Pan grilled Salmon with Kumquat,Soy sauce, Ginger, Olive Oil and red pepper flakes.

At the oriental store the past weekend , there was this small group of people gathered around a basket of Kumquat's.I joined the group...and the dilemma started - I don't know what to do with them so probably I don't need them. But because I don't know what they are it made me want to try them all the more.

Straight to the fish monger from the produce section .After the weekly purchase was made the dept manager suggested that I pick some of the Fresh Salmon steaks, he is a good friend who always suggests what came fresh each day and we even exchange recipes while they clean the fish up. After I picked a steak up he announced that it was a Christmas gift specially for me as a thankyou for being a good customer .Now that piece of Salmon deserved to be treated with special care.

Ingredients:

1. Salmon Steak - 1.5 lb
2. Juice of 8 Kumquats
3. Red pepper flakes - 1/2 tsp
4. Soy sauce - 2 tbsp (I used low sodium)
5. Olive Oil - 2 tsp
6. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece cut into matchstick sized slivers
7. Fresh cracked pepper - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Remove the skin and wash and pat dry the salmon steak.
Add all the ingredients to the fish and let it marinate for an hour.
Heat a cast iron pan on medium flame.
Place the fish on the pan and pour the Marinade on top.
Cover and cook in steam for 5 minutes.
Remove the cover and let it brown for 2 minutes.
Flip the fish carefully and cook uncovered on the other side for another 5 minutes.
Serve warm with salad.


















What I did wrong
Having never tried a KumQuat I should have asked someone how to use them , but for some reason I just assumed that it was a miniature version of an orange that might just be more sour and went ahead and cut them in 2 and juiced them for the marinade. During the process I tasted a few - The flesh is really really tart and salty - more so than a lime , I threw the rind away.It just didnt seem right, I knew I was not doing the right thing ...google to the rescue :) The correct way to eat them is whole; rind and all - the sweetness lies in the rind and the outer part of the fruit.The articles even say that usually only the rind is eaten :) - I had done the opposite ,ate the fruit and threw out the rind.

When you eat them whole it really is like a citrus explosion in your mouth ..you can really taste the citrus notes without any of the bitterness.I will definitely buy more when I see them again.Some have been saved for a cocktail.They look really cute.