While salmon is the main attraction in this dish, I want to focus for a bit on the other major component to this meal. This was the first time we paired cabbage with salmon, and I have to say that it is an inspired combination!
Cabbage (from the French work caboche meaning ‘head’) has been cultivated for over 4,000 years. It is a cruciferous cool-season crop full of taste, texture, and health benefits. When eaten raw, cabbage adds a crunchy texture and peppery flavor to dishes. In today’s recipe, the cabbage is cooked, mellowing its peppery bite and bringing out a deeper sweetness. It is in peak season now and will be through the winter.
The caramelized, crisp-tender cabbage provides the base for this salmon dish. A miso and Dijon mustard mixture creates a salty and spicy accent that perfectly balances the sweetness of both the salmon and the cabbage. A sprinkling of sesame seeds on top of the salmon adds a touch of crunch to the entree. This meal now has a weekly spot in our Fall rotation!
Miso & Dijon Mustard Salmon
Miso & Dijon Mustard Salmon (adapted from cooking.nytimes.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup white miso
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sambal oelek
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
- salt
- 1 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons mild olive oil
- 1 pound green cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, leaves separated
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. In a small bowl, stir together the miso, mustard, maple syrup, and sambal oelek.
Combine the ingredients for the miso-mustard coating.
Set the salmon on a plate, skin side down. Remove 2 tablespoons of the miso-mustard mixture and set the rest aside, reserving it for later. Coat the tops of the salmon pieces with 2 tablespoons of the mixture.
Coat the salmon pieces with 2 tablespoons of the miso-mustard mixture.
Cover the coated salmon with a mixture of the two sesame seeds. (It’s perfectly acceptable to use 2 tablespoons of one type of sesame seeds instead of 1 tablespoon each of the two kinds.)
Add the sesame seeds to the coated salmon.
Heat the oil in a large, oven-safe skillet (preferably a 12′ cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage to the skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until it is charred underneath, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Cook the cabbage.
Stir the cabbage then spread it into an even layer again.
Stir the cabbage after 3 – 4 minutes.
Place the salmon on top of the cabbage, skin side down. Roast the salmon in the preheated oven until it is cooked through, about 8 to 12 minutes. The salmon is done when an instant-read thermometer reaches 125 – 130ºF.
Place the salmon pieces on top of the cabbage and put it in the oven until the salmon is cooked through.
Meanwhile, thin the remaining miso-mustard mixture with about 2 tablespoons of water until it is pourable. Transfer the cabbage and salmon pieces to a serving platter.
Transfer the salmon and cabbage to a platter.
Serve the salmon and cabbage with a drizzle of the miso-mustard dressing.
Serve the cabbage and salmon with additional miso-mustard sauce.
Crunchy & spicy, with just the right amount of sweet! ~Linda
Miso & Dijon Mustard Salmon (adapted from cooking.nytimes.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup white miso
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sambal oelek
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
- salt
- 1 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons mild olive oil
- 1 pound green cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, leaves separated
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. In a small bowl, stir together the miso, mustard, maple syrup, and sambal oelek. Set the salmon on a plate, skin side down. Remove 2 tablespoons of the miso-mustard mixture and set the rest aside, reserving it for later. Coat the tops of the salmon pieces with the 2 tablespoons of the mixture, then cover the coated salmon with a mixture of the two sesame seeds. (It’s perfectly acceptable to use 2 tablespoons of one type of sesame seeds instead of 1 tablespoon each of the two kinds.)
Heat the oil in a large, oven-safe skillet, (preferably a 12′ cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage to the skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until it is charred underneath, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir the cabbage then spread it into an even layer again.
Place the salmon on top of the cabbage, skin side down. Roast the salmon in the preheated oven until it is cooked through, about 8 to 12 minutes. The salmon is done when an instant-read thermometer reaches 125 – 130ºF.
Meanwhile, thin the remaining miso-mustard mixture with about 2 tablespoons of water until it is pourable. Serve the salmon and cabbage with a drizzle of the miso-mustard dressing.