Ketolicious Broiled Miso Salmon with Sesame-Scented Cauliflower Rice and Asian Slaw

 

Marinated in a sweet and savory sauce, this salmon recipe is as tasty as it is elegant, and incredibly easy to make.  It really is a straightforward dish - just a few ingredients you whisk together, pour over the fish, then stick in the fridge for the fish to marinate for no more than an hour... otherwise you wind up pickling the poor thing. A word about miso... 

Miso is made primarily from soybeans and usually includes rice or barley. They are steamed, mixed with koji (a fermentation starter) and left to ferment for 6 months to 5 years. Miso provides protein and is rich in vitamins and minerals and used for many dishes in Japanese cuisine - from marinades to salad dressings to the base of soups.  Miso has a nutty, salty and savory taste -not unlike tahini, so when I use it in marinades, I mix it with something sweet as well as acidic to complement the salt... typically mirin ( a type of rice wine similar to sake, but with a lower alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms naturally during the fermentation process; no sugars are added), honey, or sugar is used, but since we are keto in my household, I'll mix a sweetener such as monkfruit, coconut sugar or brown Swerve into a splash of wine - usually a teaspoon of sweetener to two tablespoons of Chardonnay or Sake & whisk it in well until the sweetener is dissolved. It takes a few minutes but it is well worth the effort, especially if you are out of mirin (as I was). I think miso is so pretty: 

So... to the miso paste, I add a little fresh minced ginger, a little fresh minced garlic, a little lemon, low sodium soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and mild Japanese rice vinegar... as a garnish I add chives (because I was out of scallions) and toasted sesame seeds, then serve it with cauliflower rice which is scented with a bit of toasted sesame oil and a broccoli slaw which is just julienned broccoli stems, carrots, and cilantro, but you can make a slaw out of anything you like. I like the contrast of temperature and textures.



*Word to the wise: When cooking a miso-marinated dish, regardless if it’s fish or meat, you must remove the marinade before broiling or grilling because miso burns quickly. Don’t worry about not having enough flavor by removing it. The flavor of miso penetrates protein quite easily. Trust me when I say the meat will glaze beautifully anyway.

This recipe serves two. 

Ketolicious Broiled Miso Salmon, 

Sesame-Scented Cauliflower Rice and Broccoli Slaw 

INGREDIENTS

Marinade:

• 2 Tbsp white miso
• 1 Tbsp Japanese rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp mirin (or substitute as I did with 2 Tbsp chardonnay mixed well with 1 teaspoon of keto approved sweetener like monkfruit, brown Swerve, or coconut sugar until sweetener is completely dissolved into wine) 
• 1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil (roasted)
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger root, finely minced
• juice from half a lemon
• 16 oz skin-on salmon fillet (I like using one big piece to keep the fish moister, but you can cut it in half)

Garnish:

• 1 tsp toasted white and black sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 green onion/scallion or several snipped chives (optional)
  
  
  

INSTRUCTIONS

• Gather all the ingredients.

• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl.

• Place the salmon in a shallow tray or bowl just large enough to accommodate it, pour the marinade over it, coat it well over both sides, then place it skin side up. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and keep in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Do not marinate for longer than an hour, unless you want your salmon to be pickled.

• Line a baking sheet with foil for broiling. Remove excess marinade completely from the salmon and place it skin side down on aluminum foil.

• Preheat the broiler* with a rack placed about 6" away from the top heating element for 3 minutes. Place foil lined baking tray in the middle of the top rack. Broil on high for 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. You do not need to turn it. *Broilers typically range from Medium/500ºF  to High/550ºF.

To Serve


I served the salmon on top of cauliflower rice that I cook with a bit of toasted sesame oil and a splash of coconut milk then add a little broccoli slaw as an accent, but any crunchy raw salad would do nicely. I like the contrast of temperature and textures. Top the salmon with sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallions or snipped chives. Serve. Voila!