Recipe: Sesame-Crusted Salmon with Lemon and Ginger

Ingredients:

2 quarts water

5 tablespoons salt

¾ cup sesame seeds (basically a whole ass jar)

4 (6-8oz) salmon fillets

2 scallions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

4 teaspoons tahini

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°.

2. The Brine: Dissolve 5 tablespoons salt in 2 quarts water. Transfer 1 cup of the brine to a bowl, stir in the sesame sets and let stand for 5 minutes. Submerge the salmon filets in the remaining brine and let stand for 15 minutes.

Lo Note: Do not heat the water to dissolve the salt.

3. Drain seeds and place in a nonstick skillet. Cook, stirring constantly for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove seeds and place in a shallow dish.

4. Combine scallion whites, zest, lemon juice, tahini, ginger, cayenne and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

5. Remove salmon and pat dry.  Spread half of the paste on the skin side of the salmon. If you’ve removed the skin, then spread it on the skinned side.  Dredge the paste covered side in the sesame seeds and then place seed side down on a plate. Use the rest of the past on the top of the salmon.  Dredge in sesame seeds.

6. heat oil in a cast iron pan.  Place salmon skin side up in the pan and cook 1-2 minutes. Turn salmon over and place skillet in the oven. Bake 10-15 minutes.

Garnish with sliced scallion greens.

The brine was an added step that I wish I didn’t have to do.  But it wasn’t particularly difficult…just annoying and slightly time consuming. The end result was SO worth it though.

I got the recipe from our “Cook’s Science” book.  But you can find it online HERE.

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