Salmon is one of life’s little luxuries that used to seem plentiful and abundant. But it has become something we should all be giving more thought to. I have always tried to source the freshest and most sustainable ingredients to use in my cooking, and am grateful for every single component that makes each dish what it is. This applies especially to salmon.
Sustainable salmon
With all of the issues around overfishing and the depletion of oceanic biodiversity these days, it’s difficult to know exactly how sustainable your seafood is. Supermarkets will never show you the reality behind what you’re buying. When it comes to an ingredient as precious as fish, it really is worth sourcing from legitimate independent sellers. Not only is it better for your environmental footprint, but you’re also sure to get a higher quality, hormone-free, and chemical-free product. Without a doubt, you’ll taste the difference in your cooking. For this recipe, I turned to Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association, a non-profit in rural Alaska that works on behalf of 540 fishing families to help share their stories and their salmon with the world. Copper River salmon is handled with extreme care on the journey from net to plate, which is why I choose it for my cooking. I selected Sockeye salmon (commonly known as Red Salmon). It’s robust and rich in flavor with a firm texture that makes it versatile for any cooking method.
Cooking notes
1. One sauce, three purposes, five minutes
Make the sauce in a blender and you’ll have a multi-function marinade, coleslaw dressing, and noodle sauce all in one. Once you mix the sauce, use a third of it to marinate the fish in a ziplock bag. This is my favorite way to marinate salmon because it uses minimal sauce to impart maximum flavor to the whole fillet. You can leave the fish on your kitchen counter and marinate it for 15 minutes while you prepare the noodles and the coleslaw. Alternatively, you can prepare it ahead of time and leave it in the fridge for a few hours to let the salmon absorb more flavor. For the coleslaw, simply grab a bag of coleslaw mix from the grocery store and mix it with the sauce. I usually reserve the rest of the sauce in a small bowl, or in sauce containers if you’re doing meal-prep.
2. How to cook the salmon
Since sockeye salmon is perfect for summer barbecues, I’ve included options for both oven baking and outdoor grilling in this recipe. Note, the cooking time for salmon can vary a LOT. Sometimes you get very thin and wide fillets, such as the ones I used in this recipe. Sometimes you get super narrow cuts that can be as thick as 2” (5 cm). The oven (or grill) temperature can also vary a lot. For example, the electric oven in my apartment in Austin ran a bit cold. And my gas oven in New York runs super hot. It goes up to 500 F when I set it to 425 F. Always take the cooking time in the recipe as a guide and check on your salmon as it cooks. You can simply use a fork to gently nudge the thickest part. The salmon is ready when it’s just cooked through, when the color turns pale pink, it flakes easily, and the meat is still very juicy and tender. If you like a sashimi texture, you can even pull the salmon out when the center of the fillet still has a bit of dark pink-red color.
3. Is it possible to adapt the recipe into a gluten-free dish?
It is possible to adapt the recipe into a gluten-free dish, but the flavor profile will change slightly. You should replace the soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos. Use rice vinegar instead of Chinkiang vinegar. It will produce a lighter sauce that is slightly fruitier and less tangy. And of course, choose your favorite gluten-free noodles such as rice noodles or bean noodles (I love the edamame noodles from Explore Cuisine).
Eat more salmon!
Its long season, relative abundance, and lower calorie content make sockeye the perfect choice for everyone. Married with a gorgeously decadent, nutty Asian ginger sauce, I have to say, it’s love at first bite. The best part is that this gourmet dish can be whipped up in half an hour, and it’s an easy one-bowl recipe for busy weekdays. Wave goodbye to average after-work dinners — say hello to a sumptuous serving of salmon!
More delicious seafood recipes
Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce (plus Baked Version) Honey Garlic Shrimp Macanese Broiled Fish with Potato and Peppers (One Pan Dinner) Salt and Pepper Squid Honey Soy Sauce Glazed Salmon
