Last Updated on July 6, 2021
Here’s a simple recipe that works equally as well for lunch as it does for dinner. It’s also easily tweaked: Cook the salmon ahead and serve it cold over the cold noodles; add shredded cabbage or watercress to the noodles to get more veg into the meal; or use boneless skinless chicken thighs or cod in place of the salmon.
Be patient when cooking the fish – the skin will stick if you don’t give it enough time to crisp.
Ingredients
- 3 seedless Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- ½ cup thinly sliced daikon or watermelon radishes (red radishes are also fine)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut or safflower oil divided
- ¼ cup plus 2 to 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons miso
- 1 1- inch piece of ginger peeled and grated on a microplane
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil divided
- 12 ounces soba noodles
- 1 pound wild salmon 4 Butcher Box filets, thawed
- ½ cup white sesame seeds plus more for garnish
- ½ cup chopped scallion greens from 3 to 4 scallions
Instructions
- Toss the cucumbers and radishes in a small bowl with ½ teaspoon salt and a splash of rice wine vinegar. Set aside.
- Make the dressing: Combine ¼ cup peanut oil with 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, miso, grated ginger, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a small jar with a lid. Secure the lid and shake until the mixture has combined. Taste and add salt if needed (the miso is salty). Set aside. You can make this up to 3 days ahead.
- Set a colander over a bowl. Cook the soba according to package directions, drain, and rinse under cold water. Shake the colander to get as much water out as possible. Tip the water out of the bowl underneath, drain the bowl, and dry it. Place the noodles in the bowl and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar. Sprinkle with salt, toss again, and set aside.
- While the noodles are cooking, remove thawed salmon from the fridge and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides with salt. Place the sesame seeds on a large plate and set the salmon skin-side-up on the plate, pressing down so the seeds adhere to the fish.
- Heat a nonstick pan or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium to medium-high and after a minute, add the oil. When the oil shimmers and just starts to smoke, place the salmon filet, skin-side down, in the skillet. Cook over medium- to medium-high heat for about 4 minutes, until the skin is crisped and the flesh starts to turn opaque and light pink. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, depending on the filet's thickness, then remove from heat and set aside to rest. Remove skin if desired.
- Drain the liquid from the cucumbers and radishes. Divide the noodles between 4 deep bowls and drizzle dressing to taste over each bowl. Top each with a salmon filet. Divide cucumbers and radishes among the bowls, followed by scallions and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
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