If you’re deciding to throw together a spontaneous dinner party just because it’s the weekend and you deserve it (yes you do!), we are here to help. This Baked Salmon is quick and easy to prepare and the Soy-Lime Glaze from @epicurious can be made ahead. Sprinkle a few black and white sesame seeds on the plate and you’ve got yourself a show-stopping dish.
We like to serve it with roasted baby bok choi, but regular bok choi will also work. This is easy enough to prepare in 30 minutes, and delicious enough to impress.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on how hot you like it
1/3 cup (90ml) maple syrup
1/3 cup (90ml) fresh lime juice
1/3 cup (90ml) reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari if you’re gluten free
2 teaspoons arrowroot or cornstarch
4 - 4oz. (120g) salmon fillets
Sesame seeds and chives or sliced spring onions for garnish
4 baby bok choi
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for a minute to release the aroma. Add the maple syrup, lime juice and soy sauce and allow to come to a soft boil, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot with two teaspoons water. Add it to the glaze, reducing heat to a simmer. This will take about a minute to thicken. This can be made ahead a day before and re-heated if it becomes too thick in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Place the salmon, skin side down, on a baking sheet which is lightly brushed with olive oil. We recommend allowing the fish to sit out of the fridge for at least 15 minutes so that it’s not fridge cold when it goes into the oven. This allows for perfectly cooked fish every time. Whilst the fish is resting, wash and halve the bok choi lengthways. Brush with a little olive oil and place on a baking tray. This will go into the oven together with the salmon.
Brush the salmon fillets with a teaspoon of the glaze you made earlier, and bake both the salmon and box choi for 8-12 minutes, depending on how you like your fish. We prefer ours opaque, just slightly underdone, as it continues to cook when it’s out of the oven. In this case, for a 1 inch (2.5cm) thick fillet, we bake it 8-9 minutes. If you like yours cooked through, you’ll want to leave it in 3-4 minutes longer.
Remove the fish and bok choi from the oven and arrange them on a plate. Top the salmon with some greens, and sprinkle sesame seeds over. Serve the remaining glaze on the side as there’s always a need for extra ‘sauce’!
