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Crispy-Skin Salmon with Miso-Honey Sauce

4.3

(14)

A fillet of salmon served skinside up on top of fluffy white rice on a peachcolored plate
Photo by Chelsie Craig

The key to salmon fillets with crackly skin is to start it skin side down in a cold cast-iron pan—as the skillet heats, the skin slowly renders and crisps.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1 (2") piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
2 Tbsp. white miso
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
4 (4–6-oz.) skin-on salmon fillets
Kosher salt
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Cooked rice, for serving

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Whisk ginger, miso, honey, vinegar, oil, and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl to combine; set sauce aside.

    Step 2

    Heat a dry small skillet over medium. Toast sesame seeds, tossing, until golden and slightly fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; let cool.

    Step 3

    Lightly season salmon all over with salt. Place skin side down in an unheated cast-iron skillet. Set skillet over medium heat and cook, undisturbed, 5 minutes. Press down lightly on salmon with a fish spatula to ensure all of the skin is making contact with the pan and continue to cook until flesh is opaque most of the way through (the top will still be translucent) and skin is crisp, about 5 minutes longer.

    Step 4

    Using spatula, gently turn fillets over, then remove pan from heat. Continue to cook fish in residual heat left in pan until just barely cooked through, 1–3 minutes more, depending on thickness.

    Step 5

    Spoon reserved sauce onto plates. Scoop some rice on top and set fillets, skin side up, on rice. Scatter scallions over and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

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