White miso paste, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil. That's the glaze. Four ingredients, whisked together in thirty seconds, applied to salmon fillets, and broiled until the sugars caramelize and the edges turn deep amber. Eight to ten minutes under the broiler and you have something that tastes significantly more intentional than its effort suggests.

The key is white miso — not red or mixed. White miso is sweeter and milder, which is what you want for a glaze. Red miso is more fermented, more aggressive, and will overpower the salmon. It's a different ingredient for a different application.

Total 25 min Serves 4 Difficulty Easy

Chapter: Weeknight Dinners  ·  Cuisine: Japanese  ·  Volume: Vol. I

Ingredients

Method

  1. Start the rice first. Rinse jasmine rice until water runs clear. Combine with 2 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and cook 15 minutes. Rest 5 minutes, then fluff. It'll hold while you finish the rest.
  2. Make the glaze. Whisk together white miso, rice vinegar, mirin, and sesame oil until smooth. No heat needed — it comes together immediately.
  3. Glaze and broil. Pat salmon dry. Coat generously with the miso glaze on the flesh side. Set on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil on high, 6–8 inches from the element, 8–10 minutes until the glaze is caramelized and the fish flakes easily when pressed. Watch it — miso burns faster than you expect.
  4. Stir-fry the bok choy. Heat a wok or wide pan over high heat with a splash of neutral oil. Add garlic and ginger, stir 30 seconds. Add halved bok choy cut-side down, press slightly, and cook until the cut side chars lightly, 2 minutes. Toss and cook another minute. Finish with a splash of soy sauce.
  5. Plate and garnish. Rice first, salmon on top, bok choy alongside. Toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions, and a squeeze of fresh lime over everything.
Chef's Note: Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine used almost exclusively in cooking. It's not the same as sake and it's not optional here — it's where most of the caramelization comes from. Find it in the Asian section of most grocery stores. A bottle lasts months and you'll use it constantly once it's in your pantry.

Cook with intention. Feel and taste your way through it. Keep one clog in the kitchen. Always.
— Brian W. Bonanno