I was inspired to make this dish when I saw a photo of chef James Oakley’s Kombu Cured Salmon, Cucumber and Crisp Quinoa on Twitter. It was one of the most stunning plates that I’ve ever seen and it sounded so delicious that I had to give it a try. His restaurant is in Hong Kong so it’s too far for me to try it since I’m on the other side of the world in Phoenix Arizona. I didn’t know how to cure salmon with kombu so I looked it up. I found three different methods. I picked Bon Appetit’s method because it made the most sense to me. Along the way I had some problems getting the correct ingredients. I thought I bought kombu ( a darker thicker seaweed) but I picked up seaweed. I couldn’t find yuzu so I did a mixed citrus instead that became my faux Yuzukoshō ( Japanese chili/yuzu condiment). Got lucky with the cucumber sauce. I don’t know how chef Oakley’s was made but I had an idea and it worked. ANYWAYS It came out FORKING INCREDIBLE! This recipe takes two days to prepare. It was difficult to photo the hot salmon that I was about to eat and for the photo forgot to add some faux Yuzukoshō on top of the salmon but some is pictured on the green cucumber sauce in the photo. The combination was delicious! I would make different chips next time. Either a fried radish chip or a potato chip. My idea of portion size may differ from your idea of portion size. I used one salmon steak…I think it was close to a pound. It made two large dinners. I guess it could have made three or four lunches.

Ingredients for around 2 servings

1 salmon steak (mine was close to a pound)

Seaweed to cover both sides of salmon (I used two sheets)

1 lemon cut in thin slices

2 Tablespoons mirin

1 Tablespoon white miso

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 hot pepper – ( I used a Serrano) – microplane

1 orange – just the zest

1 lemon – just the zest

1 lime – just the zest

fresh crushed sea salt to taste

1/2 lb Persian cucumbers – microplane

1 teaspoon sugar

pinch sea salt

1 Tablespoon tapioca starch (I used a spice mill to ground up tapioca pearls)

Directions

A layer of seaweed goes on both sides of your fish and you top that with lemon slices. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

Make the faux yuzukosho. Today or before you cook the fish combine the lemon, orange and lime zest with your microplane hot pepper. Add fresh crushed sea salt to taste. (refrigerate or put to the side if preparing just before the fish.

Make the glaze for the salmon. In a small bowl mix the mirin, miso and soy sauce together and brush on both sides of the salmon. Wash off the seaweed and throw out the lemons. Blot the fish dry. You can cook the salmon however you like. I slow cooked the salmon in a 225 degree oven about 15 minutes on one side and about 10 minutes on the other side and then I finished it under a high broiler for about 5 minutes. It came out medium-medium rare and really awesome…..that melt in you mouth kind of fish that you only get out only SOMETIMES in very expensive restaurants.

While you are cooking the fish add to a sauce pot the microplane cucumber, sugar, salt and ground tapioca on medium high heat…stirring constantly. In about 5 minutes the mixture will turn bright green and get smooth. When all the tapioca is cooked the mixture will be done.

Enjoy immediately.

Spread some cucumber sauce on the plate. Top the plate with salmon….then top the salmon with the faux Yuzukoshō. Serve with a few chips or crisps if desired.

A SPECIAL THANKS! To chef James Oakley for this inspiration and also a SPECIAL THANKS to Bon Appetit for their recipe of Kombu Cured Salmon with fresh Yuzu Kosho so I’d have an idea of what to do.