Braised Salmon Belly in Miso Sauce

This recipe is adapted from Saba no Miso-ni (Braised Mackerel in Miso Sauce). Gimli Fish Market is one of stores that I like to buy my fish. Last week, I bought a package of Pickerel Cheeks, Salmon Trims and Swordfish.

Salmon trims are the cuts from salmon belly. I firstly felt in love with salmon belly teriyaki at the Sushi Hut in Brandon. I haven’t found this dish on the menu of Japanese restaurants in Winnipeg yet.

I was trying to recreate that salmon belly teriyaki. The moment I opened my fridge, I changed my mind. I saw miso packages, so I decided to open up my Japanese cookbook “Everyday Harumi” by Harumi Kurihara that I won from Serge the Concierge. I found a perfect recipe by using my miso, mirin, berry sugar (known as superfine sugar). It’s a recipe of Saba no Miso-ni. No saba (mackerel in English) no worry! There was a package of salmon belly trims.

If any readers speak Japanese, please let me know what the proper way to give this dish name since I used salmon belly.

Braised Salmon Belly in Miso Sauce
recipe by Harumi Kurihara, modified by me

Ingredients:
16 oz salmon belly trims
2 1/2 oz fresh ginger
2 cups sake (I substituted for clam juice, you have a choice to substitute with rice vinegar)
6 tbsps awase miso (a mix between aka and shiro miso)
6 tbsps berry sugar (also known as superfine sugar)
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup soy sauce (I used light soy sauce)

Directions:
1. Scrap ginger skin off with a spoon. Slice it thinly
2. Place clam juice, miso, sugar, mirin, and soy sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Add the ginger. When the sauce comes to a boil again, place the salmon belly trims in a single layer. Put the lid on and cook on low heat for about 5-10 minutes, by which time the sauce will have reduce and thickened.*
4. Serve on a plate and pour the remaining sauce over the fish.

Note:
* I have changed the cooking step a bit since salmon is very quick to cook. So, I don’t want to overcook them.