Welcome to weeknight recipe creation central. I have been struggling to keep things interesting for weeknight dinners because it is so easy to fall into boring ruts. But not anymore! I could eat this grilled Miso-Glazed Salmon with Carrot and Cauliflower Puree every night. For awhile anyway.
I do all my best recipe creation as I am wandering the grocery store aisles looking for inspiration. When I found a container of miso paste, believe it or not it just started talking to me. Well, not REALLY talking to me but whispering to me: “Make a shiny glaze with miso, mirin and sake and pour it over salmon.” Really. This is exactly what happened. And then all good things flowed from there to create this amazing grilled Miso-Glazed Salmon recipe.
I used part of the glaze as a marinade for the salmon and spooned the rest over the finished grilled salmon. You can grill or broil the salmon but I don’t like washing pans so the grill usually wins. Even when the weather is frigid. Which it is. Every single day. Please make it stop.
Once I had nailed the idea for my Miso-Glazed Salmon, I had to figure out a way to cradle this lovely fish on a bed of something delicious. Roasted carrots and cauliflower became a pillow for the fish. A sprinkle of cilantro over the top and there you have it. Weeknight specialty. Blue plate special. Premium entree. Whatever category you put this in, it’s going to move all the way up to the top of your list. And don’t hesitate to make this for company because it looks so purty, purty, purty.
P.S. don’t try to lick all of the miso glaze out of the saucepan. You won’t have enough to spoon over the fish to serve it…..don’t ask how I know this.
If you love salmon as much as I do, also be sure to check out my recipes for Oven Roasted Salmon with Vegetable Lentil Ragout and Mustard Horseradish Sauce, Glazed Salmon with Truffle Cauliflower Puree, and Kale, Butternut Squash, Corn and Avocado Salad with Spicy Salmon and Tzatziki.
Miso-Glazed Salmon with Carrot Cauliflower Puree
Celebrate a weeknight with this umami flavored dish. The fish is beautifully glazed and the carrot and cauliflower puree assures that you will get all of your healthy vegetables without even trying. The salmon can marinate for hours in the miso glaze and the rest of the dish comes together in a very short time.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds salmon
For the glaze:
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup sake
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice wine
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 3 teaspoons sesame oil
For the puree:
- 1 head cauliflower cut into medium sized florets
- 6 large carrots peeled and each cut into 6-8 pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- ½ cup fat free half and half
- chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
For the glaze:
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In a small saucepan combine all of the ingredients except the ginger and sesame oil. Bring to a boil for one minute until sugar is dissolved. Add ginger and sesame oil and set aside to cool.
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When the glaze is cool, in a glass baking pan pour about ¾ of the glaze mixture over the salmon and coat it on both sides. Reserve the remaining glaze. Refrigerate the salmon for at least an hour or up to three hours.
For the puree:
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In a large mixing bowl combine the carrots and cauliflower with the oil, maple syrup and salt. Give the vegetables a good stir until they are well-coated.
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Separate the carrots from the cauliflower and place the carrot pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the carrots on the top oven rack for 20 minutes.
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Remove the pan from the oven and spread the cauliflower evenly around the pan in one layer. Bake the cauliflower and carrots on the top shelf for 35 minutes until the cauliflower is soft but not mushy.
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Turn oven off and leave the vegetables in the oven while you prepare the salmon.
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While the salmon is grilling, put all of the vegetables, garlic and fat free half and half in the container of the Vitamix. Puree until the vegetables are smooth and creamy.
For the grilled salmon:
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Light the outdoor grill or an indoor broiler to medium high heat. Place the miso-glazed salmon skin side up on a sheet of aluminum foil and place it on the grill. If using an indoor broiler, place the salmon on a broiler pan, also on foil.
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Broil or grill the salmon for 10 minutes. Flip it over and broil or grill it for another 10 minutes until it is done to your liking.
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To serve, evenly divide the carrot and cauliflower puree on 4 plates or shallow bowls. Place a piece of miso-glazed salmon over the puree and spoon the remaining glaze over each of the salmon pieces. Garnish with cilantro.
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