‘Foolproof’ salmon bowls skip the plate

Confession: For most weeknight meals at home, I no longer use a plate. That doesn’t mean that I’m chewing over the sink — merely that I’ve gone “full bowl.” The ceramic one I picked up at a craft show in Baltimore has a flat bottom and straight, two-inch-tall sides, which means I can cut things in it. And it has the magic ability to turn what I’m eating into comfort food.

It also happens to be just the ticket for this recipe, which blends a few Asian pantry ingredients with a little citrus, some fresh greens and a zippy ginger-lime vinaigrette. This is soft food but feels substantial. Regarding this salmon preparation: The word “foolproof” comes to mind.

The original recipe calls for one full six-ounce skinless fillet per serving, but we found that was way more than needed; you could get by with just two of them for four servings. Make a trio, though, as we recommend, and you’ll have the option of extending the salad into next-day leftovers.

Salmon Rice Bowls

4 servings

MAKE AHEAD: You may have leftover vinaigrette, which can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Adapted from “Make It Easy: 120 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Cook From Scratch – With Smart Store-Bought Shortcuts When You Need Them,” by Stacie Billis (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2016).

Three 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets, preferably center-cut (about 3/4-inch thick)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup toasted or roasted sesame seeds

1 pound frozen, cooked brown rice or basmati rice

1/4 cup mirin

1 medium clove garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons pureed ginger or ginger paste

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon honey

1/4 cup plain rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 lime

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral-flavored oil

1 bunch watercress

Leaves from 4 stems cilantro (optional)

1 to 2 firm-ripe Hass avocados

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Pat dry the salmon fillets, then season lightly all over with salt and pepper. Spread the sesame seeds on a plate, then press each fillet into the seeds to coat all over, including the sides. Place them skinned side down on the baking sheet; roast for 13 to 15 minutes or until just opaque.

Microwave the rice according to the package directions. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the mirin, then season lightly with salt and toss to incorporate. Cover loosely to keep warm.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: Mince a teaspoon of garlic and place in a liquid measuring cup, along with the pureed ginger, Dijon mustard, honey, rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. Grate a teaspoon of lime zest into the mix, then cut the lime in half and squeeze in 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of lime juice. Whisk in the oil to form an emulsified vinaigrette. The yield is about 3/4 cup.

Coarsely chop watercress and the cilantro, if using. Peel and pit the avocados (to taste), then cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes or 1/2-inch-thick slices. Squeeze a little bit of lime juice over them.

Divide the rice among individual, wide bowls. Top each portion with equal amounts of the salmon, breaking the fish up a bit as you go. Scatter some avocado, watercress and cilantro, if using, over the salmon. Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over the bowls, and serve; pass the remaining vinaigrette at the table.

Per serving (using brown rice, 1 1/2 avocados and half of the vinaigrette): 610 calories, 34 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates, 33 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 390 mg sodium, 10 g dietary fiber, 8 g sugar