Sockeye Salmon with Soy Sauce Glaze

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The Pacific Northwest has amazing seafood. I hate to brag, and although I could get some pretty decent fish in Michigan, nothing compares to the fresh seafood we've been eating in Seattle. Pike Place market is so much fun and truly a tourist destination. The original Starbucks, the guys who throw fish, the varied and talented buskers, it's really a lot of fun. Now that Seattle is my home, Pike Place is becoming a weekly errand, either early morning or late afternoon when the tourist rush has slowed down and I can take my time and speak with the vendors; great produce and really fantastic seafood.

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The sockeye salmon in this dish could easily be substituted with any variation of salmon but if you can get your hands on something as fresh as possible it will truly be worth it. By the way, when you buy a cut of fish, I encourage you to do a quick google image search of what you're eating. Sockeye salmon are weird looking fish. Not as weird as halibut though! More halibut recipes to come (it's another of my favorites here in the Pacific Northwest).

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The key to this dish is the glaze. Soy sauce, honey, and a few other ingredients simmer until they are reduced to a silky, syrupy goodness that clings to the fish as it bakes. A bit of the reserved glaze, livened with some rice wine vinegar coats the noodles and the bok choy creates a great texture contrast.

For this dish I chose to pair the fish with that college staple, ramen. It's been years since I've had ramen cooked according to the package directions, and I wouldn't recommend it. We're only after the noodles here, not the salt and msg laden seasoning packet. That can go right in the trash. If you can find brown rice ramen it lends a deeper flavor than the standard varieties. Rice noodles, or simply white or brown rice in place of the noodles would work well too.

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Baby bok choy is one of my favorite vegetables. The preparation is so simple. Blanched in the same water used to cook the ramen, the bok choy is cooked until crisp-tender and seasoned with salt and pepper.

To start this dish, begin with the glaze. Combine soy sauce, honey, water, olive oil, sriracha, hoisin, and sesame oil in a small pot. Over medium high heat, bring to a boil and reduce volume by half. The glaze is done when it coats the back of a spoon. To test, run your finger across a spoon coated with glaze. If the mark made by your finger stays, it's ready. If you're using reduced sodium soy sauce, make sure to taste the glaze and adjust the salt level as needed.

Reserve a quarter cup of the glaze to season the ramen. Coat the salmon filets with the glaze and bake in a 400 degree oven until the fish flakes easily and is done to your liking, 15-30 minutes depending on thickness of your fish.

While fish is baking, prepare ramen and bok choy. Add a teaspoon of rice wine vinegar to reserved glaze. Bring a pot of vegetable stock to a boil and cook ramen cakes for 3-5 minutes or until noodles are cooked through. Remove from the pot and toss with reserved glaze. Add bok choy to the pot and blanch until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Plate dish with sesame seeds to garnish (optional).

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Recipes

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Sockeye Salmon with Soy Sauce Glaze Ingredients

• 1/2 pound of fresh sockeye salmon (1/4 lb per person)
• 2 packages of instant ramen (noodle cakes only)
• 3 cups of chicken stock or water
• 2 bunches of baby bok choy
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of honey
• 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon of sriracha
• 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon of rice wine vinegar
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Add soy sauce, 1/4 of water, olive oil, honey, hoisin, sriarcha, and toasted sesame oil to a small pot.
3. Over medium high heat, bring to a boil and reduce by half.
4. Glaze is ready when it will coat the back of a spoon.
5. Reserve 1/4 cup of glaze, adding 1 teaspoon of rice wine vinegar.
6. Brush remaining glaze on fish filets.
7. Bake 15-30 minutes or until fish flakes easily.
8. While fish bakes, bring 3 cups of chicken stock or water to a boil.
9. Cook ramen noodles 3-5 minutes or until done.
10. Toss noodles with reserved glaze.
11. Blanch baby bok choy in chicken stock or water until tender-crisp, 3-5 minutes.
12. Serve salmon with noodles and bok choy, garnished with sesame seeds (optional).