Thursday, January 31, 2013

Grilled Low Carb Salmon Wraps

How are you all doing with your New Year's Resolutions. What's that? Slipping? I too, am teetering on losing my resolve, rather than my middle aged middle, so here is a healthy wrap to get us all back on track.

Collard leaves are wonderful for making wraps because they are large, flat, and a tough enough to hold something tasty inside. We'll soften them up with a quick blanch, but I love the crunch they make when you bite into them. So much more satisfying than a doughy tortilla wrap, and gawd, I am sick of wraps. They were so novel in the 90's, but it's time for a revamp.

I didn't invent these. Lots of caterers and restaurants have answered the gluten-free and Paleo call to arms. For me, I like them because I'm watching my carbs and calories on Weight Watchers and a tortilla simply isn't worth the "points". I made these with a fried won ton triangle, for aesthetics and a little carby crunch so I don't feel deprived. You may choose to leave it out. If you are gluten free, leave it out and use tamari sauce.

Grilled Low Carb Salmon Wraps
Serves 4

Ingredients
4-6 whole collard leaves
1 pound wild salmon fillet
Salmon rub: Mix 1 T kosher salt, a few turns of the pepper mill, 1 T ground ginger, and 2 T brown sugar (or any rub of your choice)
1 tsp wasabi paste
T reduced-fat mayo
Radish sprouts
1 cup (or less) cooked rice
Soy sauce

Optional
4 Won ton wrappers, cut in half on diagonal
Oil to fry
Note: Won ton wrappers last pretty long uncooked in the fridge. They fry quickly and are great crumbled in salads.

Step-by-step
1) Preheat your grill for at least 15 minutes on high. Brush salmon lightly with olive oil and pat with rub. Turn down heat to medium high and grill salmon flesh side down for 5-7 minutes, depending on thickness.

2) When flesh pulls up slightly from grill grates, flip and grill the skin side for a few minutes. Remember that it will continue to cook quite a bit after you pull it from the grill. Let it rest.

3) For the optional fried won ton, fry now (or ahead) heating about 2 inches of canola oil on medium/medium high. Each wrapper only needs about a 30 seconds on each side. Let cool on a paper towel-lined plate.

3) Boil a pot of water, large enough to fit a collard leaf. Once it boils, dip each leaf in the hot water for about 5 seconds then remove and lay out to cool. A cookie sheet works well.

4) Once cool, cut a 1-2 inch triangle out of toughest bottom part of the stem end out, leaving most of the leaf intact.

5) Mix wasabi and mayonnaise, wash the radish sprouts and get ready to assemble.

6) For each leaf, lay the fried won ton first, then make a bed of radish sprouts, next scoop 1/8-1/4 cup cooked rice in the middle, drizzled with a little bit of soy sauce. Cut cooled salmon into four strips. Place one piece in each wrap. Give a hearty dollop of the wasabi mayo on each. You are ready to wrap!


8) Fold the bottom flap up first, then one side. Roll the other side shut to complete the wrap. Serve or wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for lunch the next day.