Forgive me for the name (although I’m sort of chuffed with it). The ‘fire’ comes from peppercorns, which vary in heat from the subtle pink variety to the fiery Szechuan – prized in China for the narcotic, numbing effect they have on the lips. The ‘ice’ comes from the iceberg lettuce. If you must be a spoilsport you could use cos lettuce or even chicory, but what will you call the dish?
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp pink, Szechuan or black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 4 salmon steaks, about 250g each, scaled
- 4 tbsp rice or sherry vinegar
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 small iceberg lettuce, outer leaves discarded
- 1 cucumber
- 250g red seedless grapes, some halved
- 25g Japanese-style pickled ginger
- Small bunch of fresh coriander or Vietnamese-style mint or basil, roughly chopped
Method
- 1. Shake the peppercorns around in a dry, hot frying pan for about 1 minute, until they smell aromatic. Lightly crush the peppercorns with the sugar using a mortar and pestle, rub onto both sides of the salmon steaks and place in a dish. Combine half the vinegar and soy sauce and pour over the fish. Set aside in a cool place for 1-2 hours, turning halfway.
- 2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Lift the salmon from the marinade and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Discard the marinade. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until just cooked through but still pink and juicy in the middle. Allow to rest for 10 minutes if serving hot, or, better still, allow to cool completely.
- 3. Make the salad. Shred the iceberg roughly and put into a large bowl. Quarter the cucumber and deseed by running the back of a teaspoon down the length of the seed cavity. Cut into long, thin slices and add to the bowl, along with the grapes. Mix the remaining vinegar and soy sauce with the ginger and some black pepper, pour over the salad and toss together. Check the seasoning and add a little more soy if you like, but not too much or the salad will turn brown. Divide between plates and top with the herbs. Place a salmon steak alongside and serve immediately.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 527kcals, 28g fat (4.8g saturated), 52.7g protein, 17.1g carbs, 16.5g sugar, 3g salt
Wine Recommendation
Wine note: Ultra-dry Riesling is the answer here – pick a young bottle from Germany or New Zealand.