 available in the farmer’s markets. data-pin-do=)
Roasted Salmon with Gochujang Peanut Dressing by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
July 1, 2022
Here’s another way to use that delicious gochujang peanut dressing from the recent ‘Korean Rice Bowl’recipe. I oven-roasted salmon with a swath of gochujang dressing on top. And I served it with coleslaw and kimchi and the freshest snap peas, which are finally (!) available in the farmer’s markets.
- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Yields: Gochujang recipe makes about ½ cup finished sauce. Salmon: cook 6 ounces fish per person.
Ingredients
Gochujang Peanut Dressing
2 tablespoons Gochujang paste*** see below
2 tablespoons smooth/creamy peanut butter, unsweetened preferably
3 tablespoons unsweetened rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey (note: if using sweetened peanut butter, decrease the amount of honey added by
half or more)
Juice of one lime, plus a 2nd lime to squeeze on the cooked fish
1 tablespoon very finely chopped shallots
½ teaspoon mashed garlic
1 teaspoon very finely chopped/grated gingerroot
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce (plus more to taste)
Optional garnish: ¼ cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
*** Gochujang paste is a sweet and spicy fermented pepper paste popular in Korean cooking. The
sweetness comes from fermented rice and the heat from red chilies.
Directions
Preparation: Add the gochujang paste and the peanut butter together in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine. Add the rice wine vinegar and the lime juice and whisk until smooth. Add the prepared shallots, garlic and gingerroot and stir to combine. Whisk in the sesame oil and soy sauce. Taste and adjust. Add more lime juice and/or soy sauce to your taste. Set aside.
Cook the salmon: I cook salmon every week and sometimes more than once per week. The trick is to cook salmon in a ‘slow oven’; that is around 325 degrees. Slower cooking results in a sweeter/less fishy-tasting salmon. (It has to do with the heat effect on the beneficial omega fatty acids.) Plan on 6-oounces of salmon filet per person, individual portions or in one piece. The key to successful results is to use an instant-read thermometer. Line a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and lay-out the filets and lightly sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt. Generously spoon gochujang dressing over all the filets, covering the entire surface. Roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 135/137 degrees.
Remove pan from oven and let fish rest for 5-10 minutes and temperature will increase to 139/140 degrees. It will be fully cooked and still retain moistness.
Serve with coleslaw, rice and more fresh lime juice squeezed all over the cooked fish. Garnish with chopped dry-roasted peanuts (optional).
