Has it really been two and a half YEARS since I updated this site? Crazy to think that all of that time has flown by so quickly! For now, I can't say for sure that I'll be going back to a weekly post on this, but definitely much more frequently than that!
Recently, our family has been discussing ways to eat more healthy meals at home. We find that when we go out to eat, the affordable options (that the kids will still eat) tend to be pretty unhealthy, loaded with fat and carbs. One of the options that came up was the idea of eating fish more often. Not only is it tasty, but also pretty quick to prepare. I got a large pack of salmon on sale, and wanted to try preparing it in different ways. One night, I wanted to try a Teriyaki marinade, but then realized I didn't have any Teriyaki sauce on hand, so I had to improvise. I mixed up my own marinade, and it turned out to be a hit, so I wanted to share it!
The first time through, I just mixed ingredients until it tasted about right, but the second time through, I remembered to record the amounts of the ingredients that I used. The orange juice was a new addition the second time, but I think it really added a lot to it! I combined soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sweet and sour sauce, black vinegar, orange juice, garlic and ginger. I get black vinegar at my local Asian grocery store, but if you can't find it locally, balsamic or rice vinegar would probably work well here. I placed the salmon fillets (skin on) in a dish, and poured the sauce over them, making sure all surfaces were coated, then put the cover on, and put it in the refrigerator to marinade.
Once the fillets had marinated about 20 minutes, I heated the oven to 450 degrees, removed the salmon from the marinade, and placed it skin-side down in a baking pan lined with parchment paper (oven safe). (After trying it, I would skip the parchment next time, even though the skin sticks to the pan. The skin crisps up, and slides off easily from the fish.) Then I brushed the fish with toasted sesame oil, and sprinkled with sesame seeds, before placing into the oven. I love using toasted sesame oil, because of the rich, nutty flavor that it adds to foods. A little goes a long way, so this is a flavorful way to keep the fish moist during baking, without adding too much fat. For a spicy kick to this recipe, you could also brush the salmon with a few drops of your favorite hot sauce, or a pinch of red pepper flakes before the sesame seeds!
Ye old red-and-white cookbook (the Better Homes and Gardens: New Cook Book*) says to bake the fish at 450 degrees for 4 to 6 minutes, per half inch thickness, so these fillets went in for about 10 to 12 minutes, until it flaked easily with a fork. You will want to adjust your cooking time to the thickness of the fillets that you have.
I've made this a few times now, and it's been well-received by my family. And if you make the sauce ahead of time, it makes an easy mid-week dinner with your favorite steamed veggies or rice dish!
Sesame Salmon
1 large salmon fillet (skin on)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sweet and sour sauce
1/8 cup black vinegar (can substitute balsamic or rice vinegar)
1/8 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon Hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 to 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
a few drops of hot chili sauce OR a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Cut salmon into portions, rinse, and pat dry. Mix together soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce, black vinegar, orange juice, Hoisin sauce, garlic and ginger. Place salmon in a dish or bowl, then pour the sauce mixture over it, making sure all surfaces of the fillets get coated with this marinade. If there is more marinade than needed, reserve the remainder to use as a sauce for later. Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare a baking pan by brushing lightly with oil, or lining the bottom with parchment paper. Remove salmon from the marinade, and place the fillets skin-side down in the baking pan. Brush each portion with about a tablespoon of sesame oil. If desired, brush the salmon with a few drops of hot chili sauce, or a pinch of red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake the fish at 450 degrees F for 4 to 6 minutes per half inch thickness, until it flakes easily with a fork.
* https://www.amazon.com/Better-Homes-Gardens-Cook-Book/dp/0696000121/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1507647911&sr=8-2&keywords=better+homes+and+gardens+cookbook
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