Crisp-Skinned Broiled Salmon with Cucumber Sesame Salad
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS:
Four 6-ounce skin-on but fully scaled salmon fillets, each about 1-inch thick
Kosher salt
1 English cucumber, peeled in stripes, then sliced into ¼-inch rounds
½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons gochujang
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon white sugar
Grapeseed or other neutral oil, for brushing the fillets
DIRECTIONS:
1. Sprinkle each salmon fillet on all sides with a scant ½ teaspoon salt, rubbing it into the meat and skin. Place the fillets skin side down on a paper towel-lined plate. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.
2. When ready to cook, in a colander, toss the cucumber and onion with ½ teaspoon salt, gently rubbing until the vegetables wilt slightly. Rinse and pat dry. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sesame seeds, gochujang, sesame oil and sugar. Add the cucumber-onion mixture and toss. Taste and season with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Heat the broiler with a rack about 10 inches from the element. Pat the salmon dry on all sides, then brush the flesh side with oil. On a broiler-safe rimmed baking sheet, place the fillets skin side up, spaced at least 1 inch apart. Using the tip of a small, sharp knife, pierce 3 or 4 holes in the skin of each fillet.
4. Broil until the skin is brown and crisp and the flesh flakes easily, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer to individual plates. Serve with the cucumber salad.
Notes: Don’t forget to pat the salmon fillets dry before cooking. The salt creates beads of moisture on the fish’s surface, which will inhibit browning and crisping.
For salmon with crispy-savory potato chip-like skin and meaty, tender flesh, we borrow a technique from Japanese shiozake, which uses salt to draw out moisture from the fish. The salt needs at least four hours to work, but can go for up to 24 hours for even better flavor and texture. Oddly, salmon fillets sold in supermarkets are not always thoroughly scaled. If you’re unsure, inquire at the seafood counter. The salmon is broiled in the oven for ease, so browning is even and controlled. A cool, tangy cucumber salad inspired by Korean oi muchim is a perfect counterpoint for the richness of the salmon. Serve with steamed rice to complete the meal.
Start to finish: 35 minutes, plus refrigeration
Recipes provided by Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television; used with permission.
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