Miso Glazed Salmon with Asian Vegetables

It was a hung verdict on this meal.  One of us (me) loved it - the other (DH) hated it!  I guess sometimes we just have to agree to disagree!!!

Personally, being on a low carb meal I loved the dish -  but then I am eating so many vegetables at the moment I am worried that I may start and sprout roots soon!! Particularly given this unusually wet weather that we seem to be experiencing here in Sydney!

The only thing I would comment about this meal is that making it the way it was stated in the recipe tended to be a little lack lustre and bland.  So I will give my recommendations of how I think the sauce that accompanies the vegetables should be.

Miso Glazed Salmon with Asian Vegetables
Adapted from Curtis Stone's Recipe found in MasterChef Magazine - March edition

Serves 2

1/2 cup white miso
2 tbs caster sugar
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs mirin * plus extra
1 tbs sake
1 tbs soy sauce * plus extra
2 x tail pieces salmon
5g instant dashi powder
1 clove garlic, bruised
1 tsp sesame oil

1 bunch bok choy, cut into pieces
200g shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 carrot, sliced on the diagonal
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
1 bunch broccolini

Place the miso, sugars, mirin, sake and soy sauce in a large ziploc bag.  Combine well.  Add the salmon, and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours, or longer if possible.

To make the dashi, place 1 cup of water in a sauce pan.  Add the dashi powder, and bruised clove of garlic.  Bring to a simmer.  Simmer gently for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat, stir in the sesame oil, 1 tbs extra mirin, and 2 tsp extra soy sauce.  Keep warm.

Preheat the oven grill to 220 degrees.  Line an oven tray with foil. Drain the salmon from the marinade.  Place skin side down on the oven tray.  Grill for 4 minutes on the top shelf, or until caramelised.  Transfer tray to lower shelf and bake for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.

Meanwhile place the  vegetables into a large frypan/wok.  Heat over high heat, add a little water, and water fry the vegetables until they are just cooked.

Place the vegetables in a serving dish.  Spoon over the dashi liquid.  Top with the salmon.

The dashi liquid was way too bland for my liking - the recipe wanted you to make it up with 1/2 tsp of dashi powder and 2 cups of water.  This was so weak in flavour it wasn't worth the effort.  You may have to tweak with the flavours yourself until you get it to your liking.

I loved the sweet caramelised coating the white miso gave to the salmon.  Just be careful you don't over cook the fish - there is nothing worse than dry salmon!!!

For those not on a low carb diet I would suggest you add some steamed rice to the meal.

I'm getting pretty bored with all these vegetables - and a bit de-motivated with the diet!!!  While the first 4 weeks were good, and the weight was dropping off, I seem to have plateaued!  Finding it very hard to keep going!  Can't wait to eat inItaly!!!!