Broiled Salmon with Miso, Honey, Ginger Glaze

Even if you're not a fan of fish, this miso-ginger-honey glaze will change your mind.  One of the key components, miso, is a fermented soybean paste and packed with umami.  A friend who claimed to not like salmon because it was always baked with lemon in her household is now a salmon convert due to this MGH glaze! 

 I have the farmer's market to thank for inspiring the salad featured above.  I was first attracted to the yellow cauliflower and then saw the purple heirloom carrots and thought the two would be so beautiful together.  Since there was a deal of buy three get one free, I bought a head of red lettuce and chose fennel for my freebie. 

My bunch of Purple Haze Heirloom carrots spans the spectrum of magenta to blue-violet.  Some of the blue-violet carrots have cream colored insides with a core of magenta, while others are shot through with violet.   The taste is slightly floral and less woodsy than typical orange carrots.  

 Nutrition Highlight: Purple Carrots

A handful of people have asked if purple carrots are any different nutritionally than orange carrots.  The answer is yes.  The reason dietitians recommend to "eat your rainbow" is because different colors indicate different antioxidant profiles.  

 Orange carrots are high in beta-carotene, a type of carotenoid.  Beta-carotene is beneficial for the skin and eyes.

Purple carrots are high in anthocyanins, part of the flavonoid family.  Anthocyanins are associated with lowering blood pressure, fighting cancer, and aiding cognitive function.  If you want to know more, click on the link!

I drizzled this aerated black currant balsamic on the lettuce before topping with the salmon and veggies. It's a lovely complement to the warm flavors of cauliflower and carrots and goes well with the Asian salmon because it's a riff on traditional Asian plum sauce.   The aeration makes it ultra-thick, as if aged for years, while concentrating its natural sweetness. Aerated fig or an aged balsamic would be good alternates.

Broiled Salmon with Miso, Honey, Ginger Glaze

Printable Recipe

Adapted from Marie Simmons' original recipe found in Taste of Honey.  This umami rich salmon tastes divine, belying its simple preparation. 

Mix in small cup:

1 T honey 

1 T miso 

1 T rice vinegar 

1-2 tsp grated ginger (done on microplane)

1-2 fillets salmon (depends on # of consumers) 

Note: Each salmon fillet is 2 servings and there will be enough glaze for 2 fillets.  If just making 1 fillet, save half the marinade for your next salmon supper.  

Preheat broiler to high.  If your broiler is exceptionally strong, choose a moderate setting.

Place salmon fillet on foil-lined cookie sheet and spoon half of glaze on top.

Broil for 7 min until nicely browned and cooked inside—you want to slightly undercook the salmon, so a little translucent pink is ideal. Thicker cuts take about 9 minutes.  These times are based on my broiler, which is not very strong.

To be safe, check progress at 5 min by cutting into fillet to see how translucent the interior is. If really underdone, cook 2 more min. then check again. Check at 1 min intervals after that.  This won't seem like a hassle if you're by the oven preparing the other components of your meal.

Serve on lettuce or arugula with thinly sliced fennel and roasted cauliflower. A drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar, especially currant or fig, is the perfect finish. Quinoa and grapefruit segments pair well for additional sides.