Miso Salmon with Pak Choi and Sesame Noodles

• 4salmon fillets, skin on (approx. 150g each)
• 1 tspfresh ginger, finely grated
• 3 tbspsoy sauce, divided
• 2 tbspwhite miso paste
• 2 tbspmirin
• 1 tbspneutral oil
• 300 gdried soba noodles
• 1 tbsprice wine vinegar
• 2garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tbsptoasted sesame oil
• 1 tsptoasted sesame oil
• 4pak choi, halved lengthways
• Fine salt and black pepper
• 3spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle (optional)
• 1red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)
• 2 tbspsesame seeds, toasted in a dry pan (optional)
• small bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked (optional)
• 2limes, cut into wedges (optional)
• 100 gquick-pickled cucumber (optional)
• 300 gcooked, podded edamame (optional)
• 4portions light miso soup (made with 1 tsp white miso per 200ml hot water) (optional)

Method

1. 1Whisk the miso paste, mirin, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and grated ginger together in a small bowl until you've got a glossy, mahogany glaze. Pat the salmon fillets thoroughly dry with kitchen paper, spoon the glaze generously over the flesh side of each fillet. Leave them to sit, glaze-side up, while you crack on with the noodles.
2. 2Bring a large pan of well-salted water to a rolling boil; it should taste complete on its own; and cook the soba noodles for 5–6 minutes until just tender with a slight bite. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to stop the cooking and wash off the surface starch, otherwise they'll clag together in the bowl.
3. 3Tip the drained noodles into a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and grated garlic until every strand is glossy. The garlic stays raw here; finely grated, it disappears into the dressing without any harshness. Taste one strand and adjust for salt now; season the noodles themselves.
4. 4Heat the neutral oil in a large stainless or cast-iron frying pan over a medium-high heat. Lay the salmon fillets in glaze-side down and cook for 3–4 minutes until the glaze is deeply caramelised, almost lacquered. Don't move them; the sugars in the miso and mirin need stillness to build that mahogany crust. The flesh should turn opaque halfway up the sides.
5. 5Carefully flip the salmon onto the skin and cook for a further 2 minutes until the skin is crisp and the fish flakes under gentle pressure at the thickest point. Lift the fillets onto a plate to rest.
6. 6Keep the pan on the heat and lay the pak choi cut-side down in a single layer; don't crowd them, work in two batches if your pan's not big enough, otherwise they steam instead of charring. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes until properly blackened at the edges, then splash in the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce and the teaspoon of sesame oil. Toss for a final minute until the leaves wilt but the stems still snap. Taste a stem; season with a pinch of salt if it needs it, though the soy usually carries it.
7. 7Lift the pak choi out, then splash 2 tablespoons of water into the hot pan and swirl for 20 seconds, scraping up any sticky glaze and pak choi juices stuck to the base. That's your pan sauce; glossy, savoury, ready to spoon over the salmon so the glaze becomes a sauce rather than a paste on the fish.
8. 8Divide the sesame noodles between four bowls, arrange the pak choi alongside with the charred sides up, and sit a salmon fillet on top of each. Spoon over the pan sauce. Add any of the optional sesame seeds, spring onions, red chilli, coriander and lime wedges if using. The pickled cucumber, cooked edamame and miso soup are optional sides.

Per serving

kcal

716

protein

42.8g

fibre

5.3g

carbs

66.6g

fat

31.6g