Soy-Mirin Marinated Salmon

Ahh, salmon. This guy is lucky he even made it to my frying pan, because one of my favorite ways to eat salmon is raw, over the cutting board, drizzled with a little bit of mirin. But it was time for a good piece of cooked salmon. Wild caught. In season for just a little bit longer. Oh baby, talk to me about salmon.

My favorite thing about salmon is the way it melts in my mouth like butter. So for this recipe, I spared no expense with the fat - in the salmon, the croutons, the onions. And it was totally worth it.

For the marinade:

1 pound wild caught salmon

1/2 c tamari (gluten free soy sauce)

1/4 c mirin

1 T olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Chili powder

Zest of one orange

For the rest:

2 tablespoons gluten free flour (I used millet and potato flour, but almost anything will work)

2 slices high quality gluten free bread, cubed

3 tablespoons butter, divided

Olive oil

2 green onions, sliced thin

1/2 medium onion, sliced thin

4 cups lettuce

Juice from one orange

Remove any bones from the salmon. Combine the ingredients for the marinade. Pour into a plastic bag, then add the salmon. Let stand for 30 minutes to an hour. 

Meanwhile, saute the onions in olive oil until soft and just beginning to brown. Remove from the pan, reserving any oil that is still in the pan. Add another tablespoon of olive oil, heating until shimmering. Add two tablespoons butter. When the butter has melted, add the bread cubes all at once, spreading around the pan so they absorb the oil equally. Fry the bread, turning occasionally, until browned on both sides. Remove the bread cubes, again reserving the oil. Remove the pan from heat. 

Remove the salmon, reserving the marinade.  Pat the salmon dry. Salt and pepper the salmon, then dredge in 1 tablespoon gluten free flour. Heat the oil in the pan, adding the last tablespoon of butter. Add the salmon and cook, several minutes on each side. 

Remove the salmon from the pan, then add the reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer, then cook until reduced slightly. Add the orange juice, and whisk.

Prepare the salad, laying down the lettuce, then the onions and scallions. Put the salmon on top, then dress with the soy-orange sauce. Top with the crutons.

Enjoy!