The Foodist: Miso-glazed salmon with green tea rice

The Foodist: Miso-Glazed Salmon with Green Tea Rice

This The Foodist: Miso-glazed salmon with green tea rice was borrowed from Fine Cooking magazine and Rick put a tweak on it. In Japanese cuisine, green tea rice, known as ochazuke, is a beloved comfort food. It can be as simple as green tea poured over steamed rice, but it’s often embellished with flakes fish or other toppings.

After looking at several recipes I decided to mix matcha powder in the rice water. Most recipes call for a ratio of about a teaspoon of powder to two cups of water. I find 1/2 teaspoon is more delicate and quieter to underscore the fish.

Yum!

Hungry Jim

The glaze of the fish is thin on some standards, but it works. Again, it gave the fish a quiet savory sweetness as opposed to a lot of the heavier sauces sometimes used.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups white rice, such as jasmine or short grain sushi
• 1/4 cup white miso
• 2 Tbs mirin
• 1/2 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar
• 4 5oz skin-on salmon fillets, preferably about 3/4 inch thick
• 1/2 tsp matcha powder
• 3 medium scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 Tbs toasted sesame seeds; more for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the rice according to the package directions, adding matcha powder, and keep warm.
2. Position a rack 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high.
3. In a small bowl, stir the miso, mirin, and rice vinegar with a fork to blend. Put the salmon fillets skin side down on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between them. Pat the salmon dry and broil for 2 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, with a spoon, carefully spread the miso mixture over the top of the fillets. Broil until the salmon is just barely opaque in the center (use a paring knife to check), 2-3 minutes more.
4. Gently mix the scallions and sesame seeds into the rice and divide among four plates, mounding in the center. With a spatula, lift the salmon from the baking sheet, leaving the skin behind, and place on top of rice. Sprinkle with more sesame seeds and serve immediately.

NOTE

Rick made too much of the miso, mirin, vingar, and scallions glaze so he served that to me as a bowl of miso broth with nori and bento flakes and it was delightful! This recipe is good start to end.