ASIAN SALMON
This dish is absolute heaven with every bite. Flaky and light, I love to make extra of this dish every time I prep it so I can indulge in leftovers the next day for lunch. I’ve tested out all kinds of ratios when it comes to the marinade and I think I found the sweet spot with this delightfully balanced, flavour-packed salmon.
If you feel so inclined, you can easily swap out the fish for chicken or any other protein of your choice. Regardless of the main, the marinade is so sumptuous, it goes well with many healthy sides, like rice, quinoa, and of course yummy greens. I hope you enjoy!
When you’re shopping for salmon, here’s my tips to take with you! :
Wild salmon is of course the best! It’s always wise to try to stay away from farmed salmon- as it contains antibiotics & toxins. Also, choosing a wild-caught fish will provide more nutrients, look great (super bright hue!) and will have an overall better flavour.
There’s many salmon types you can chose from- the key is just to make sure you look for fillets that are bright pink and marbled.
Fresh vs. Frozen, you ask? Unless you shop at a specialized fish market that has fresh catches of the day, go with frozen! It’s flash frozen right after it’s caught to preserve freshness.. it’s typically much fresher than what may seem as “fresh” sitting on ice in grocery stores.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
4 (5-ounce) salmon filets
For the marinade
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp Sriracha, or more, to taste
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 stick lemongrass
a handful Thai basil, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
For the garnish
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Sesame Seeds (mixed black and white)
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk together all your marinade ingredients. Add your salmon filets & marinade for at least 10-20 minutes and place in large-size Ziploc bag. Pop in the fridge and turn the bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to broil 450F. Lightly coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Place marinaded salmon filets onto prepared baking dish and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 12-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your filets.
Serve salmon immediately, ideally with rice or quinoa and any steamed greens of your choice. My favorite is bok choy or steamed spinach.
Garnish your plate with green onion & sesame seeds.
** Julie’s Tips:
Season your filet right before you bake- not the night before! If you’re using this marinade on another protein, it is best to let the marinade sit on the protein to absorb overnight if possible. However, with seafood/fish, seasonings can draw out moisture and dry it out. So- to keep it super moist and yum, season close to just before cooking!
It’s also best to not remove salmon skin. Whether you enjoy it or not, it’s just good to leave it on for it’s baking process. It protects the fillet and yummy part you want to eat from the pan’s heat and helps cook it evenly. And it’s easy to slide the skin off once cooked.
For storing, keep them in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 3 days.
Click here to shop for kitchen items & tools used in this recipe & some more of my go-to faves!
BON APPETIT!
Photography by Patricia Brochu