Miso Salmon with Sake Butter

Ingredients:

• 14-16 oz. Salmon Filet(s)

Marinade:

• 2 Tbsp white miso paste
• 2 tsp good quality sake
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. honey/sugar
• 1 tsp soy sauce 
• Chili flakes (optional)

Sake Butter:

• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 cup good quality sake (1 Tbsp reserved)
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream
• 6 Tbsp cold butter
• 1/2 orange, juiced
• Kosher salt

Directions:

• Mix all marinade ingredients in a large bowl, or square cake pan, or whatever you have.
• Place the salmon skin-side up in marinade, cover dish with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour (minimum 30 minutes)
• Heat 2 Tbsp of neutral oil in cast iron skillet or heavy-bottom pan on medium heat.
• Remove salmon from marinade and (remove excess marinade from filets) and carefully place flesh-side down in pan. Cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes before flipping. The miso marinade burns easily, so don't exceed medium heat for the flesh side sear. 
• With a fish spatula, or thin flexible spatula, carefully flip the filets on the skin side. Cook for 4-5 more minutes on medium heat until you reach desired doneness. I don't recommend further cooking; tender in the center is the goal. 
• Serve on top of desired side (I did creamy cauliflower puree) and with desired veggies (sautéed sugar snap peas) and spoon sake butter over filet(s) and enjoy!

Sake Butter Preparation:

• Add shallots and 1/2 cup sake and bring to a boil; cook until reduced by 2/3, about 3 minutes. Add heavy cream, bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
• Lower heat to low heat. Add cold butter in batches, whisking constantly until the butter is incorporated and the sauce has thickened. Whisk in remaining 1 teaspoon sake and orange juice; season with salt.
• Optional (strain sake butter to remove shallots).

The Pairing:

Hakkaisan Junmai Ginjo "Yukimoro" Snow Aged (3 Year) Sake

Pairing sake with Asian inspired cuisine is as natural as pairing Barolo with white truffle risotto. It's no coincidence as the beverages and food of regions evolved to be complimentary. We are lucky to live in the age of being able to experience these pairings from anywhere, and sake should be treated just like wine with a meal. 

With this salmon we enjoyed a sake aged in snow for 3 years. We have offered and enjoyed other aged sakes before, but they have tended to age like a white wine and develop a nuttiness and saltiness. This sake shows none of that. It is super clear in the glass and bursts with notes of anise and yogurt with a creamy texture. That creaminess compliments this rich fish dish but maintains the brightness to prevent the combination from feeling heavy. Add sake into your rotation and you will not regret it! Bonus is, sake keeps in the fridge for several weeks, or up to 2 months!