Nobu-Inspired Miso Salmon with Pickled Vegetable Garden
Inspired by Nobu Matsuhisa’s iconic miso-marinated black cod, salmon is marinated in white miso, sake and mirin, then roasted and caramelised until glossy. A colourful garden of lightly pickled vegetables provides freshness, acidity and crisp texture against the rich fermented miso glaze.
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Print Pin RateServings: 4 Servings
Calories: 226kcal
Cost: £12.00
Equipment
- 2 Small Saucepans
- 1 Non-Reactive Dish, for marinating the salmon
- 5 Small Dishes, for pickled vegetables.
- 1 Baking Tray
Ingredients
Miso Salmon
- 4 each Salmon Fillets, approximately 170–180g each, skinless and pin-boned. (6–6½ oz each)
- 45 ml Sake 1½ fl oz
- 45 ml Hon Mirin 1½ fl oz
- 100 g White Miso Paste 3½ oz
- 40 g Caster Sugar 1½ oz
- 15 ml Neutral Oil ½ fl oz
Pickled Vegetable Garden
- 80 g Daikon Radish, cut into fine ribbons or julienne 2¾ oz
- 80 g Carrot, cut into fine ribbons or julienne 2¾ oz
- 80 g Cucumber, cut into fine ribbons 2¾ oz
- 60 g Red Radishes, very thinly sliced 2 oz
- 50 g Red Sweet Pepper, cut into fine julienne 1¾ oz
- 100 ml Rice Vinegar 3½ fl oz
- 50 ml Water 1¾ fl oz
- 30 g Caster Sugar 1 oz
- 5 g Fine Sea Salt 1 tsp
- 15 ml Hon Mirin ½ fl oz
- 10 g Fresh Ginger, thinly sliced ⅓ oz
To Finish
- 20 g Pickled Ginger finely julienned (¾ oz)
- 10 g Spring Onion finely sliced (⅓ oz)
- 5 g Toasted Sesame Seeds ⅙ oz
- Micro Coriander, Shiso or Coriander Leaves, as required
Instructions
- Place the sake and mirin in a small saucepan and bring briefly to the boil.
- Reduce the heat and whisk in the white miso until completely smooth.
- Add the caster sugar and cook gently, whisking continuously, until dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and allow the marinade to cool completely.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry and place in a non-reactive container.
- Coat evenly with the miso marinade, cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. For a stronger flavour, marinate for up to 24 hours.
- For the pickled vegetables, combine the rice vinegar, water, caster sugar, salt, mirin and ginger in a saucepan.
- Warm gently until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
- Keep the different vegetables separate to preserve their individual colours.
- Pour sufficient pickling liquid over each vegetable to coat generously and refrigerate for approximately 30–60 minutes.
- Drain thoroughly before presentation. The vegetables should remain crisp, brightly coloured and lightly acidic rather than heavily pickled.
- Remove the salmon from the refrigerator approximately 20 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) and the overhead grill or salamander to high.
- Lift the salmon from the marinade and gently scrape away the excess without rinsing.
- Lightly oil an ovenproof tray or pan and arrange the salmon with the presentation side uppermost.
- Roast for approximately 6–8 minutes, depending on thickness.
- Transfer immediately beneath the hot grill for 1–2 minutes until the miso glaze is glossy, deeply caramelised and lightly charred around the edges.
- Rest for 2 minutes before plating.
Presentation
- Use a large contemporary plate, preferably dark ceramic, stoneware or another restrained surface that allows the salmon and vegetables to provide the colour.
- Position the salmon slightly off-centre rather than in the middle of the plate.
- Arrange the pickled vegetables as a loose vertical garden running alongside and partially behind the salmon rather than as a conventional mound.
- Twist the cucumber and daikon ribbons into loose loops. Interlace these with carrot ribbons, fine red pepper julienne and translucent radish slices, allowing individual colours and shapes to remain visible.
- Introduce several strands of pickled ginger through the vegetables rather than placing it separately.
- Finish the salmon with a few sesame seeds and spring onion.
- Add small shiso, micro coriander or coriander leaves through the vegetable arrangement to create height and movement.
- The final plate should appear deliberately asymmetrical, with the caramelised salmon providing the visual weight and the pickled vegetables appearing almost as a small edible garden beside it.
Notes
This recipe takes its inspiration from the miso-marinated black cod technique made famous by Nobu Matsuhisa. The classic combination of white miso, sake, mirin and sugar produces the characteristic sweet-savoury glaze and intense caramelisation.
Salmon works particularly well as an alternative because its natural richness stands up to the miso, although it requires a shorter marination than black cod. The reference recipe itself identifies salmon as a suitable substitute.
White miso provides sweetness, umami and fermented depth without overwhelming the salmon.
Keep the vegetable pickle restrained. Its purpose is to cut the richness of the miso-glazed salmon while contributing colour and texture.
Do not combine the vegetables during pickling. Red radish and peppers can bleed colour into paler ingredients.
The vegetables may be prepared several hours ahead but should retain a fresh, crisp character.
Remove excess miso marinade before cooking. Too much glaze will burn before the salmon is cooked.
Nutrition
Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1560mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 3795IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
Rate this Recipe
✨ Tried this recipe? We’d love your feedback! 💬 Leave a comment above and ⭐️ give it a star rating — it helps others and makes our kitchen happy too.
Nobu-Inspired Miso Salmon with Pickled Vegetable Garden
Inspired by Nobu Matsuhisa’s iconic miso-marinated black cod, salmon is marinated in white miso, sake and mirin, then roasted and caramelised until glossy. A colourful garden of lightly pickled vegetables provides freshness, acidity and crisp texture against the rich fermented miso glaze.
⭐ Have you tried this recipe? Click the stars to rate it and leave a quick comment below.
Print Pin RateServings: 4 Servings
Calories: 226kcal
Cost: £12.00
Equipment
- 2 Small Saucepans
- 1 Non-Reactive Dish, for marinating the salmon
- 5 Small Dishes, for pickled vegetables.
- 1 Baking Tray
Ingredients
Miso Salmon
- 4 each Salmon Fillets, approximately 170–180g each, skinless and pin-boned. (6–6½ oz each)
- 45 ml Sake 1½ fl oz
- 45 ml Hon Mirin 1½ fl oz
- 100 g White Miso Paste 3½ oz
- 40 g Caster Sugar 1½ oz
- 15 ml Neutral Oil ½ fl oz
Pickled Vegetable Garden
- 80 g Daikon Radish, cut into fine ribbons or julienne 2¾ oz
- 80 g Carrot, cut into fine ribbons or julienne 2¾ oz
- 80 g Cucumber, cut into fine ribbons 2¾ oz
- 60 g Red Radishes, very thinly sliced 2 oz
- 50 g Red Sweet Pepper, cut into fine julienne 1¾ oz
- 100 ml Rice Vinegar 3½ fl oz
- 50 ml Water 1¾ fl oz
- 30 g Caster Sugar 1 oz
- 5 g Fine Sea Salt 1 tsp
- 15 ml Hon Mirin ½ fl oz
- 10 g Fresh Ginger, thinly sliced ⅓ oz
To Finish
- 20 g Pickled Ginger finely julienned (¾ oz)
- 10 g Spring Onion finely sliced (⅓ oz)
- 5 g Toasted Sesame Seeds ⅙ oz
- Micro Coriander, Shiso or Coriander Leaves, as required
Instructions
- Place the sake and mirin in a small saucepan and bring briefly to the boil.
- Reduce the heat and whisk in the white miso until completely smooth.
- Add the caster sugar and cook gently, whisking continuously, until dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and allow the marinade to cool completely.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry and place in a non-reactive container.
- Coat evenly with the miso marinade, cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. For a stronger flavour, marinate for up to 24 hours.
- For the pickled vegetables, combine the rice vinegar, water, caster sugar, salt, mirin and ginger in a saucepan.
- Warm gently until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
- Keep the different vegetables separate to preserve their individual colours.
- Pour sufficient pickling liquid over each vegetable to coat generously and refrigerate for approximately 30–60 minutes.
- Drain thoroughly before presentation. The vegetables should remain crisp, brightly coloured and lightly acidic rather than heavily pickled.
- Remove the salmon from the refrigerator approximately 20 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) and the overhead grill or salamander to high.
- Lift the salmon from the marinade and gently scrape away the excess without rinsing.
- Lightly oil an ovenproof tray or pan and arrange the salmon with the presentation side uppermost.
- Roast for approximately 6–8 minutes, depending on thickness.
- Transfer immediately beneath the hot grill for 1–2 minutes until the miso glaze is glossy, deeply caramelised and lightly charred around the edges.
- Rest for 2 minutes before plating.
Presentation
- Use a large contemporary plate, preferably dark ceramic, stoneware or another restrained surface that allows the salmon and vegetables to provide the colour.
- Position the salmon slightly off-centre rather than in the middle of the plate.
- Arrange the pickled vegetables as a loose vertical garden running alongside and partially behind the salmon rather than as a conventional mound.
- Twist the cucumber and daikon ribbons into loose loops. Interlace these with carrot ribbons, fine red pepper julienne and translucent radish slices, allowing individual colours and shapes to remain visible.
- Introduce several strands of pickled ginger through the vegetables rather than placing it separately.
- Finish the salmon with a few sesame seeds and spring onion.
- Add small shiso, micro coriander or coriander leaves through the vegetable arrangement to create height and movement.
- The final plate should appear deliberately asymmetrical, with the caramelised salmon providing the visual weight and the pickled vegetables appearing almost as a small edible garden beside it.
Notes
This recipe takes its inspiration from the miso-marinated black cod technique made famous by Nobu Matsuhisa. The classic combination of white miso, sake, mirin and sugar produces the characteristic sweet-savoury glaze and intense caramelisation.
Salmon works particularly well as an alternative because its natural richness stands up to the miso, although it requires a shorter marination than black cod. The reference recipe itself identifies salmon as a suitable substitute.
White miso provides sweetness, umami and fermented depth without overwhelming the salmon.
Keep the vegetable pickle restrained. Its purpose is to cut the richness of the miso-glazed salmon while contributing colour and texture.
Do not combine the vegetables during pickling. Red radish and peppers can bleed colour into paler ingredients.
The vegetables may be prepared several hours ahead but should retain a fresh, crisp character.
Remove excess miso marinade before cooking. Too much glaze will burn before the salmon is cooked.
Nutrition
Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1560mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 3795IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
Rate this Recipe
✨ Tried this recipe? We’d love your feedback! 💬 Leave a comment above and ⭐️ give it a star rating — it helps others and makes our kitchen happy too.