More Salmon for my Mommy!

I'm spending the night at my mommy's house since Greg is still out of town so I wanted to cook dinner for her again. She LOVES Salmon and we picked up a couple of really fresh piesces at Trader Joe's. I wanted to do something Asian-inspired and these Peanuty Noodles were PERFECT! This dish was so simple and healthy, not to mention YUMMY! Look at that perfectly seared salmon!

Ingredients:

2 oz soba or whole wheat noodles
½ large carrots, cut into thin slices
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
¼ c thinly sliced scallions
1 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
4 oz skinned salmon fillet, cut crosswise into slices about 1 1/2" long and 1/3" thick
1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp soy sauce
½ c cucumber, cut into thin slices

Prep:

1. Bring a large covered pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the soba or whole wheat noodles and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add the carrots and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes longer, or until the noodles are tender and the vegetables crisp-tender. Scoop out and reserve about 1/4 c cooking liquid. Drain the noodles and vegetables in a colander.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, stir the oil, scallions and ginger. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the scallions are wilted. Remove to a mixing bowl.

3. Add the salmon to the skillet. Cook, stirring gently with a spatula, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until just opaque in the thickest part. Remove from the heat.

4. With a whisk, mix the peanut butter and soy sauce into the scallion mixture in the salad bowl. Gradually whisk in 3 to 4 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking liquid until creamy.

5. Add the noodles, carrots, and cucumber to the peanut butter mixture and toss to mix well. Add the salmon and any pan juices and toss gently. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, until ready to serve. If the salad is too dry, add a little more pasta cooking liquid.