1 tablespoon olive oil
6 5-ounce salmon steaks
1/2 pound fennel bulbs, sliced
1 pound leeks, thoroughly washed and cut into sticks
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 cup clam juice
1/4 cup white wine
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat oil in heavy-bottomed sauté pan. Add fennel and sauté until almost tender. Add leeks; sauté for about 1 minute longer. Add thyme, clam juice, and wine; bring to a simmer. Arrange salmon steaks on top of vegetables; season with salt and pepper. Cover fish with foil; bake at 400 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes.

 

Sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon peeled fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced small
1/2 cup green onions, sliced on the bias
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan; add ginger, garlic, red pepper and onions. Sauté until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add remainder of ingredients, except cilantro. Bring to a simmer; reduce by 1/3 the original volume, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro. Set aside and keep warm.

Noodles and Dressing

• 8 ounces dried soba (Japanese buckwheat) noodles, cooked el dente
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

While noodles are cooking, combine vinegar, oil, soy sauce, sugar and salt in a sauce pan; simmer over medium heat until salt and sugar are dissolved and sauce is slightly thickened. Toss noodles with Dressing; garnish with mint and sesame seeds. Place a portion of noodles in center of a large serving plate. Top with 1 piece of salmon; glaze generously with curry sauce.