Salmon and fresh ginger are delectable partners. When a soy sauce-based marinade comes to the party, the umami-boosted flavors render the fish irresistible.
I like to serve this salmon concoction with rice to capture excess pan juices, along with either cooked baby bok choy, broccoli or Chinese broccoli (gai lan).
Gingered Salmon Fillets with Soy Sauce and Sesame Seeds
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 crosswise slices of fresh unpeeled ginger (enough to produce about 2 to 3 teaspoons minced ginger)
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian-style (roasted) sesame oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
3 tablespoons minced yellow or brown onion
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, see cook’s notes
3 1/2 tablespoons chopped green onion, white and green stalk
4 (5- to 6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin-on preferred
Garnish: 1 green onion, thinly sliced, including green stalk
Cook’s notes: To toast sesame seeds, place in small skillet on medium heat. Frequently shake handle or stir seeds until they are lightly browned; transfer to plate to cool. Keep an eye on them while browning because they burn easily.
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare marinade: With the motor running on food processor, drop garlic and ginger in feedtube; process until minced, scraping down sides if needed. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, onion; pulse on/off to combine. Stir in sesame seeds and chopped green onion. Place salmon in large zipper-style plastic bag; add marinade and seal. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon and marinade in medium-sized baking pan (I use a medium-sized glass baking dish), skin-side down. Bake until just barely cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness and degree of doneness you prefer (it may take as much as 20 to 25 minutes). If using skin-on salmon, use a thin metal spatula between the flesh and skin to remove fillets from the pan, leaving the skin behind. Serve with pan juices.
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “Melissa’s 50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomasCooks.com.