The Chef’s Take: Jeremy Lieb’s Miso Salmon with Quinoa Cabbage Slaw at Boca

A CrossFit guru and chef, Jeremy Lieb takes his health seriously. Make his Miso Salmon with quinoa cabbage slaw!

Chef Jeremy Lieb is one of those guys who manage to do it all. He's the corporate chef of the Cincinnati-based Boca restaurant group, which also includes Boca, Sotto, and two Nada locations (one in Cincinnati and one in Columbus). He not only cooks, but also develops the menus and trains the staff. He's obsessed with CrossFit and works out regularly with his wife and two young kids to keep the whole family in shape. Lieb also encourages his staff to stay healthy, promoting good eating, exercise and lots of sleep. "You have to do one thing every day that’s just for you that makes you happy," he says. Now, that's the kind of boss we’d all love to have.

At Boca, his flagship Cincinnati restaurant, Lieb's menu has an Italian simplicity with a focus on great seasonal ingredients. Given his passion for staying fit, he’s also one for incorporating dishes that appeal to his healthful side. "We are by no means a healthy restaurant," he says,"but we do try to offer something for gluten-free diners, or those on a paleo diet, or lighter fare for someone who might want to come more often and not have to splurge."

He'll make a whole branzino with roasted carrots and baby kale with an avocado mousse, or an old-fashioned chicken noodle soup with dumplings made from gluten-free cavatelli, or a pesto sauce from kale. "I try to create dishes that are fun and simple and that people will enjoy," he says.

His Miso Poached Salmon with a cabbage slaw tossed with quinoa and almonds in a champagne vinaigrette is the perfect example: "Nobu did his miso black cod all those years ago, and I loved it," he says. "I wanted to do something that was a riff on that. It's a little out of the ordinary and it’s a beautiful dish. My kids love it too. They call it candy salmon.”

Photo by: Ryan Kurtz ©Ryan Kurtz 2014 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Ryan Kurtz, Ryan Kurtz 2014 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Miso Salmon with Quinoa Cabbage Slaw
Serves 4
Miso Marinade:
4 ounces White Miso
4 ounces yellow miso
1 ounces mirin
1 ounces soy
2 ounces sugar
Four 4-to-6-ounce salmon fillets

Mix all ingredients together. Place salmon in a sous vide bag with enough marinade to cover and sous vide at 128 degrees F for 8 minutes. If you don’t have a sous vide machine, bring a pot of water to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Combine salmon and marinade in a plastic baggie and place in water for 8 minutes, being sure to clip the bag to the top of the pot so that only the salmon is submerged. Carefully remove salmon from baggie and place on a roasting pan. Spoon fresh marinade on top of salmon fillets and put under a broiler until the fish browns.

Quinoa Slaw:
3 cups cooked quinoa
1/4 cup cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fennel, thinly sliced
1/4 cup carrot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/8 cup sliced and toasted almonds
6 ounces oil
3 ounces vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey

Combine quinoa and vegetables in a large bowl. Mix oil, vinegar and honey together, pour over quinoa mixture and toss to combine. Place a cup of the mixture on each plate, top with a piece of salmon and enjoy.

Andrea Strong is a freelance writer whose work has appeared everywhere from The New York Times to Edible Brooklyn. She's probably best known as the creator of The Strong Buzz, her food blog about New York City restaurants. She lives in Queens with her two kids, her husband and her big appetite.

Next Up

Fearless Military Chefs Take Their Skills to the Chopped Kitchen

An all-new tournament with a $75,000 grand prize premieres Tuesday, April 25 at 8|7c.

The Chef’s Take: Chestnuts

This trio of dishes from chefs around the country elevate the savory, rich chestnut.

The Chefs' Take: Parsnips

Three chefs share how they use parsnips in their restaurant fare.

The Chef’s Take: Inday

At Inday, New York City's new fast-casual Indian restaurant, vegetables like spinach paired with red quinoa and orange lentils are the main focus.

The Chef’s Take: Ivy Stark’s Salmon a la Plancha

At Dos Caminos, Mexican food can be just as healthy as it is vibrant.

The Chef's Take: Cabbage, Speck and Grape Salad at Eataly

Take a break from kale salads with this budget-friendly recipe for cabbage, celery root and speck.

The Chef's Take: Quinoa Salad with Lemon and Chickpeas, Einat Admony

"I treat my customers the way I treat my kids," Einat Admony says, "which means giving them good proteins, whole grains and keeping a vegetable focus."

The Chef's Take: Andrew D'Ambrosi's Kale Panzanella

After being soaked in red wine vinegar for 24 hours, the kale in this Italian panzanella is anything but tough and chewy.

The Chef's Take: Ford Fry's Farro Salad

A salad of farro, crab and roasted beets gets treated to a gorgeous green goddess dressing.

The Chef’s Take: Sweet Potato Tacos at A.W.O.L.

Sweet potatoes aren't just for autumn. Try them in these spicy, summer-perfect tacos from the health-minded Brooklyn restaurant A.W.O.L. Eatery.