Winter Smoked Salmon Ramen Bowls

These last few weeks have been stormy on our end - warmer than our previous winter cold snap but with high winds from one direction or another. Normally we have mail plane service - a deHavilland Beaver on floats bringing USPS mail and groceries we may need - once a week, but they haven’t managed to get out here since February 5th (we are writing on the 21st), and we’re not sure what weather windows they may have in the upcoming days.

Today a strong southeast funnels out of the passage, slapping rain on our windows, whistling around the eaves, stacking up whitecaps and picking up spray on the ocean. It’s a great day for doing inside things like concocting a warm and satisfying smoked salmon ramen bowl for lunch. Yum! We enjoyed making this recipe and were extra pleased with ourselves for finding that, despite not having gotten groceries in ages, we had the ingredients on hand - even fresh greens from the greenhouse. Who needs a store when you have a huge pantry, freezer, and the use of a well-insulated greenhouse? Here’s our recipe - we highly recommend!

Ingredients for broth:

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 Tbsp mirin

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp Better than Boullion beef stock

5 cups water

Ingredients for Ramen Bowls:

1 package ramen noodles per serving

Hard boiled eggs (1 per serving)

Smoked salmon

Soaked dried shitaake mushrooms, sliced

Baby kale, 1 large handful per serving, torn into small pieces

Toasted sesame seeds

Nori, cut into strips, or other dried seaweed flakes

Method:

  1. Make broth by combining all broth ingredients in saucepan and heat at a low simmer until all combined. Keep warm until you are ready to serve the ramen bowls.

  2. Cook ramen noodles according to package directions. Place baby kale in colander, then drain ramen over the kale to blanch it.

  3. Place noodles in each serving bowl. Ladle broth over the top. Add topping ingredients to taste. You may also enjoy an additional squeeze of Sriracha or other hot sauce on top. Enjoy!

Adelia Myrick