Salty-Sweet Salmon With Ginger and Spicy Cucumber Salad
- Total Time
- 3 hours 30 minutes, plus overnight soaking of ginger
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- ¼cup fish sauce
- 1½teaspoons rice-wine vinegar
- ¾teaspoon sugar, or to taste
- ¼cup peeled and finely grated (or minced) ginger
- ¼cup honey
- ¼cup soy sauce
- 1clove garlic, crushed
- 1½tablespoons ketchup
- 46-ounce pieces salmon fillet
- 1cup rice-wine vinegar
- ¼cup sugar
- 1tablespoon kosher salt
- ½teaspoon togarashi (or ground red pepper flakes)
- 1½teaspoons grated ginger
- 1English cucumber, seeded and sliced ⅛,-inch thick
For the Preserved Ginger
For the Salmon
For the Cucumbers
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
521 calories; 23 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 34 grams sugars; 38 grams protein; 2461 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Make the preserved ginger: The day before, whisk together the fish sauce, rice-wine vinegar and sugar, then add the ginger. Make sure it is covered by the liquid.
- Step 2
Combine the honey, soy sauce, garlic, ketchup and ¼ cup water. Marinate the salmon in this for 2 hours, turning after 1 hour.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, prepare the cucumber salad: Bring the vinegar to a boil. Add the sugar, salt, togarashi and ginger. Return to a boil, then let cool to room temperature. Put the cucumbers in a nonreactive container and cover with the vinegar mixture. Let sit at least one hour before serving.
- Step 4
Preheat grill to low. Arrange salmon on a hinged grill basket, then cook, basting occasionally with the marinade, over a low flame for 5 minutes per side, or until just flaky. (Or broil, skin side down, 6 inches from the flame for 4 minutes, baste, then turn and broil for 2 minutes.) To serve, use a slotted spoon to place the cucumber salad on each of 4 plates. Lay the salmon next to the salad and serve topped with preserved ginger.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Spuds
If a grill is not a available would using a very hot raised iron pan do the trick?
Bree
I was looking for a quick salmon marinade with a little something special, and this recipe really delivered. I made the the reciped as directed and it came out just great. The salmon was moist and appropriately sweet and the spiced pickles paired very well. It plates beautifully too. This will definitely be my go-to for barbecued salmon in the future.
Rob-in-Philly
Try using the Trappist Monks Ginger Preserves thinned with some Saki or dry white wine as a quick marinade....also right out of the jar it makes a fantastic glaze.
AMANDA WAKEFIELD
Add a bit of balsamic vinegar to the soy and butter sauce. It kicks up the umami. Dried Tarragon adds a nice flavor and aroma as well.
Barbara from Ottawa
Mad about the salmon! I always worry about tomatoes and salmon because the tomato flavor can dominate. I used tomato paste because I had some open, and it was divine. What I loved was that you couldn't taste one particular flavor, but they all came together in harmony.
Mike
We found the marinade perfect for the salmon. Cooking times were right on for broiler. The cucumber salad lack a little heat and was a little on vinegar side. We will up the ground red pepper and perhaps up the sugar a bit. Otherwise delicious.
NYkr
Made this last night and it was a big hit. I actually made the marinade, preserved ginger and cucumbers in the morning before work and my husband marinated the fish when he got home. I added rice with toasted sesame seeds, which went nicely with the remaining marinade, heated and served on the side. Broiling time was perfect. Will definitely add this to our rotation, as we cook a lot of salmon, and my kids love it when preparation is soy-sauce based.
Mary from Hoboken
I had been planning on just making the cucumber salad and decided at the last minute to marinate thin-sliced pork chops in the ketchup-soy sauce. They were very good, so I thought I would pass that idea along. Also added a sliced red onion to the cucumber to make the salad go a little further as we had unexpected company--will make it again that way.
Deborah VC
Made the salmon tonight (not the cucumber or pickled ginger) and it was delightful. Wonderful bbq flavor that, to my surprise, wasn’t distinctly Asian. No grill so I cooked it in my convection oven at 400 degrees until slightly rare (about 10 minutes). Served it with Kim Severson’s Limpin’ Susan (okra & rice stir-fry). Delicious!
MK Owens
Salmon was great; cucumbers were good too ; pickled ginger was too salty and too much. I’ll make the salmon and cucumbers again - not so much the ginger pickle.
cynthia
Made this last night and will make again. The only change I would make is less salt in the cucumber brine. Next time just a teaspoon vs tablespoon. Really enjoyed the salmon!
pc
kept the simple soy-garlic-ketchup (yes, ketchup) marinade intact and applied it to salmon. He then served it with a preserved ginger relish and a cucumber salad seasoned with shichimi togarashi, a fiery Japanese spice blend (red pepper flakes make a fine substitute). If you don't have the time to make the relish and cucumber salad, serve the salmon with a few slivers of preserved ginger from a jar, a pile of white rice and some sautéed greens
Dan
Is "Soy and butter sauce" a reference to the Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms recipe?
Marianne
Excellent recipe and the cucumbers make a fantastic combination.
Christina
Delicious! Admittedly, I didn’t read the directions prior to starting this, so nothing marinated for more than an hour. However it was perfect as is (minus a little bit too much char from the broiler on the skin side, so no harm done.) Wonderful for a weeknight meal. If you have a silicone baking mat, it’s not a bad idea to use for easier clean up if you plan on broiling.
Syd
Late to the game… but loved this marinade! The cucumbers were also good, definitely added a lot of pepper flakes (I didn’t bother doing the ground ones). Salmon would be tasty with any side.
Kirsten S
I made this using Char instead of salmon and it was a big hit in the house. Very easy recipe with little mess. I skipped the ginger and honestly did not feel the dish was missing anything. I reserved some of the marinade to top the fish with after it was cooked. Delicious!
LuigiDC89
Was hesitant because I saw ketchup and salmon in the same sentence, but all was good. Made the salmon only (farm raised, was not going to marinate a nicer piece) as per the recipe, grilled direct over a small hickory fire. Super easy and if doing again would double, if not triple the garlic.
Es
Delicious. I approached this recipe with some trepidation: many steps; that 3 1/2 hour time prep time; and the possibility that it would be too sweet. Salmon was delicious, cucumbers were a lovely relish, and the ginger, which took a few minutes to make and I did about 4 hours before serving, added that certain something. Served with rice and bok choy. Wonderful summer dinner.
Kluski
We loved this. Had steel-head trout fillets on hand and used those. Used broiler method. Pickled the cucumbers the day before and they offered a wonderful balance of freshness, tanginess, and heat. Suggest draining the ginger pickle well before garnishing the fish; it also was delicious. Jasmine rice on the side gives your taste buds a break. Will definitely make this again.
made it
This was a nice dinner. Kinda fancy and special actually. I don’t think I would like any of the components on their own
N fisher
Made the cuke salad w 1 english cuke , sliced 1/8” thick 1/3vc rice vinegar 3 t sugar Salt 1/2 t gochugaru Heat vinegar sugar until dissolved. Add salt pepper powder. Pour over sliced cake. Refrigerate 2-3 hrs.
Leek
Per comments about it being too vinegary, I subbed a little water for some of the vinegar in the cuke salad, added thinly sliced red onion, and just before serving added chopped fresh tomatoes. I didn’t make the pickled ginger, but added a little ginger to the salmon marinade. Cooked on the grill, this was nice. A little too involved for a weeknight, but worked out nicely for a weekend dinner.
Dede H.
Am I missing something? It doesn’t say if the preserved ginger should be kept on the counter until it’s used or should it be refrigerated?
Hussain Currimbhoy
"Return to a boil, then let cool to room temperature" takes some time, don't forget to plan for that.
kgustin
Really enjoyed this. The marinade in particular is fantastic. The pickled ginger was a salty but very tasty. The cucumber salad was a little too vinegary, but still good. I had to substitute white wine vinegar for the rice-wine vinegar which may have contributed.
Zea Wintersong
This recipe is Ahhhh-mazing! I made it twice in one week because it tasted so good! I took the salmon marinade and poured it over roasting sweet potatoes in the last 4 minutes of roasting, they got all caramelized and salty and went perfectly with everything else.
Jenny
I like the salmon and marinade, I’d leave the marinade on the fish overnight as it’s a nice flavor: personally I wouldn’t do the ginger relish again. It added nothing and was overpowering and too much. The cucumber salad needs a little something different, too much vinegar? Not sure but I’ll play around with it as it was a nice combo with the salmon. Overall, if one plans ahead with the marinade and cucumber dressing the night before, this is an easy and refreshing weeknight meal.
Christina
Delicious! Admittedly, I didn’t read the directions prior to starting this, so nothing marinated for more than an hour. However it was perfect as is (minus a little bit too much char from the broiler on the skin side, so no harm done.) Wonderful for a weeknight meal. If you have a silicone baking mat, it’s not a bad idea to use for easier clean up if you plan on broiling.
Zea Wintersong
This was a delicious dish! I added the leftover marinade to roasting sweet potatoes and let them cook for another few minutes to caramelize. I’m still dreaming about the flavors!
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