by Hayley Hoover, F/V Obsidian

Copper River Salmon Poke

by Hayley Hoover, F/V Obsidian

Women have fished Alaska for generations, running boats, holding permits, and keeping family traditions alive in one of the most demanding fisheries anywhere. Hayley Hoover is carrying that forward on the Copper River Delta, one of about a dozen women with a permit to fish these waters. She bought her boat, the F/V Obsidian, from her dad in her early twenties. Now they fish together.

When Hayley's Copper River King makes it from boat to kitchen, this is what she does with it: a poke bowl - sesame, ginger, avocado, a hit of chili, That lets the fish speak for itself. Quick, beautiful, and a recipe worth bookmarking.

Ingredients

- 1 lb. thawed Copper River king salmon, cut into ½” cubes

- ¼ cup soy sauce

- 2 tsp. sesame oil

- 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

- 1 clove fresh garlic mashed and chopped

- ½ C chopped green onion

- 1 large avocado cubed

- ½ red chili pepper, seeded, cored, and diced (more/less to your desired heat level)

- Sesame seeds or furakake for garnish

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger and mashed/chopped garlic.
Added the cubed Copper River king salmon to the liquid ingredients and stir to coat the salmon.
Add the chopped green onion, cubed avocado and diced pepper and combine all ingredients well. (I like to use my hands to mix to prevent the salmon and avocado being mashed)

Photographs by Morgan Ione Yeager

www.morganionephotography.com

*NOTE: Sushi grade salmon is always frozen prior to consumption. Follow the lead of sushi chefs and always freeze salmon for use in poke, sushi, and sashimi.