Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

The inspiration for this delicious dish comes from maeuntang, a spicy Korean fish stew.

Maeuntang is a flavorful and spicy stew that typically features a variety of seafood, tofu, vegetables. The broth is always seasoned with Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) and often red pepper paste (gochujang) plus other aromatic ingredients like garlic and ginger. It’s usually served with a side of rice.

This braised salmon dish takes on a creamy twist, blending Korean with French influences by incorporating unconventional elements such as butter, white wine, and heavy cream. Rather than serving it with rice on the side, the stew embraces a unique touch for the starch – mini potatoes braised directly within the broth.

Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste with sweet heat and a fermented umami richness. It is definitely spicy – but also has a balanced fruitiness, slight smokiness and depth of flavor from the sun-dried Korean red peppers.

It’s a heavenly pairing, marrying the freshness of the sea with the richness of a fiery, creamy broth. Each spoonful delivers a perfect balance of heat and richness. Potatoes and radish contribute not only to the stew’s visual appeal but also to its complexity of flavor. A sprinkling of parsley, scallion, and red chiles add fresh, colorful notes.

For a striking garnish, add a purple dendrobium orchid which is durable and has the ability to withstand varying temperatures without wilting, making it suitable for hot dishes. And while the orchid is considered safe for culinary purposes, here it is used for visual appeal rather than taste.

Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

Gochujang Braised Salmon Recipe

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Tiradito de Salmón con Rocoto

Tiradito de Salmón con Rocoto

Tiradito de Salmón

Rocoto Chile Emulsion, Sweet Potato, Radish, Avocado
Cilantro, Corn Nuts, Pickled Manzano Chile with Onion

Often referred to as a cousin of ceviche, Peruvian Tiradito boasts a unique identity characterized by thinly sliced raw fish, arranged and adorned with a zesty marinade, and a myriad of flavorful toppings.

Here the dish showcases Wild Alaska King Salmon infused with a citrusy lime rocoto chile emulsion. It is a colorful symphony of freshness and heat with creamy and crunchy notes.

Tiradito de Salmón con Rocoto

Receta de Tiradito de Salmón con Rocoto

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Crispy-Skin King Salmon is the Star

Crispy-Skin King Salmon

Crispy-Skin King Salmon
Israeli Couscous with Feta, Herbs, Tomatoes
Smoky Garbanzos

This is king salmon season, and the star of this mouthwatering, vibrant dish is Wild King Salmon from Alaska.

Wild Alaska king salmon are the gourmet’s salmon because of their large luscious flakes and high fat content — sometimes twice that of sockeye and coho. King salmon store this fat for their journey up North America’s longest river systems. When you eat wild Alaska king, you’re tasting the anticipation of this river journey in the fish’s flesh.

Like a well-marbled steak, this fat melts into the salmon, giving king salmon an unrivaled mouth feel. And remember, these are the good fats: the natural, marine-derived omega-3s that heart doctors celebrate. Because of this fat, king salmon is perfect for grilling and searing with just salt and pepper. King salmon needs little else.

In today’s dish, the salmon is first rubbed with an olive oil blend then simply seasoned with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. It is cooked until the skin is perfectly crisp and the flesh is just perfectly cooked through.

King Salmon Recipe

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Cold Poached Salmon, Horseradish Sauces

Cold Poached Salmon with Three Horseradish Sauces

Cold Poached Salmon with Three Horseradish Sauces
Creamy, Red Beet, and Golden Beet

I was contemplating a starter course that would possibly appeal to more people on Passover. Those of us who absolutely adore our Eastern European Gefilte Fish are apparently and sadly, few and far between.

But is there anyone among my relatives who doesn’t love salmon? Of course, we will always honor tradition and keep serving gefilte fish. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

This year, we also serve another elegant first course – a lovely, flavorful Cold Poached Salmon with THREE Horseradish Sauces and lots of fresh herbs. The entire dish can be prepared in advance, so it is easy and ready to go when it is Time to Eat during the Seder! Edible flowers are optional, but they sure do add to a pretty spring-like presentation.

Cold Poached Salmon, Horseradish

Cold Poached Salmon and Horseradish Sauces Recipes

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The Best Potato Crusted Salmon

Potato Crusted Salmon

Potato Crusted Salmon
Lemon Butter Sauce with Dill and Parsley
Coins of Carrot, Zucchini, Yellow Squash

It had been way too many years since we’ve enjoyed this fabulous potato crusted salmon dish. Our dear friends, Scott & Gina Lee, closed their super-popular Redondo Beach, California restaurant, Gina Lee’s Bistro, in 2014 after almost 19 years in business. Oh gosh, how the South Bay misses their brilliant original Cal-Asian fare!

Their Potato Crusted Salmon had been a favorite of my grandmother-in-law, Evelyn Dawn. She was always professing the benefits of salmon’s omega-3 fatty acids and ordered it every single time we dined there (which was very often).

After she passed away at 93 years of age in 2000, Scott & Gina graciously named this dish as a tribute to her: Evelyn Dawn’s Potato Crusted Salmon. It is such a wonderful recipe, it’s hard to believe it took me so long to recreate it and share on Taste With The Eyes again…it is every bit as delicious as we remember!

Potato Crusted Salmon Recipe

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