Want beautifully moist and tender salmon that's prepared and cooked in minutes without much fuss but loaded with amazing flavour? Honey Miso Broiled Salmon is the way to go, whether for a quick weeknight meal or entertaining for a special occasion. (Skip to recipe.)
A tender piece of salmon, cooked just perfectly, screams special occasion and elegance. But it can also be the ultimate fast food for a quick and easy dinner on a busy weekday.
Serve the broiled salmon with rice or sautéed potatoes, peas, and a salad. Plan ahead and prepare extra boiled potatoes for dinner a few days before to quickly pan-fry as a side dish or cook up some rice, keep a couple bags of frozen baby peas (petit pois/sweetlets) in the freezer all the time, prepare a homemade salad dressing or two on the weekend (Apple Cider Vinaigrette or Creamy Swiss Dressing), and pick up a bag of washed mixed salad greens - then this dinner comes together in 15 minutes.
Miso Paste is Your Secret Ingredient
Miso is a fermented soybean paste that packs an umami flavour punch - think of it like soy sauce in paste form, but with more 'wow'. It can be aged from a couple months to a couple years. The longer it ages, the darker and intenser in flavour it gets. White miso paste is aged for a shorter time and is milder in flavour; red miso paste is aged longer and much more intense in flavour. It is made from soybeans, a grain (like rice or barley), salt, and koji (a type of mold, also used to make sake). Miso paste will last in the refrigerator for a year or more, and can be used as is. It doesn't need to be cooked first. In fact, since it is a fermented food, you will get the benefit of its probiotics if it is not cooked, so it is great to add flavour to foods like salad dressings and sauces where it is added to the food after cooking. When added to dishes like this broiled salmon, its main purpose is for the salty umami flavour it adds.
A tub of miso paste in your fridge will be your secret weapon for many delicious dishes. It's intense, so you only need a little bit. Toss cooked vegetables with butter and a dab of miso paste, stir it into soups or stews just before serving, use it to add flavour to sauces and gravies, stir it into salad dressings, or try it in these dressings:
Bacon, Egg, and Spinach Salad with Mustard Miso Vinaigrette
Lentil Rice Bowl with Candied Pecans, Cranberries, and Knock-Your-Socks-Off Tahini-Miso Dressing
Warm Puffball Bites with Pumpkin Seeds and Miso Dressing
Easy Broiled Salmon
Broiling salmon is the way to go - no splattery mess frying on the stovetop. No added fat or oil. It's all done at once in minutes. If you line your pan with parchment paper or foil, the clean-up is easy. You get beautiful caramelized results with the addition of the umami Honey Miso Glaze.
It only takes 6 to 8 minutes for the salmon to be done to moist and tender perfection. Test it with a fork - if it flakes easily, it's finished. Keep in mind the residual heat will continue to cook the fish for a couple minutes after removing it from the oven. Don't overcook it!
Salmon can be the ultimate healthy fast food meal! It's loaded with nutrients and is so good for you. If you've been vowing to eat fish more often - this is a delicious and easy way to do it.
Amazing Flavour
The simple combination of fantastic flavours in the glaze - miso, honey, and lemon, with a little kick of cayenne (add more if you want it spicy) is so quick to stir together. As the salmon broils, the glaze bubbles and caramelizes to a shiny cap of sweet, salty, tangy deliciousness. The salmon underneath is moist and rich. What a way to turn an ordinary day into something special.
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Kitchen Frau Notes: Miso paste can also have other grains added in, so if you need to be gluten free, make sure to read the ingredients and choose a miso paste that contains no glutenous ingredients like wheat, barley, or rye added in. You can find many types of miso with rice used as the secondary grain.
Honey Miso Broiled Salmon
- 1½ lb (700gm) piece of boneless salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions (6 oz/170gms each)
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste (gluten free if necessary)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
to serve:
- toasted sesame seeds
- thinly sliced green onion
- lemon wedges
Set the oven rack to be in the top third of the oven, and preheat the broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper. If using parchment paper, crumple it into a ball, then flatten it back out before using it - this makes it easier to shape it into the pan.
Lay the salmon pieces into the lined baking pan, skin-side-down, leaving space between the pieces.
In a small bowl, mash together the miso paste and honey, then stir in the lemon juice and cayenne to make a smooth paste.
Spread the paste over the tops of the salmon pieces with the back of a spoon.
Broil the salmon just until it flakes with a fork, about 6 to 8 minutes. Watch it carefully so you don't overcook it - start checking at 5 minutes if your pieces are thin.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion if desired. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
Serves 4.
Guten Appetit!
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Monika
Margaret, I always steam my eggs now (in my double boiler) and they always turn out perfect. Thanks for the “recipe”.
Margaret
Love it! I'm always happy to discover new simpler ways to do things and pass them on to others. This way of cooking eggs to peel easily has been a lifesaver in my kitchen, too. Happy cooking! And happy holiday cooking, too! XOXO
Easy Peel Boiled/Steamed Eggs