Garden Court Café: Soy-Ginger Salmon Recipe

(Amanda Gentile/Great Performances)

Garden Court Café Chef Calvin Young:
"It’s a dish that’s been on since our first menu. We took it off briefly but we eventually put it back on due to customer request. The sweet and spicy glaze on the salmon with the rich miso and butternut squash puree work well together. Incorporating squash and cauliflower, it's an example of how we incorporate seasonal ingredients into our menu."

Serves four.

Ingredients

4 filets salmon, skin off — about 5-6 oz. each
16 baby carrots — cleaned, stemmed, trimmed
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 tbsp sesame oil
Canola oil

Salt to taste.

Glaze
1/2 cup ginger — peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce

Puree
2 cups butternut squash — peeled, cut into roughly equal-sized pieces
2 tablespoons white miso
1/2 yellow onion — chopped

 

Process

Glaze:

  1. Blend the ginger with the water to create a juice. Add to a pot and boil on high heat for about 10 minutes to reduce the liquid and remove some of the raw ginger taste.
  2. Add honey and stir until it dissolves.
  3. Add soy and taste. Adjust with more honey or soy depending on preference.

Veg:

  1. Toss the carrots in sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Roast at 350° until tender but still firm. About 10 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
  2. Toss cauliflower in canola oil and a pinch of salt. Roast as with the carrots. Set aside and keep warm.

Puree:

  1. Toss butternut squash pieces in plain oil and a pinch of salt. Roast at 350° until very soft. About 15-20 minutes depending on how big the squash pieces are.
  2. Heat a medium sauce pan with oil. Add onion and saute until onions are translucent. Add cooked squash and enough water to cover half way. Boil until for about 10 minutes until the squash and onions are very soft.
  3. Blend the mixture with miso paste and add salt to taste. Pass the puree through a strainer or sieve to remove any lumps and keep warm.

Finishing:

  1. Heat a sauté pan (preferable non-stick) on high heat. Add canola oil until smoking slightly.
  2. Add salmon. When a golden brown crust forms on the salmon, flip over and sear the other side.
  3. Place the salmon on a sheet pan and spoon the glaze over each filet. Finish in a 350° to desired doneness.

Plating:

  1. Spoon some puree on the bottom of each plate. Place carrots and cauliflower on top of the puree and the filets of salmon on top of the vegetables.