Salmon & Spinach Breakfast Bento

📝 Ingredients

• 100 g sushi rice
• 2 skin-on salmon fillets (about 100 g each)
• ½ tsp salt (for the salmon)
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp soy sauce (3 for the marinade, 1 for the spinach) + 3 tbsp water (for the marinade)
• 2 tsp caster sugar (1 for the marinade, 1 for the spinach)
• 250 g baby spinach (2 bags of 125 g)
• 12 g sesame seeds (1 ½ tbsp)

🍴 Utensils

• 2 bento boxes or airtight containers
• Small saucepan with lid
• Large saucepan
• Baking tray + baking paper
• Frying pan
• Freezer bag

📖 Steps

1. The night before, rub the salmon fillets all over with the salt and leave them on a plate in the fridge for 30 minutes: the salt firms up the flesh and seasons it right through. This is Japanese shiozake.
2. Cook the eggs for 7 minutes in the large pan of boiling water, plunge them into iced water for 5 minutes, then peel. Mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp water and 1 tsp sugar in the freezer bag, slip in the eggs and keep in the fridge.
3. Rinse the rice, changing the water 3 or 4 times, until it runs almost clear, then cook it with 140 ml water in the small covered pan: 12 minutes over a very low heat once boiling, then leave to rest for 10 minutes without lifting the lid.
4. Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Pat the salmon dry with kitchen paper, place it skin-side down on the tray lined with baking paper and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until the flesh is opaque, lightly golden and flakes apart.
5. Toast the sesame seeds in the dry frying pan for 2 to 3 minutes over a medium heat, stirring, until golden and fragrant. Roughly crush them in a bowl with the bottom of a glass, then mix with 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp sugar.
6. Bring the large pan of water back to the boil and plunge in the spinach for 30 seconds, just long enough for it to wilt, then refresh under cold water. Squeeze it firmly between your hands, cut into short lengths and mix with the sesame sauce.
7. Leave everything to cool, then fill the boxes: rice on one side, the salmon whole or in large pieces, and the sesame spinach. Close and keep in the fridge until the morning, 2 days at most, leaving the eggs in their marinade.
8. In the morning, drain the eggs, halve them and add them to the boxes. Eat cold, or reheat the rice and salmon for 1 minute 30 in the microwave, setting aside the egg and spinach, which are eaten cold.