Crispy Rice, Salmon, Sriracha, Cucumber
Best for: A crisp, colorful New Year’s Eve finger food with no raw fish.
Crisp rice squares make a sturdy little platform for creamy, spicy salmon. Thin cucumber slices keep these party bites fresh, and the salmon is fully cooked before it joins the topping.
Grill: Indirect heat at 400°F for salmon; griddle over medium-high heat for rice. Equipment: Saucepan with lid, 8-inch square pan, parchment, grill-safe pan, griddle, spatula, thermometer.
Ingredients
40–45 Minutes Chill: 3 hours 10–15 minutes. Total: 3 Hours 10–15 Minutes.
- 1 cup uncooked short-grain sushi rice
- 1 1/4 cups water, or the package-specified amount
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine table salt
- 8 oz skinless salmon fillet
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for salmon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine table salt, for salmon
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, for rice
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 16 thin cucumber slices
- 1 tablespoon sliced scallion greens
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Directions
Rinse rice and cook with the measured water according to its package, usually 15–20 minutes plus a 10-minute covered rest. Stir vinegar, sugar, and rice salt together and gently fold into the warm rice.
Press rice firmly into a parchment-lined 8-inch square pan in an even layer. Refrigerate promptly, loosely covered until cool, then cover fully; chill 2 hours until firm. Do not leave the rice on the counter to cool for an extended period.
During the chill, preheat the grill to 400°F. Oil and salt salmon, place in a grill-safe pan, and cook indirectly for 10–15 minutes to 145°F; transfer to a shallow container and refrigerate promptly until cold.
Flake the cold cooked salmon and mix with mayonnaise, sriracha, and lime juice; refrigerate. Lift out rice and cut into sixteen 2-inch squares with a wet knife.
Preheat the griddle and add the 3 tablespoons oil in portions as needed. Cook squares in two uncrowded batches for 4–5 minutes per side, until crisp and hot through to 165°F; do not move them before a crust forms.
Set each rice square on a platter, add cucumber and a spoonful of cold salmon topping, then scatter with scallions and sesame. Serve promptly and refrigerate unused topping rather than leaving it beside the grill.
Grilling tip: Firmly packed, fully chilled short-grain rice holds together much better than warm or loosely packed rice.
Shared safety notes: Whole cuts of beef, pork, and lamb cook to 145°F with at least a 3-minute rest. Ground pork and other ground red meats cook to 160°F; poultry to 165°F. Cook seafood thoroughly, using the specified temperature and opaque-flesh cues. Keep hot party food at 140°F or above and cold food at 40°F or below. Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F; use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F.
