Teriyaki Salmon

As I wade further and further into the world of “grown-up,” I’m realizing that Cheetos and three-buck Chuck no longer counts as an acceptable weeknight dinner. I’ve upgraded to the occasional $10 Tempranillo in the wine department, and it turns out, I should probably upgrade what’s on my plate too.

Weeknight cooking is the bane of any busy human, and I am no exception. I know that to an outsider, my life is pathetically uncomplicated: I go to work somewhere between 8:30 and 10 a.m., leave (hopefully) around 5 or (usually) around 6, maybe head to the gym, and then head home.* No kids, no second job, no pets, and few hobbies (this blog aside). So, for all intents and purposes, weeknight cooking should be a breeze, right?

Except that it’s not. After a long day at work, even the idea of planning out, shopping for, preparing and cleaning up a meal seems too much. Obviously, the dream is to have a fridge full of freshly cooked meals, meticulously made over the weekend. But the reality is that doesn’t always happen, and then you get home on a cold, wet Tuesday and Seamless beckons with its sweet sweet promises of here-in-seconds delivery.

But let’s be real for a minute. That food never comes as fast as it says it will. And when it does, it’s never as delicious as you want it to be. Some nights, I’m so hungry and tired that I ignore this, but often, halfway through my dinner I come to the sad realization: I could make this better.

So for those nights, I offer you this recipe: teriyaki salmon that takes 30 minutes start to finish, is never too sweet or too gluey, and remains tender and flaky. It’s everything you want your Japanese delivery salmon to be, and perfect with quick fried rice and steamed vegetables on the side. It may not solve all of your weeknight cooking troubles, but it’s a solid go-to, a weeknight staple for those nights when even Googling a recipe seems daunting.

*If that sounds sad or unfulfilling to you, trust me: it’s GLORIOUS.

Teriyaki Salmon

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Ingredients

For the marinade

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
• 2 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin on

For the teriyaki sauce

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons water, divided
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

To serve

• chopped scallions
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Marinate the salmon: in a plastic Ziploc bag, combine the soy sauce, garlic, ginger and scallions. Place the fish in the bag and move it around until the fish is well-coated in the marinade.
3. Make the teriyaki sauce: heat the oil on medium-low heat in a saucepan. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add in the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the water, honey and rice wine vinegar. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and remaining tablespoon of water until well combined. Slowly whisk this mixture into the teriyaki sauce and simmer until the sauce has thickened, whisking frequently, about 2-3 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon.
5. Lightly oil two sheets of tin foil and place each salmon on the foil. Brush the salmon with the teriyaki sauce, then wrap the foil around the salmon (it should be completely covered).
6. Place the salmon packets on a baking sheet or baking pan, then bake for 10 minutes. Unwrap the packets and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes so that the salmon gets some color. (You could also broil the salmon for 1-2 minutes.)
7. Remove the salmon from the oven and take off the skin if desired. Sprinkle with the chopped scallions and sesame seeds, then serve immediately.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2