I have been meaning to post this recipe for months! I even had most of the blog written up, and then I got wrapped up in work and life and just didn’t get around to it. But since I finally posted up a new recipe with my banana bread, I figured it was high time to finish writing up this recipe and post it all ready!
I’ve given my whole back story to seafood before, but the last fish to conquer turned out to be salmon. I was massively wary of trying salmon because so many describe it as “fishy.” And if you eat a lot of fish, you know what I mean by “fishy.” But I finally relented and tried salmon… and unfortunately, it was a very fishy salmon. I almost gave up entirely, but tried one more salmon dish at my local Thai restaurant that was amazing!
So, I started exploring more dishes with salmon and discovered that I hate… I mean, I loathe Pacific salmon. I find Pacific salmon varieties to be super fishy in flavor and they just don’t jive with my taste buds. BUT, Atlantic salmon has an amazing flavor, and when cooked right, is better than biting into a good steak. So, now I’m totally hooked on salmon!
This dish turned out so delicious, that I’m jazzed that this is my first blog in a while. And, if you’ve been uncertain about trying salmon, I encourage you to try Atlantic salmon… which, it turns out, is very affordable and way, way cheaper than Pacific salmon (or steak, for that matter!).
Don’t let the long list of ingredients for the sauce scare you. They all meld beautifully together, and you’re left with a slightly sweet, mildly spicy sauce. I used it to marinate the salmon and then added cornstarch to it to stir fry the udon noodles… which, by the way, killed off any possible bacteria from the raw fish!
I used broccoli and carrots, roasted in the oven, but feel free to use other veggies if you prefer! Peppers would be great. Bok choy would be awesome! Or, stick with the roast broccoli and carrots, which are lightly coated in sesame oil for an amazing flavor!
Enjoy!
Asian Caramelized Atlantic Salmon and Stir-fried Udon Bowls
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour marinade
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Seafood
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
4 Atlantic skin-on salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
12 ounces fresh broccoli florets
2 large carrots, cut into 1” pieces
24 ounces fresh udon noodles
3 TBs sesame oil, divided
3 green onions, roughly chopped
handful cilantro, roughly choppped
sesame seeds
Sauce
⅓ cup soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
2 TBs rice vinegar
2 TBs rice wine
2 TBs sesame oil
2 TBs hoisin sauce
2 TBs fish sauce
1 TB sriracha
1 TB sambal oelek
1 lime, zested and juiced
2” ginger, finely minced
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 TBs cornstarch
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients BUT the cornstarch. Lay the salmon, skin side up, in a glass serving dish and pour the sauce over the top. Let marinate for at least one hour, but preferably all day.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread the carrots and broccoli out on a baking tray. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and sprinkle with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Toss with clean hands to thoroughly coat in the oil. Bake for 25 minutes, tossing halfway through.
Meanwhile, remove the salmon from the marinade, scrapping off any garlic and ginger from the skin. Place aside on a plate. Add the cornstarch to the sauce and whisk to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil in a large cast iron pan over medium high heat. When searing hot, place the salmon skin-side down into the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and dark brown. Flip over, being careful not to damage the skin. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook another 5 to 8 minutes (depending on thickness).
In a large saucepan or wok, add the sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the udon noodles. Cover and let heat through, tossing with tongs until the udon noodles are heated through and loose. Add the broccoli and carrots to the pan and toss to combine. Divide evenly among bowls and garnish with green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Top with a fillet of salmon and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Keywords: atlantic salmon, salmon udon bowl, seafood Saturday, Asian salmon, Asian caramelized salmon, salmon bowls
