When I’m tired, I need fish. Any sort of fish will do, I’m not too fussy. Nor am I willing to ignore farmed salmon, despite some of the bad press it receives. I like to believe that the industry is improving with regard to environmental concerns. The pristine water around the Huon River at Dover and Lake Macquarie, where Australian Tasmanian Atlantic Salmon is farmed, looks as pure as can be. I can’t paint myself into a tight little purist corner when Tasmanian Atlantic salmon is often the only fish option available. Having said that, a little salmon goes a long way.
This little Japanese bowl takes 10 minutes to prepare. The recipe makes two large bowls.
The Marinade and Fish
- 200 g salmon, skin on, halved lengthwise.
- 1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce, Teriyaki or Tamari
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
Put fish fillets in a bowl and cover with the soy sauce and oil. (not the sesame seeds). Leave aside until ready to grill.
The Soup
- ½ litre or a little more of vegetable stock (or water and 1 vegetable stock cube)
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- mixed mushrooms, hand separated ( enoki, cloud ear fungus, shiitake)
- 1 tablespoon Miso paste
- 100 g silken tofu
- a large handful of baby spinach leaves
Putting it all together.
Turn on the grill to around 200c fan forced. Cover a baking tray with baking paper, arrange pieces of salmon on the tray and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Grill for around 5 minutes, then turn for 1 minute. Remove from grill.
Meanwhile, in a medium-sized saucepan, heat stock with mirin, soy, and miso on a gentle heat until well amalgamated for around 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms , then add the cubed tofu. Gently heat through to cook.
Flake the cooked fish and bits of juice from the tray into the base of serving bowls. Add the spinach leaves. Pour over the hot soup, sharing the mushroom and tofu pieces evenly.
If you are making this for four, count on around 100 g salmon per person and use a whole packet of silken tofu, then simply double all the other ingredients.
Time for an ear worm or stuck song syndrome for those old enough to remember:
ALMOST ITALIAN 
Noooooo, not the ear worm of Turning Japanese!!! Yes, I think so! I must remember this soup for when we come back from our travels, looks delicious. xx
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Happy Travels Ardys. I couldnt’t resist that ear worm. Bad isn’t it!
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It’s so bad it’s good!
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We have just been to Macquarie Harbour and the fish farms looked pretty well cared for.
Dud you know that song is supposed to be about wanking?
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I did read that, but then I also read that the song writer, David Fenton, denies this-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turning_Japanese
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Such an Aussie word, wanking. Love it.
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The word and the song crack me up. I don’t turn up my nose at farmed salmon either as I think they are trying hard to change. (Purist corners can become quite confining as well.) We used to frequent a Japanese home style restaurant that had a similar dish but not in soup form. This has reminded me of that, thanks so much for the memory jog. Delish.
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Fish is so nice and easy to digest isn’t it? I’m finding that I turn to it more often because of that.
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This is my kind of fast food. I escaped the impact of ‘Turning Japanese’ when it was a hit. I had my own ear worm AKA crying baby
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I had a baby in 1980 too, but as I had two other children aged 10 and 9 at the time, I wasn’t so immune from the hits of the day.
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Anything with salmon is wonderful! Love the stuff .. Sure is slurping good
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This sounds like a delicious preparation for salmon. I’ve never consider using it a soup but I will now. I’m pinning it and intend to give it a try sooner rather than later. Thanks, Francesca,for sharing your recipe and the ear worm. 🙂
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