Pan Fried Japanese Teriyaki Salmon

i. In Japan, spinach arrives at the market with its full stems and roots still attached. If you’ve picked up bagged spinach leaves, feel free to skip ahead to blanching. Otherwise, give the bunch a thorough rinse under cold water to flush out any grit hiding in the root end.

ii. Divide the spinach into three sections: the thick lower stems, the middle stalks, and the leafy tops. Each part cooks at a different rate, so staggering them in the pot ensures the leaves stay vibrant while the stems turn tender.

iii. Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil and drop in a pinch of salt (that tiny hit of sodium helps the spinach hold its electric-green color by stabilizing chlorophyll). Prepare a bowl of ice water and place it next to the stove. Lower the stem bundles in first and let them boil for 1 minute.

Tip: Tying them in bundles with butchers twine makes it easy and efficient to lift them out the pot quickly, but it’s not essential. Another technique I often use is placing the whole bunch in the water root-first with leaves hanging over the edge, then lower them each time the timer sounds.

iv. Next, add the middle sections and continue boiling for 45 seconds, keeping the stems right where they are.

v. Finally, slip in the leafy tops and cook everything together for just 30 seconds more.

vi. The moment the timer is up, use tongs to transfer each bundle straight into the ice bath.

This shock halts cooking instantly, locking in that bright color and a slight, satisfying bite.

Gently squeeze out the water, place on paper towels and set aside for later.

i. Combine soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar in a small bowl and stir until sugar dissolves.

i. Lay the fillets on a sheet of kitchen paper and press firmly on both sides, patting until the paper comes away nearly dry.

ii. Once the fillets are dry, season both sides with a light pinch of salt and pepper, then dust with a thin, even coat of potato starch.

The starch does double duty: it creates an ultra-crisp shell on the skin and gives the teriyaki sauce a tacky surface to grab onto.

i. Heat a frying pan over medium until it’s properly hot, then add a drizzle of neutral oil and swirl to coat the surface evenly. Lay the salmon fillets in skin-side down.

ii. Fry for 4 minutes without moving the fillets.

i. Set another pan over medium heat and add a knob of butter. Once the butter has melted and starts to foam, add the asparagus, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fry for 2-3 minutes. I used pencil asparagus for speed, but thicker asparagus can take up to 4-7 minutes.

ii. Add the spinach and continue to fry for another minute or two, just until the asparagus softens slightly while keeping a bit of snap and the spinach edges pick up a faint golden tinge from the butter.

iii. Remove the pan from the heat and set the vegetables aside.

i. Flip the fillets and cook the flesh side for 2 minutes. The salmon will still look slightly translucent in the very center, and that’s exactly right.

Residual heat will carry it the rest of the way once you pull the pan off the burner, keeping the interior silky rather than chalky.

ii. Pour the pre-mixed teriyaki sauce around the salmon while it’s still in the pan. Now grab a spoon and begin basting continuously. Scoop the bubbling sauce from the edges of the pan and drizzle it over the skin side of each fillet.

This constant spooning serves two purposes: it coats the fish in an even, building layer of glaze, and it keeps lifting the sauce off the hottest part of the pan so the sugars concentrate without burning.

ii. Continue basting until the sauce thickens into a syrupy, glossy lacquer that clings to the spoon in a slow ribbon. Then pull the pan off the heat immediately.

i. Build each plate from the bottom up: start with a mound of steamed rice, then nestle the buttery spinach on top, creating a vibrant green bed for the salmon.

ii. Set a glazed fillet over the spinach, skin side up to show off that lacquered crust, and tuck the asparagus alongside.

iii. Spoon any sauce remaining in the pan directly over the salmon.