Japanese Style Grilled Salmon

By lindaauman

Recipe courtesy John Ash.


If you don't have mirin, there are many common suggestions for substitutions. You can just use dry sherry or sweet marsala, for instance. Or you can dissolve a small amount of sugar in a little white wine or sherry, perhaps a 1/4 teaspoon of sugar to 1/4 cup wine wine.

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• 4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sake or dry white wine
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 1 small lemon, thinly sliced
• Soba Noodle Salad
• 1/4 cup Dashi or defatted chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• Salad:
• 7 ounces dried soba noodles
• 1/2 or so cup finely julienned daikon or breakfast radishes
• 1 cup daikon radish sprouts, loosely packed
• 1 small onion, cut in half, thinly sliced, rinsed, and drained
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
• Japanese seven-spice powder, to taste (optional)

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Preparation

Step 1

This approach with salmon works equally well on fresh halibut or sea bass. We serve the resulting fish hot or at room temperature either as the center of the plate or as part of a salad. If you're using salmon, try marinating and grilling the skin separately to use as a garnish.

Season salmon with salt and set aside.

Combine marinade ingredients, except lemon slices, in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Add lemon and pour cooled marinade over fish and marinate refrigerated for 2 to 4 hours. Turn fish occasionally.

To serve: Grill or broil on both sides until just done, approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook. Salmon should still be translucent in the center. Serve with Soba Noodle Salad on the side.

Directions for Soba Noodle Salad:
Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Bring 2 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Separate the noodles and drop them into the boiling water, stirring once or twice. When the water begins to boil, add 1 cup of cold water. Repeat this procedure twice cooking until the noodles are just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water until completely cooled, rubbing gently with hands to remove all surface starch and drain well.

Toss the noodles with the dressing and arrange the daikon, sprouts, onion, green onions, sesame seeds, and a dash of seven-spice powder over the top.