Teriyaki Salmon and Saffron rice

If there is one thing that I love to make over and over again, its teriyaki salmon. I truly believe that
1. you can’t screw it up and
2. it’ll make a fish lover out of even the most avid fish-hater

Joslyn even ate it!

In the summer we’ll throw it on the grill, or in the cooler seasons in a cast iron skillet or just under the broiler. Good, good, good. Every time.

In fact, I have my little banana tree growing just to make this one dish. I’ve always wanted to grill a fish on a banana leaf, and if I can keep it alive, we’ll get to do just that next summer.

Okay, enough about the salmon. You were wondering about the saffron rice, weren’t you?

No, I didn’t win the lottery, and I don’t own any saffron flowers. BUT, I do have a neighbor who has a daughter who moved back to the U.S. from Taiwan. And as he was telling me about his daughter coming back to the states (over the fence, months and months ago), I vaguely remember asking him if she can get cheap saffron over there. He kindly said that he didn’t know, but he would ask her for me.

I didn’t think any more about it. Just polite neighbor talk. Never expected anything to happen, in fact I completely forgot about asking about the saffron because it knew it was so unlikely that he would ACTUALLY ask her and she would ACTUALLY buy some for me and take it all the way from Taiwan when they had lots and lots of other things to pack. I completely blocked it out of my memory.

Then they arrived one day, and I went over to say hello and let the kiddos get acquainted, and then she said it. “Oh, you’re Rachel. I have something for you.” She hurried into the other room and came back with a bag labeled “Indian saffron”.

I was floored. I quickly asked her how much I owed her, and she replied, “oh, it cost me less than $2, and it was months ago. Dad told me how much you wanted some.”

TWO DOLLARS!? And it filled a 3rd stage baby food jar (those are the big ones, in case you aren’t accustomed to measurements in baby food jars. Its going to replace the metric system someday)

So anyway, it should last me a while, say maybe 20 or 30 years at the rate I make saffron rice. And it would have cost me well over $100 here. So, so cool. I could have kissed her. Okay, I might have. Just don’t tell anyone.

Teriyaki sauce:
1/3 c. soy sauce
3 T. honey or agave nectar
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 inches fresh ginger, grated or chopped
fresh pepper
1/8 t. toasted sesame oil

I marinate for at least 30 minutes in the baking dish. If you put it in the fridge, let fish come to room temp, then put under the broiler for 8-10 minutes. If you like your fish well done, move it to a lower rack at 400 for an additional 4-6 minutes. But I like mine medium well. I know. Don’t say it. I know.

Saffron rice:
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 vidalia onion, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/8 t. saffron powder (if you have threads, just put them in with the stock while its heating)

Saute onion in oil until tender. Add stock, seasonings and rice. Finish like every other rice recipe known to man. (you know, bring to a boil, cover, lower heat, don’t peak, wait 15-20 minutes, fluff with fork)

By the way, Joslyn is in a toddler bed now. She is so big! And check out the haircut. She loves her bed now. I’m constantly finding her standing there just walking around and playing with her icrib.

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