crispy sesame salmon bowls

It’s a put-shit-in-a-bowl-and-run kind of Thursday.

I usually wake up with big aspirations of getting loads of shit done, and then once the clock tings 11 or so, I realize that my aspirations are pretty much moot. I usually do what I need to do, but not much extra. I usually get tied up in staring at the photos I plan to edit on my phone and growing immeasurably frustrated because nothing is ever good enough for my picky ass.

Not to say I’d call myself a perfectionist. I don’t think that’s a particularly admirable quality. I prefer striving towards perf-meh-ction. I figure my meh is often other peoples’ wow! I’ve been surprised by what impresses people versus my own perception of what’s good. We are our own most assholeish critic, after all.

Avoiding asshole-dom to you guys and presenting you with a nice little weeknight bowl dinner. Simplicity is a finer quality amongst foods sometimes. The lasagna and Pop Tarts from the prior two days are more than dandy, but stripping food back down to tasty basics is necessary if you feel overwhelmed.

What are we talking here? Marinated and baked salmon drizzled in a thick sesame reduction, crisp fresh cucumbers and creamy avocado, end of summer peaches, and a massive bowl of simple carbs to, if nothing else, fuel your soul. Oh, right – and a bowl of spicy mayo. Wouldn’t be me without some sassy condiments.

Marinate Over That

The marinade for our dear salmon is multifunctional in this recipe. The batch seems big, but it houses three purposes: marinating the salmon, reducing into a sauce, and tossing with a fresh bowl of salad components.

The combination consists of soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and honey (using both is lovely, two subtly different caramelizations), fresh ginger and garlic, and a splash of rice vinegar. Pour half into a bowl with cubed salmon and let that sit for around 15 minutes. If you have longer, do it for longer, but if not, 15 suffices.

After the fish sits in its bath for awhile, spread the cubes onto a baking sheet and roast for 12-15 minutes. I like to keep the baking sheet bare of parchment, greasing with a bit of oil instead, and switch on the broiler for a few minutes at the end of baking time. Crispy edges on salmon is glorious. Fucking gold medal Olympic-caliber nom.

Bring On the Sauce

While the salmon roasts, cook up the rest of the marinade into a thick, dreamy sauce.

Pull a couple tablespoons of the sauce out first and toss it over some chopped cucumber, avocado, and peach. You can use mango or pineapple if you prefer, or omit the fruit, but I had some peaches left from my summertime palooza and added them for some color and sweetness.

Pour the remaining soy mix into a sauce pan and boil until reduced by about 1/3. The rule of thumb to viscosity: it should coat the back of a spoon. Or the front, I guess. Why always just the back? Anywho, once it reaches this point, it’s good to go. This takes no more than 10 minutes.

Look at that. Everything’s done. I always have rice in my rice cooker so I plate everything on top a nice big pile. Glaze the whole shebang with as much sauce as you please and a few spronkles of sesame seeds and green onions.

The last (I suppose optional) step? Some spicy mayo. Makes the dish a bit more sushi-esque. Just mix some mayonnaise or vegan mayo – I always use the latter, not huge on the real thing – with sriracha, honey, and smoked paprika. Spicy mayo is a rad condiment to keep around for jazzing up many a dish.

Hope you have a razzy, jazzy Thursday, folks!

Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

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crispy sesame salmon bowls

Baked salmon slathered in a rich sesame reduction. Just peep those colors!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Marinating time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb salmon, cubed
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Persian cucumbers,sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 peach, sliced
• steamed rice, green onions, spicy mayo (recipe in notes), and sesame seeds, to serve

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Reserve half of the marinade and toss the rest with the salmon cubes. Let rest for 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge.
• In a small bowl, toss the cucumber, avocado, and peaches with 2 tablespoons of the reserved marinade.
• Remove the salmon from the marinade and set on the baking sheet. Discard marinade. Bake 12-15 minutes until tender to your liking. If desired, switch on the broiler to high for the last 2-3 minutes. Watch closely. Do not use parchment on your baking sheet if you plan to do this or you'll be screaming FIRE IN THE HOLE very quickly.
• While the salmon roasts, pour the reserved marinade into a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until reduced by about 1/3, about 8-10 minutes. The sauce should stick to the back of a spoon.
• Divide the salmon and cucumber salad among bowls over piles of rice. Drizzle with the sesame reduction and spicy mayo, and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds, as desired. Meal prepped salmon keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Notes

*Spicy mayo: Combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1-2 tablespoons of sriracha (to your taste), 1 tsp honey, and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika. Adjust seasonings as necessary.

Keyword asian, bowl, cucumber, main course, pescatarian, rice, salmon, sesame, spicy mayo