Sesame Salmon Bowls

This one-pot meal, which is inspired by chirashi, or Japanese rice and raw fish bowls, features a vinegared rice that’s typically served with sushi. Traditionally, the rice is cooked first, then mixed with vinegar. But here, the rice is cooked in vinegar-seasoned water to eliminate a step. The result is sticky rice that’s tangy and sweet, and a perfect bed for fatty salmon. The salmon is added toward the end to steam directly on top of the rice for an easy one-pan meal. Packaged coleslaw is a time saver, eliminating extra knife work. Make a double batch of the dressing for drizzling over roasted vegetables or green leafy salads the next day.

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 40 minutes

1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1 1/2 cups sushi rice (short-grain white rice), rinsed until water runs clear

1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped scallions

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (from one 2-inch piece)

3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

8 ounces green coleslaw mix (about 3 packed cups)

1 avocado, halved, pitted and thinly sliced

Torn toasted nori sheets, for garnish (optional)

1. In a large saucepan, combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt; stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the rice and 1 3/4 cups water, and mix well. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, toss salmon with 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil and season with salt. Once rice is tender (after about 20 minutes), arrange salmon in an even layer on top of rice. Cover and steam over low heat until fish is cooked to medium, about 12 minutes longer.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine soy sauce, white vinegar, safflower oil, scallions, ginger and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil. Mix well and season with salt.

4. Scoop salmon and rice into bowls. Top each with some cucumbers, coleslaw mix and avocado. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with nori, if using.

— Recipe by Kay Chun

Grilled (or Broiled) Steak With Sauce Rof

A combination of onion, parsley, scallions and chile, this classic Senegalese sauce adds complexity to dishes. Typically used to stuff fish as a marinade and top it as a bold relish, it is also great for tempering the smoky char of grilled chicken or steak. In this recipe, some sauce rof is used as a marinade and served as a topping. Thinned with a dash of olive oil, the relish also gets lemon juice to add a lovely sparkle. Go for a nice marbled cut of meat — the fat intensifies the flavor of the grilled meat, and the sauce rof cuts through the richness.

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

1 1/2 pounds skirt steak or boneless short ribs (see note)

Coarse kosher salt (such as Morton) and black pepper

1 medium white or yellow onion, diced

1 serrano chile or jalapeño, stemmed

2 garlic cloves, peeled

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 small bunch parsley, leaves and tender stems only (about 2 ounces)

1 lemon

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Pat the steak dry and season lightly with salt.

2. Roughly chop the onion in a food processor by pulsing repeatedly. Add the serrano and garlic and pulse to combine. Add the scallions and parsley and pulse until chopped into a coarse paste. Transfer the paste to a large bowl and zest the lemon directly into it. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. (Alternatively, finely chop the onion, serrano, garlic, scallions and parsley into a coarse paste by hand. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the lemon zest, oil, salt and pepper.)

3. Transfer about 3/4 cup of the paste to a small bowl. Place the meat in the large bowl and turn to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate, covered if needed, for up to 12 hours.

4. Combine the reserved marinade with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and squeeze in about 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper, stir to combine and set aside.

5. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high.

6. Scrape any excess marinade off the steak and discard. Grill steak until the contact side is seared, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes for medium-rare. Cook for an additional minute on each side for medium.

7. Transfer the steak to a board to rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice and transfer to a serving platter. Spoon the marinade dressing over the steak and serve immediately.

Note: If your boneless short ribs are already in slices that are 1/2-inch thick or thinner, you can use them as is. If they’re thicker, lay several strips on a piece of plastic wrap, leaving about 1/2 inch between each slice and top with another piece of plastic wrap. Pound the meat with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy bottle until the strips are flattened to about 1/2-inch thick.

— Recipe by Yewande Komolafe