Broiled Gochujang Salmon with Asparagus
Simple to prepare and full of umami flavor, this broiled salmon is placed under the broiler for a few minutes until the fish is firm and flaky, then brushed with a sweet-spicy glaze The asparagus cooks alongside the salmon to make a dinner in minutes!
Equipment
Ingredients
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) gochujang sauce or substitute with an equal amount of hoisin sauce blended with ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger optional
Salmon
- 4 6-ounce (450 g) salmon fillets preferably skin-on
- 8 ounces (225 g) fresh asparagus spears trimmed
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion greens or chopped fresh chives
Instructions
Make the glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang or hoisin sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice wine vinegar and ginger. Spoon out 2 tablespoons of the glaze and reserve in a separate small bowl.
Broil the salmon
- Position an oven rack 6-inches from the heat source and fully preheat the broiler for about 10 minutes. Line a 13x9-inch rimmed baking sheet with a piece of foil for easier clean up (don't use parchment paper, which will burn under the broiler).
- Put the salmon fillets on the sheet pan and arrange the asparagus in handfuls around the salmon in a flat layer. Drizzle some olive oil over the salmon and asparagus (about 1 tablespoon) and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the pan under the broiler and broil 2-5 minutes, until the salmon looks opaque and almost completely cooked through and the asparagus is bright green. The timing will vary depending on the power of your particular broiler and the thickness of the fillets.
- Brush the top of the salmon with the 2 tablespoons reserved glaze. Return to the broiler and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through and the glaze is set (watch carefully so that the glaze doesn’t burn).
- Sprinkle the sliced scallion or chives over the salmon and serve with additional glaze spooned over.
Notes
- Note on broiler temperature: Broiling is a quick and convenient method for cooking fish fillets. But because every stove is different, the broiler power will vary. Unless you're using a professional-style appliance, home stoves and ovens are limited when it comes to controlling broiling temperatures. The key to success is to preheat whatever broiler you have for about 10 minutes before cooking, which generally heats to 550F when the "broil" option is selected.
- The glaze can be made ahead up to a week in advance. Keep it refrigerated until ready to use.
- When it's time to serve the salmon, simply use a spatula to separate the skin from the cooked salmon fillets — it should come off easily.
- The cooked salmon keeps refrigerated up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing.
- Rewarm in a microwave at low power (level 2 or 3) until warmed through, about 5 minutes, or 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSodium: 374mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6g
