Miso Infused Black Salmon Recipe

Prepare and marinate

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place them skin-side down in a shallow container or baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer.

Whisk together white miso paste, mirin, sake, granulated sugar, soy sauce, grated ginger, and minced garlic in a bowl until smooth and slightly glossy.

Spread about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the miso marinade over the flesh side of each fillet, reserving any excess. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. (30 minutes for mild flavor, up to 2 hours for deeper infusion.)

Assemble crust

While the salmon marinates, combine the chopped sundried tomatoes, chopped parsley, chopped basil, lemon zest, panko, olive oil and black pepper in a small bowl. Mix until it forms a slightly cohesive paste — it should cling when pressed.

If your sundried tomatoes are very dry, add 1/2 tsp water or a little of the reserved miso marinade to bring it together. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Preheat and sear

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tsp neutral oil. When shimmering, place salmon fillets skin-side down and sear for 2 to 3 minutes until the skin is crisp and releases easily from the pan.

Flip the fillets so they are flesh-side up. Spoon an even layer (about 2 to 3 tbs per fillet) of the sundried herb crust onto the top of each fillet and gently press to adhere.

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness, until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 50–54°C (122–130°F) for medium-rare to medium. Remove from oven and rest in the skillet for 2 minutes.

Herb burner smoke finish

While the salmon rests, prepare the herb burner smoke: on a small piece of foil or in a metal tin (or a smoking cloche if available), arrange the rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs and dried bay leaves. Drizzle the herbs very lightly with olive oil so they will smoke rather than immediately flame. Ignite the herbs briefly with a kitchen torch or lighter until they begin to smolder and produce smoke, then quickly cover with an inverted heatproof bowl or place the smoking container into a cloche and trap the smoke.

Place the resting salmon into the covered smoking vessel (or cover the skillet) and let the fillets sit in the trapped smoke for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on desired intensity. Remove the cover and let air out for a few seconds before serving.

Transfer salmon to plates or a serving board. Sprinkle the crusted tops with toasted sesame seeds and flaky sea salt. Add microgreens or baby arugula to the plate and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

If desired, spoon any reserved miso marinade warmed and strained into a small dish for serving alongside, or drizzle a small amount around the plate for extra flavor.