Teriyaki Salmon, Miso Aubergine, Toasted Sesame Seeds and Spring Onions

Miso is a Japanese fermented soybean paste that is becoming a popular ingredient. It gives a rich, savoury, unami taste to dishes and I think it goes well with this salmon. Ensure the aubergine slices are the same size so that they cook evenly. The trick with getting salmon right is not to overcook it. It tastes best when still pink inside and is perfectly safe to eat this way.

RECIPE

SERVES 2

Ingredients:

• 1 aubergine, finely sliced lengthways
• Half a small jar of white miso paste.
• 2 fillets of salmon (skinless if you prefer)
• 3 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Mirin
• Tablespoon of honey
• Thumb piece of ginger
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• Sesame seeds
• Sesame oil

METHOD

1. Crush the garlic and ginger together into a paste using a pestle & mortar. Mix in the soy sauce, mirin, honey and a tablespoon of water. Coat the salmon with the sauce and leave to marinate for as long as you can, but at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 160C. Mix a tablespoon of sesame oil with about half a small jar of miso paste and sprinkle some salt in. Coat the aubergine slices in the mixture and lay on a roasting dish, ensuring they don’t overlap. Roast in the oven for around 25 minutes, turning over half way, or until cooked through and golden.

3. Towards the end of the aubergine cooking time, heat the grill to high. Place the salmon in a dish, skin side up and rub the skin with a little sesame oil. Grill for around 8 minutes, then turn over and cook the fleshy side for another minute or so just until it no longer looks opaque on the outside.

4. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan whilst the salmon is cooking.

5. Serve the salmon on top of the aubergine and sprinkle over the sesame seeds and spring onions.

TIPS

• Would also go really well with a ribeye steak. Marinate and grill in the same way, grilling for 3 minutes each side