Chef de Cusine at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
The Achiote Salmon combines spice and Asian flavors in one healthful dish.
Begin by preparing marinade. Blend water and achiote paste in a blender. When smooth, add garlic, kim chee base and olive oil into blender, and blend until smooth. Reserve.
Mix ingredients for chipotle aioli and achiote-ponzu sauce. Reserve.
The salmon in this dish can be grilled, baked or broiled. Be sure not to overcook the salmon, as it can dry out. Ideally, grill salmon on each side about 3 minutes to achieve a nice medium rare.
Meanwhile, bring a large sauté pan to high heat. Add the oil into the pan and sauté the chayote and mushrooms until the chayote softens. Add the bacon to the pan at the last minute. Season mixture with salt and pepper, and reserve. In 4 large warmed serving bowls, add equal portions of the chayote-mushroom mixture, and top with salmon filets. Spoon equal amounts of the chipotle aioli on each fish, and pour sauce into the bottom of the bowl. Serve immediately.