Salmon Bellies
We have an amazing farmer’s market within a few miles of our house. The market has incredible produce and fruits, as expected. It also features a booth selling incredible fresh bread, one that does baked desserts, another with organic eggs, and yet another with the most amazing grass fed beef I have had.
There is also an excellent fishmonger. He catches fish from the pacific during the week and shows up at the farmer’s market with his catch plus some other random fish to fill out the menu.
When a salmon is cleaned, there is a little strip of flesh along the belly that is often thrown away or not generally sold as it is relatively fatty and is of a different consistency than the rest of the salmon steak.
It also happens to be the most amazingly tender hunk of flesh from the fish. Very delicate, a little bit fatty, and very flavorful. And, surprisingly, very cheap. Usually, $5/lbs or less.
Tonight, I marinated three salmon belly strips in a combination of peanut oil, soy sauce, spicy bbq sauce, jamaican curry powder, and a little salt/pepper. Then, on to the grill they went for about 5 or so minutes. Skin side down.
Then, I heated a cast iron skillet and tossed a fresh flour tortilla into it. 15 seconds on one side, flip, melt some cheese on the other until the pan side of the tortilla is toasted and the whole thing is slightly crispy.
Toss the tortilla on a plate, throw some grilled salmon belly on top of the melted cheese and add some fresh salad greens (the tangy spring greens, not any boring old lettuce) on top. Fold the whole thing up into a taco like shape and enjoy.
Wow. Best quesadilla (damn kay-sa-dill-a) ever.