Maple Teriyaki Salmon Sushi w/ Apple and Carrot (Quick Take)

Sushi and summer rolls are a great way to take a small amount of leftover protein, some farm fresh veggies, and a carb like rice or rice noodles to make a quick, interestingly packaged snack or appetizer.  My family loves to eat something so visually appealing and it comes together super quickly if your pantry is stocked.

We eat rice a lot, so I always make a full pot in my 3 cup version of this rice cooker (the 3 cup size is great for our family, therefore 95% of my rice cooking needs.  It makes no sense to me to buy a giant rice cooker for the handful of times a year I need to cook more than for us).  We never finish the pot, however, so I wrap up the extra rice in single serving patties and save it in the freezer.  That way, I nearly always have cooked rice on hand.  With leftover rice, this rolls up fast and easy.  Get it?  Rolls up?  Back to the sushi, Kirsten.

I had a bit of salmon left over from this dip, and carrots, but right now I'm waiting for the CSA season to start and I had no cucumber or kohlrabi for crunch.  I like a bit of crunch to my sushi, don't you?  Looking through the crisper, I decided to try apple slices.  Why not?  I admit the thought crossed my mind that, if it worked, this could be a candidate for Laura at Sprint 2 the Table's weekly Strange But Good party.  I'd baked the salmon very plainly, with only a bit of Pampered Chef dill mix as seasoning.  That left it a blank canvas, so I mixed up a maple-teriyaki dressing which paired nicely with all 3 elements.

Maple Teriyaki Salmon Sushi with Apple and Carrot

4 ounces cooked salmon
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon teriyaki sauce
1 piece nori (see my first ever sushi post for some tips)
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (use half if you don't want inside out sushi)
about 1/2 cup finely shredded carrots
about 1/4 cup apple sticks

Combine salmon, maple syrup, and teriyaki sauce in a small bowl, set aside.  Place the sheet of nori on your rolling-up-sushi device (my daughter convinced me to get this pink thing, and I am torn between it and my Old Bamboo). Dip your fingers in water, and spread about half of the rice across the nori in as even a layer as you can make it.  This will be the outside, so make it look pretty.  Wet fingers are much easier for this task.  Like an oiled piece of parchment for pizza . . .
Flip the rice-coated nori over and repeat on the other side with the rest of the rice.  This is now the inside of your roll, and who cares if it's not perfect?  An apprentice sushi chef, that's who.  Since there are no apprentice sushi chefs in the house I let it go.  Spread a layer of shredded carrot across the edge of rice closest to you. Top with a layer of apple sticks.  Cover with the salmon (don't worry if your family walks by snagging bites of salmon--there's plenty left for this roll).  Pick up your rolling device and tightly roll away from you, stopping once you've made your first revolution to pull the rolling device away so it doesn't get rolled up with the food.  Give it a squeeze when you're finished rolling.  Slice into 8 pieces with a serrated knife (wiping the blade with a wet paper towel in between cuts really helps).  Serve with a drizzle of maple teriyaki sauce or a splash of soy sauce.

This post is shared on the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up,  What's Cookin' Wednesday, and What's In The Box, and the on the From The Farm Blog Hop, the Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Foodie Friends Friday, Food on Fridays, and of course, Strange But Good at Sprint2TheTable