Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp (45g) White Miso Paste (Shiro Miso)
  • 2 tbsp (30g) Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) Mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
  • 1 tsp (5ml) Soy Sauce
  • 1 clove Garlic, finely grated or pressed
  • 1 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
  • 4 center-cut Salmon Fillets (approx. 6 oz / 170g each)
  • 1 tsp Neutral Oil (Grapeseed or Avocado oil)
  • 1 pinch Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
  • 2 Scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
  • 1 Lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions:

  1. In a small bowl, mash the 45g of white miso with the 30g of softened butter using the back of a spoon. Whisk in the mirin, soy sauce, grated garlic, and ginger until it looks like a thick, pale caramel.
  2. Pat your 4 salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels. This is the most important step. If the surface is damp, the fish will steam instead of searing. Season very lightly with a pinch of sea salt, keeping in mind the glaze is already savory.
  3. Generously slather the top of each fillet with the miso butter mixture. You want a thick, even layer that covers the entire top surface.
  4. Heat the neutral oil in your skillet over medium high heat until it shimmers and wisps of smoke appear. Place the salmon in the pan (skin side down if using skin on) and cook for 3 minutes.
  5. Transfer the pan to a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F). Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the glaze is bubbling and dark golden brown. You will smell a deep, toasted aroma, almost like roasted nuts or browned butter.
  6. Remove the pan from the oven and let the fillets rest for 3 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute so the fish remains velvety.
  7. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over the top while the glaze is still tacky so they stick.
  8. Squeeze a fresh lemon wedge over each fillet just before serving. The 'shatter' of the crispy edges combined with the bright lemon juice is the hallmark of this dish.