Ginger-Garlic Broiled Salmon with Miso-Braised Mustard Greens

I hope you're not getting tired of broiled salmon. When I call my mother on Monday nights, she doesn’t even have to ask. “I hope you enjoyed your fish,” she says, and then I try to convince her that this week’s preparation was unique. Yes, nothing like last time.

The bottom line is that broiled salmon is tasty, easy and good for you. As I’m discovering, it’s pretty versatile too. This preparation gives the dish a Japanese flavor, broiling the fish with a ginger-garlic paste and serving the broiled fillet above a bed of mustard greens braised with miso.

About that miso…tracking it down was a bit of a mystery. I had no idea where to look for it, or what sort of package it would come in. Finally, someone at Whole Foods directed me to the aisle with the eggs and tofu. It looks a bit like peanut butter. Even smells a bit like it too. I've already made ramen with it and hope to put it to other uses. Stay tuned.

Ginger-Garlic Broiled Salmon

Serves 2

Olive oil
1 tsp. finely minced ginger
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/2 bunch of scallions, white part thinly sliced, green part chopped
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. canola oil
3/4 lb. salmon fillets
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. water
1 tsp. sesame oil
Sesame seeds

1. Adjust oven rack to 4 inches from broiler and preheat broiler.

2. Place salmon fillet skin-side down on a rimmed baking sheet sprayed or brushed with olive oil. Crush minced ginger to a paste using a mortar and pestle (in a pinch, a cocktail muddler and a glass Pyrex measuring cup work great). Combine with garlic, white scallion slices, soy sauce, rice vinegar and canola oil. Spread ginger-garlic paste on top of fish. Broil for 5 minutes, turn over, broil another 5 minutes. Remove skin and flip over again so the side with paste is exposed. Stir together the honey, water and sesame oil and pour over fillet. Broil for another minute to cook glaze. Remove from oven and serve fish on top of braised greens topped with sesame seeds and chopped green scallions.

Ginger-Miso Braised Mustard Greens
Adapted from a recipe by Not Eating Out in New York

Serves 2

1 tbsp. white miso paste
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 tsp. finely minced ginger
1/2 bunch mustard greens, stems removed, cut into strips about 3/4-inch wide

1. Stir miso paste and water together in a small bowl.

2. Heat canola oil in a deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mustard greens and sauté a couple minutes until wilted. Add miso-water mixture, cover, reduce heat to medium-low an simmer until greens are tender, about 3 minutes.