Despite being Japanese, I used to hate eating cooked fish as a child. I think this may have had something to do with the fact that the only way my mother ever prepared it was overcooked, with a dash of Season All. It's not that she was a bad cook, she did teach me to cook after all, but years of cooking for an apathetic family drained her of any passion she once had for it, and the indifference was especially apparent with fish.
Her aquatic victim of choice was almost always salmon, which is probably why I steered clear of cooking or eating salmon until very recently. The one redeeming quality of her tough grayish pink block of fish was the crisp golden crust of savory Season All. It's a seasoned salt that includes flavor enhancers like celery, garlic and onion powder. I really loved this stuff growing up and would even sneak into the spice cabinet on occasion and sprinkle some on my hand to eat.
You're probably thinking I'm quite odd after that one, but here's another quirk of mine. I like to try things I know I don't like from time to time to see if my disinterest has waned over time. In the case of salmon, I had an amazing slow-roasted salmon last year that changed my mind.
While I was out hunting and gathering for dinner the other day, I noticed some gorgeous wild salmon on sale and I found myself craving that crisp Season All crust. Somehow using a pre-made spice blend just didn't seem right, so I started ruminating about how I could add a crisp flavorful crust to the salmon without cheating. Grated dry cheese would have been nice from a flavor perspective, but the high heat required to crisp the exterior without overcooking the interior would have rendered the cheese black. For a brief moment I actually contemplated sprinkling just a bit of MSG on the fillets.... sacrilege! Besides, I don't even own any MSG.
It was around then that I started thinking of other ingredients that are filled with umami enhancing glutamates. I remembered a few recent successes using shiitake powder in chicken sausage as well as a ragù and wondered what it would taste like encrusted on the salmon. Problem solved!
The mushrooms did their job creating a crisp crust of pure flavor, concealing that "salmon flavor" nicely and adding some depth and substance to the light salad. With crisp strips of sunchoke, mizuna greens and segments of grapefruit, all dressed in a very simple lemon vinaigrette, this mizuna salad has something for everyone.
Other Salmon Recipes
Recipe
Mizuna Sunchoke Salad with Shiitake Salmon
Ingredients
- 453 grams salmon (I used sockeye, cut into 2 filets)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large dried shiitake mushroom
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- smoked salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bunch mizuna (arugula will work as well)
- 6 small sunchokes (peeled and julienned)
- ½ ruby red grapefruit (segmented and peeled)
Instructions
- Pat the salmon dry using paper towels. This step is very important to get the skin crisp.
- Rub all surfaces of the salmon with a bit of olive oil then sprinkle with the onion powder, salt, and pepper on both sides.
- Use a microplane to grate the dried shiitake onto both sides of the salmon, forming a crust on the outside.
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat until hot, add a splash of olive oil, and then place the salmon in the pan skin-side down. Cook until the skin is brown and crisp and the salmon has cooked about ⅓ of the way up each fillet. Flip them over and cook the other side until lightly browned then transfer to a plate to rest.
- Make the dressing by whisking the olive oil, Meyer lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt and pepper together in a bowl until it's emulsified.
- For the salad, put the mizuna leaves in a bowl with the julienned sunchokes, then drizzle with some of the dressing and toss to coat. Adjust the amount of dressing to taste. Toss to coat evenly.
- Plate by putting down a bed of salad on a dish and topping it with the salmon. Serve with some grapefruit segments for a citrusy zing.
Nutrition Facts
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Kathy Stroup says
You loved Season All?!?! I still use it! It's that homey taste. This is a brilliant recipe! Maybe it could use a remake? The traffic on this one is intriguing.
Catharine Gunderson says
I can't wait to try this. I am a long time member of the Santa Cruz Fungus Federation, and I love foraging for mushrooms. The combo of Omega 3's from the salmon and all; that the Shitakis bring in medicinal value, will that is quite a great meal!
Marc Matsumoto says
Very cool! I love foraging but have never trusted myself enough to forage for mushrooms. I hope you enjoy this!
Echo says
I've never been a huge fan of salmon (or mushrooms for that matter), but you've challenged me to try it. It looks delicious.
Echo says
I've never been a huge fan of salmon (or mushrooms for that matter), but you've challenged me to try it. It looks delicious.
Daily Spud says
This dish wasn't just salmon but an interesting taste challenge for you! I also do that thing of revisting foods that I thought I disliked or ones that I really liked as a kid but hadn't eaten in years. It can go both ways - some stuff that I loved I find I don't really have a taste for anymore and vice versa. Our tastes do change, as well as discovering new tastes that are out there.
Daily Spud says
This dish wasn't just salmon but an interesting taste challenge for you! I also do that thing of revisting foods that I thought I disliked or ones that I really liked as a kid but hadn't eaten in years. It can go both ways - some stuff that I loved I find I don't really have a taste for anymore and vice versa. Our tastes do change, as well as discovering new tastes that are out there.
Rasa Malaysia says
I like salmon but I also don't like salmon, so I can understand what you meant. I've had quite a few overcooked and totally dried-out salmon, but then once in a while, I got a perfect one. It's really a love-hate relationship with salmon. 😉
Rasa Malaysia says
I like salmon but I also don't like salmon, so I can understand what you meant. I've had quite a few overcooked and totally dried-out salmon, but then once in a while, I got a perfect one. It's really a love-hate relationship with salmon. 😉
Lori Lynn says
I have shiitake powder on hand, I will definitely try it with fish.
I have not eaten sunchokes raw, I have to try this too. Lots of creative ideas here.
Thanks, Marc.
LL
Lori Lynn says
I have shiitake powder on hand, I will definitely try it with fish.
I have not eaten sunchokes raw, I have to try this too. Lots of creative ideas here.
Thanks, Marc.
LL
Allison Day says
I'm (half) Japanese as well, and only recently started eating seafood. I never even tried sashimi until just over a year ago! Crazy, I know. In my case it was because my mom is allergic to fish so we never had it around (especially sashimi, because she loves it but can't eat it!) so I never developed a taste for fish until I was an adult.
That salmon looks amazing, and it sounds like it would be fantastic with that wonderful crust! I'll definitely have to try it sometime.
manggy says
H-hey! I want me some of that shitake powder! Or, I could just buckle down and use MSG, hee hee 🙂 You know, I have that latter "quirk" too-- it's really my goal to not be turned off by any particular food (though I'm still a long ways away from that).
Allison Day says
I'm (half) Japanese as well, and only recently started eating seafood. I never even tried sashimi until just over a year ago! Crazy, I know. In my case it was because my mom is allergic to fish so we never had it around (especially sashimi, because she loves it but can't eat it!) so I never developed a taste for fish until I was an adult.
That salmon looks amazing, and it sounds like it would be fantastic with that wonderful crust! I'll definitely have to try it sometime.
manggy says
H-hey! I want me some of that shitake powder! Or, I could just buckle down and use MSG, hee hee 🙂 You know, I have that latter "quirk" too-- it's really my goal to not be turned off by any particular food (though I'm still a long ways away from that).
diva says
thank god you didn't use MSG!! that's a big no-no 🙂 but the mushroom on salmon idea is just genius. you made me laugh a little with your description of your mum. my mum's kinda like that but she is a fab cook and i think she's recently discovered her love for cooking again, thankfully! x
brilynn says
I've been working dried shiitake powder into tons of things lately- bread dough, meatballs, etc... As a crust on fish is a great idea!
Giff says
love the grapefruit pairing here
lisaiscooking says
Great idea, and I'm going to have to steal it!
diva says
thank god you didn't use MSG!! that's a big no-no 🙂 but the mushroom on salmon idea is just genius. you made me laugh a little with your description of your mum. my mum's kinda like that but she is a fab cook and i think she's recently discovered her love for cooking again, thankfully! x
brilynn says
I've been working dried shiitake powder into tons of things lately- bread dough, meatballs, etc... As a crust on fish is a great idea!
Tan says
I love salmon and now one more interesting recipe.;)
Giff says
love the grapefruit pairing here
Jan says
Now that salmon looks good! Great pictures too!
lisaiscooking says
Great idea, and I'm going to have to steal it!
Tan says
I love salmon and now one more interesting recipe.;)
helen says
Marc, come to Vancouver one of these days, and you'll enjoy some of the best seafood prepared by some of the best chefs in this world. I promise.
Jan says
Now that salmon looks good! Great pictures too!
Natasha aka 5 Star Foodie says
I love the idea of Shiitake crust for the salmon and the salad sounds very refreshing and full of flavor!
Carolyn Jung says
What is it about Japanese people who hate fish? It's like not possible. One of my best friends is Japanese-American, and has only recently begun to like seafood. Mind-boggling! 😉
helen says
Marc, come to Vancouver one of these days, and you'll enjoy some of the best seafood prepared by some of the best chefs in this world. I promise.
Jennifer says
Marc, I have been doing the same thing within the last year. I am trying all sorts of foods I've always thought I hated and now I love them! I wouldn't be caught dead eating any type of onion, now I eat them raw, in salads, soups. I like asparagus, all sorts of peppers. It's never to late to try something new!
Your salmon looks amazing!
Natasha aka 5 Star Foodie says
I love the idea of Shiitake crust for the salmon and the salad sounds very refreshing and full of flavor!
Jenni Field says
I love the description of your mom's cooking style. It recalls someone to mind. Hmmmm. Now who could it be? Ah ha! Got it--MY mom 🙂
I love how you go for the umami w/o taking the MSG shortcut. Lovely meal, Marc!
Carolyn Jung says
What is it about Japanese people who hate fish? It's like not possible. One of my best friends is Japanese-American, and has only recently begun to like seafood. Mind-boggling! 😉
Holly says
Another great technique!
Jennifer says
Marc, I have been doing the same thing within the last year. I am trying all sorts of foods I've always thought I hated and now I love them! I wouldn't be caught dead eating any type of onion, now I eat them raw, in salads, soups. I like asparagus, all sorts of peppers. It's never to late to try something new!
Your salmon looks amazing!
Jenni Field says
I love the description of your mom's cooking style. It recalls someone to mind. Hmmmm. Now who could it be? Ah ha! Got it--MY mom 🙂
I love how you go for the umami w/o taking the MSG shortcut. Lovely meal, Marc!
Holly says
Another great technique!