Miso Salmon (Sake Misozuke) with Spinach Sauce

This recipe involves marinating salmon in miso paste, a traditional technique of Japanese cuisine. I love accenting the salmon with this spinach sauce and serving it with a spinach salad, but I have also seen the fish served with plain soy sauce or other accompaniments.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 555 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 5 teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup sake
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 1 tablespoon water, or as needed
• ¼ cup mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
• 1 ½ pounds salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions
• 1 cup white miso paste
• ¼ pound spinach leaves
• ½ cup white miso paste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Season salmon fillets with salt. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 2

Wipe the excess salt from the salmon fillets, and wrap the fillets with 2 layers of cheesecloth. Mix 1 cup miso, 1/4 cup sake, and mirin together in a bowl. Spread both sides of the wrapped fillets with the miso mixture. Place the salmon in an air-tight container, and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight.

Step 3

Heat a small saucepan of water over medium-high heat. Add the spinach, and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a colander, and allow to cool. Place spinach in a food processor. Process until smooth, adding water if the spinach becomes too dry. Set aside.

Step 4

Mix the remaining 1/2 cup of miso with sugar, egg yolks, and 2 tablespoons sake in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula until thickened. Set aside to cool, then stir in the pureed spinach.

Step 5

Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Unwrap the cheesecloth, and scrape off excess miso from the salmon fillets. Arrange fillets on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 6

Broil in the preheated oven until the salmon is golden, about 4 minutes. Flip the fillet over, then brush with the spinach sauce. Continue broiling until the salmon is cooked through and easily flaked with a fork, about 4 minutes more.