Marinated Salmon over Noodles

There's a great little fish shop that I pass every day on my way to work.  Sometimes I stop in early in the morning to pick out my dinner for the night.  I'd never really cooked fish much before I started going there, always afraid that I would over or under cook it.  While growing up I'd never liked fish at all, my tastes have developed and I've enjoyed trying new varieties.  I experimented with sole, flounder, swordfish, halibut, and, of course, salmon.  While I love salmon simply grilled, here I marinated it and served it over a stir fry of bok choy and rice noodles.

• Start by marinating the salmon: combine 1/4 c. soy sauce, a little salt, a good amount of freshly ground black pepper, one clove of minced garlic, and 1 tbsp mustard ( a nice spicy variety).  Let the salmon sit in the marinade for at least half an hour (in the refrigerator, of course).
• While you wait, put your water on to boil to cook your rice noodles.
• Clean and cut up the bok choy into bite sized pieces.  Separate the leafy parts from the thicker stems.  I tend to prefer baby bok choy, as the stems are more tender, but the regular variety works as well.
• With a drizzle of oil and high heat, begin cooking the stems of the bok choy (as these require more cooking time).
• When they start becoming tender, add the other portion.
• Add the now cooked rice noodles, (start the bok choy when you add the noodles to the water), as well as some of the excess marinade and give everything a good toss, then move it to a serving platter.
• In the same, hot pan cook the salmon.  Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fillet, generally 3-4 minutes per side for an inch of thickness.  Try to get a nice sear and flip the fillet only once.  When you think it may be done, touch the thickest part with your finger.  It should feel pretty firm, not squishy.  You can always cut it open to double check.
• Lay the salmon over the top of the noodles and vegetables.  To serve you can cut it into portions, or break it into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Enjoy!