miso glazed salmon.

A lot of what we eat for dinner each evening stems from me Googling random ingredients and seeing what recipes come up.  This is not always conducive to having a successful dinner (blue cheese, tortillas, and cucumbers surprisingly doesn't come up with much).  Usually, this method leads to absurd meals but some days you need meals like that in an effort to clean out the fridge before things go bad.  (I know I can't be the only one who has this issue.) On occasion I stumble upon a recipe that has me questioning why I don't try cooking like this every night especially once I discover a recipe like this miso glazed salmon that is absurdly good (and easy!).  

This recipe search came about because I have the tendency to buy ingredients that I use for a specific recipe and then sometimes forget about (I have a terrible memory).  The boy likes to remind me of these tendencies every time I have us searching for some obscure item and every time he does that I like to remind him it will get used (I just don't specify exactly when it will happen).  So when I was searching through the fridge and saw the container of miso languishing in the back, I figured it was time to use it again before I heard him give me an earful.  A quick search for salmon (on sale at Whole Foods!) and miso led me to this recipe and I couldn't be happier with the results.  Miso is flavor-bomb ingredient (also known as a umami ingredient) and when paired with ginger and salmon you have one of the most flavorful glazes for fish ever (or for anything else you may find yourself pairing it with, I strongly suggest green beans and sugar snap peas).  

Miso Glazed Salmon
Recipe adapted (barely) via Bon Appetit

Serves 4

The original recipe calls for bone in salmon steaks but I find that salmon fillet works just as well (if not better).  Feel free to use either because really you could put this glaze on anything and people will devour it and you will have extra miso mixture which I strongly suggest using on vegetables.  White miso can be found at Asian supermarkets in the refridgerated section.  There are many types of miso but I suggest white miso the first time you buy it since it the mildest one.  

1 side, skin-on wild sockeye salmon fillet, about 1 1/2 pounds (pin bones removed)
1/3 cup white miso
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese rice wine)
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger (or grated on a microplane)
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
4 lime wedges for serving
Sesame seeds and cilantro for garnish (optional)

Line a rimed baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.  Lightly brush with vegetable oil.  Place salmon filet on the baking sheet, skin side down.  Whisk miso, mirin, rice vinegar, ginger, and sesame oil in a bowl to blend.  Spread the miso mixture over the salmon fillet so the whole thing is evenly coated.  Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or in the fridge for up to an hour.  

Position an oven rack 6"-8" from broiler and preheat. Broil salmon, turning once, until golden brown and just opaque in center, 10-12 minutes total (or until an instant read thermometer reaches a temperature of 131 degrees.  Let salmon rest 5 minutes.  Top with minced cilantro and sesame seeds if desired. Serve with lime wedges.