Asian Style Snapper with Sesame Noodles and Green Beans

Every once in a while, I walk into the grocery store after work with absolutely no idea what we're having for dinner that night. I walk through the produce section, back to the fish and meat counter and hope to find some inspiration between the two. Yesterday, I first snagged a big handful of beautifully bright green beans and then found some lovely wild caught red snapper. I walked back through the produce and next to the wonton wrappers and tofu I noticed some fresh asian style noodles that I'd never seen before. Just beside those I snagged some fresh cremini mushrooms. The rest I'd have to make up once I got home, but I was headed in an Asian direction. I first cleaned my green beans. Next I put some boiling water on to blanch them, meanwhile slicing about 6 cremini mushrooms and one small shallot -very thinly. I made a dressing of 4 Tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 Tablespoons sesame oil, 1 Tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium), 1 tsp of bottled, grated ginger, 1/2 tsp coriander, a pinch of red pepper flakes and a small squeeze of honey. I tossed the mushrooms and shallots with the dressing and let it sit while I worked on the rest.

I next seared the snapper in some olive oil, about 3 mins per side over med-high heat. The filets were quite thick, about an inch and a half. I set the fish aside on a plate and tented it with foil while I made the beans and noodles.

I blanched approx 1 lb of beans for 4 minutes, pulled them out with a skimmer and then transferred them to a hot skillet with about 1 Tablespoon of sesame oil and one clove of garlic (minced). While that sizzled and popped, I sprinkled some sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and soy sauce in with the beans and them continue to cook for 5 or 6 minutes- tasting often to be sure they didn't get too soft. I dunked the Asian style noodles into the same boiling water in which I blanched the green beans and cooked them for 3 minutes per the package instructions. I poured the noodles into a strainer and then immediately added about one Tablespoon of sesame oil into the hot pot (turning the heat down to medium). I then added one bag of baby spinach- some salt and pepper- and stirred it until just wilted. I tossed the noodles back in with the sesame sauteed spinach and added a generous swirl of soy sauce for added seasoning. I sprinkled a few more sesame seeds in for crunch as well. SO... while it sounds like a number of steps, each is super quick and easy. Provided you knock them out in the right order, it really doesn't take but 30 minutes start to finish. Starving at this point, I first piled a generous heap noodles on the plate, next to that I placed the snapper filet (removed the skin after it was cooked) smothered in the mushroom-shallot-vinaigrette. Lastly, a large scoop of the garlicky-sesame green beans. I don't cook much Asian food- what I attempt is fairly "Americanized." I like to stir fry vegetables with shrimp or chicken from time to time so the following ingredients are now staples in my kitchen: *Low Sodium Soy Sauce *Rice Vinegar *Toasted Sesame Oil *Maggi Sweet Chili Sauce *bottled, minced ginger *sesame seeds Mix them together or in any combination and you really can't go wrong. You can whip up some delicious veggies, rice, marinades, or dressings in a hurry. To sip on we had some of the Trivento Torrentes Argentinian white wine that I mentioned a few months back on the blog. It is very light and crisp (and goes down quickly!)