Teriyaki Salmon

I love salmon and I make it very often at home: it is easy to find in all supermarkets, it does not require specific cleaning (of course if one takes fillets or steaks), it cooks rapidly and, not less important, it tastes really good and can make special even a standard mid-week dinner at home.
I also love Japanese style in cooking: apart from sushi and sashimi (that I really like but won't probably never make at home), I have always enjoyed the combinations of flavors typical of Japanese cuisine; no to talk about how beautifully food is usually offered, even when the recipe is one of the simplest. So I wanted to try to make at home salmon teriyaki, a Japanese cooking technique in which fish or meat is grilled or seared with a sauce made of soy sauce, mirin (a sweet rice wine) and sugar. Probably there are thousands slightly different recipes for salmon teriyaki; this one belongs to the list and is really delicious, a perfect balance of salty and sweet. And is ready in fifteen minutes, with very few things to wash after. Much much better than what is served in many restaurants.

Teriyaki Salmon

serves 2

2x150 g salmon fillets, skin on

1 1/2 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt (optional)

1 tbsp flour *

1 tbsp olive oil

chives, to garnish (optional)

*I floured the salmon fillets before searing them, in order to have a crispier outside in contrast with the tender and juicy centre. It is anyway possible to omit this step.

In a small bowl mix the mirin, sugar and soy sauce until the sugar is mostly dissolved.

Rinse the salmon and pat; season with black pepper and, if using, very little salt (remember that soy sauce is already salted) . Put the flour in a plate and use it to flour the salmon on both sides, gently removing the excess.

Heat the oil in a frying pan at medium high heat and place the salmon fillets, skin side down. Cook the salmon for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until it is nicely browned and almost completely cooked through. Remove the salmon from the pan and put on a plate. Add the sauce to the pan; when it starts to boil, add the salmon back in the pan and spoon the sauce over the fillets.  When sauce thickens, after few minutes, remove from heat. Place the salmon on warmed plates, garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately.

It can be served with steamed rice and vegetables. I served with some chives flavored mashed potato quenelles (to make the quenelles boil some potatoes, peal them and mash with a fork; season with salt and pepper, add a splash of olive oil and chopped chives and mix. Using two spoons, shape portions of the mixture into egg-like small logs and gently place on the serving plates).