A warm coat of sesame, a cool bed of greens

Dear SOS: I had the most wonderful lunch at Zov’s Bistro in Tustin. The sesame seed-crusted salmon is out of this world. I would love to treat my family to this recipe.

Jenny Lemaire

Orange

Dear Jenny: Chef-owner Zov Karamardian was happy to share this recipe, which calls for presenting the warm salmon on a bed of cool salad greens, papaya and blue cheese. She suggests trying variations on the salad ingredients, such as baby spinach and thinly sliced red onions or a slaw of shredded carrots and green and red cabbages.

Our tasters loved this dish. The sesame seeds give the salmon a delicious nutty crunch on the outside and a tender moist interior.

Sesame-crusted salmon

Total time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

Dressing

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon minced shallots

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 1/2teaspoons peanut butter (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. In a blender, mix the vinegar, mustard, shallots, ginger, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Gradually add the vegetable oil until smooth and emulsified. Taste for seasoning. If it has too strong a taste of vinegar, add salt to balance.

Salmon and salad

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

3/4 cup sesame seeds

4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons oil

1/2pound baby salad greens

Dressing

1 papaya, peeled, seeded and diced

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

1. Measure the soy sauce and sesame oil into a shallow glass dish and pour the sesame seeds into another shallow dish. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of salmon into the soy-sesame oil mixture, then roll it in the sesame seeds to coat.

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the salmon and cook until the fish has a nice brown crust on the bottom, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the salmon over and place the skillet in the oven until the fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

3. While the salmon is in the oven, toss the salad greens with the dressing, then mound the greens on a serving platter or individual dinner plates. Sprinkle with papaya and blue cheese. Remove the salmon from the oven and place on the greens.

Each serving: 837 calories; 49 grams protein; 17 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 65 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 93 mg. cholesterol; 1,812 mg. sodium.