Furikake Salmon, Two Ways

This Furikake salmon recipe uses either fat (mayonnaise) or sugar (maple syrup or honey) to adhere Furikake seasoning to salmon fillets. The cured, briny seasoning mix enhances the fish's own umami.

For a rich version (useful for leaner fish, like wild-caught), use mayonnaise. For a leaner, tangier option (better with a higher fat content fish like farmed salmon), a honey-dijon mix will hold the furikake seasoning as well. Make sure to dry the fish well – wet fish will turn out soggy. Don’t worry if you can’t find Kewpie mayonnaise with high yolk content, just make sure to use one that is mostly real eggs or it will add too much oil to the meal.

This recipe is a hybrid from The Agile Test Kitchen's "Furikake Salmon", Allrecipes "Four-Ingredient Furikake Salmon", and Food and Wine's "Miso-Glazed Salmon", which I guess makes it mine as much as anyone else's.

Furikake Salmon, Two Ways

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon fillets (about 4)

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup Furikake seasoning, or 1/8 cup per fillet

Option 1: rich / mayonnaise:  2 Tb Kewpie mayonnaise  2 tsp sriracha (optional)

Option 2: tangy / honey-dijon: 1 Tb Dijon mustard 1 Tb toasted sesame oil 1 Tb plus 1 tsp honey or maple syrup, divided 1 Tb soy sauce 1 Tb rice wine vinegar

Directions:

Option 1:

1. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Thoroughly pat dry fish with paper towels., spread evenly on rimmed metal baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Combine mayonnaise and sriracha, brush mixture over salmon.

3. Spread Furikake seasoning evenly on a dish or piece of parchment paper, lay fish flat and press gently to push seasoning into the mayonnaise. Return to baking pan, Furikake side up.

4. Bake in the oven until salmon flakes easily, about fifteen to twenty minutes. Use an instant read thermometer and remove the fish from the oven between 135° and 140°. Rest until it reaches desired tenderness, a few minutes more, depending the thickness.

Option 2:

1. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Remove fish from marinade and space evenly on a rimmed baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Whisk reserved honey into marinade. Brush over salmon again.

3. Spread Furikake seasoning evenly on a dish, lay fish flat and press gently to push seasoning into the honey mustard. Return to baking pan, Furikake side up. Drizzle remaining thickened marinade over salmon

4. Bake in the oven until salmon flakes easily, about fifteen to twenty minutes. Use an instant read thermometer and remove the fish from the oven between 135° and 140°, resting until it reaches desired tenderness, a few minutes more, depending on the thickness.

5. Baking the salmon with extra, thickened marinade will make a delicious sauce in the sheet pan. Save the collected sauce and pour over the meal after plating--this will tie the flavors together.

(Serve with lemon wedges, asparagus, and whole grain brown rice)