix again, if needed.
Garnish with green onions. Serve hot as a main dish.