Soy Sauce & Butter Salmon (Meunière with A Japanese Twist)

i. While you wait for the salmon, melt butter with olive oil together in a frying pan over low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and continue cooking on low heat.

Watch carefully as the garlic transforms from its raw white color to a beautiful golden brown.

ii. When the garlic has reached the ideal golden color, add the rice to the pan. Immediately pour the sake (or dry white wine as an alternative) over the rice. Use a spatula to break up any clumps, making sure each grain is coated with the aromatic garlic-infused oil.

iii. At this point, increase the heat to medium.

iv. Once the rice and garlic have thoroughly combined, season with salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley. Continue mixing to distribute the seasonings evenly throughout the rice.

v. Allow the rice to cook until the grains have separated and some parts begin to develop a slight crispness. Next comes the flavor-sealing final touch – pour soy sauce down the side of the pan rather than directly onto the rice.

This technique allows the soy sauce to heat quickly against the hot pan before it reaches the rice, developing more complex flavors.

vi. Mix everything thoroughly to incorporate the soy sauce evenly throughout the dish. Then turn off the heat and let the rice stand in the pan until serving.

i. 5 minutes before the salmon is finished resting with the salt, heat a pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Throw in your asparagus, along with a bit of salt and pepper. Fry for 4-8 minutes depending on the thickness, then add the enoki mushrooms and stir fry for a further 1-2 minutes.

ii. Delicate varieties of mushrooms like enoki, only takes 1-2 minutes. If using other kinds of mushrooms, add them to the pan earlier to allow enough time to cook together with the asparagus.

iii. Once cooked, transfer to a warm plate. We will reuse the pan, so turn off the stove and save the pan for later.

i. After the salmon has rested, check that the surface is dry again, the salt will have drawn out more moisture so you’ll likely need to pat them with kitchen paper once more. Then, lightly coat the salmon all over with a thin, even layer of all-purpose flour.

ii. Shake off any excess flour as it can burn in the pan.

i. Next, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan you used for the mushrooms and heat it to medium-high. Pop the salmon in there, skin side down. Use a spatula to press down on the salmon for the first 30 seconds to make sure the skin touches the pan.

ii. Cook until the skin is golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes, depending on thickness.

iii. When the skin is crispy, carefully take the salmon out of the pan and set it aside – it should not be fully cooked at this point. Now for a crucial step that a lot of people might skip: wipe the pan clean with paper towels.

The oils and juices that accumulate during the initial frying contain compounds that can impart a fishy odor to your final dish.

i. After cleaning the pan, turn the heat down low and add the butter. Once the butter’s melted but not browned, put the salmon back in the pan, again skin-side down.

ii. Now, use the French arrosé technique (baste) by tilting the pan and collecting the melted butter in the pan. Then, use a spoon to continuously ladle the hot butter over the flesh side of the salmon.

This basting technique is key for even cooking and getting that perfect flavor. The hot butter really brings the heat in a way that hits the top of the salmon while also infusing it with flavor.

iii. To make sure everything goes just right, tilt the pan a bit away from you, grab the butter with a spoon, and pour it over the salmon’s flesh side every 3-4 seconds. Keep going for about 1-2 minutes until the salmon’s flesh turns opaque but remains moist.

iv. When the salmon is fully cooked (it’s opaque throughout but still moist), remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack. Let it rest until the sauce is ready.

Placing the salmon on a rack prevents it from sitting in its own juices or excess butter, which would make the crispy skin soggy.

i. In the same pan, add more butter, soy sauce, mirin, and light brown sugar. Cook this mixture over low heat for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, to create a smooth, emulsified sauce.

This combo is what we Japanese call “bata shoyu” (butter soy sauce), affectionately known as the “golden combo.” The fats in butter help carry the umami compounds in soy sauce, while the glutamic acid in soy sauce enhances the butter’s richness.

ii. Keep the heat very low to prevent the sauce from breaking (separating) and burning. Both butter and soy sauce can burn easily.

i. Gently reheat the garlic rice if necessary, then make a bed of garlic rice on each serving plate and put the salmon on top with the skin-side facing up.

ii. Then arrange the asparagus and mushrooms next to the salmon. Pour the butter-soy sauce over and around the salmon.

iii. Garnish with a sliced lemon and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.