Coho Salmon with Chanterelles and Chanterelle Miso Sauce, Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, and Pumpkin Bushi Parsnip Fries

Crisp-Skinned Coho Salmon

A thoroughly dried skin and steady skillet heat give lean coho a crisp surface without needing a heavy crust. Cooking mostly skin-side down protects the flesh.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces skin-on coho salmon, 5–6 oz each, pin bones removed
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Pat the salmon very dry, especially the skin. Season with salt and pepper just before cooking.
2. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ghee, then lay the salmon in skin-side down, working in batches if necessary. Press gently with a spatula for the first 20–30 seconds to prevent curling.
3. Reduce to medium and cook for 5–8 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the flesh has turned opaque about two-thirds of the way up the sides.
4. Turn and cook for another 1–3 minutes, checking the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer. For fully cooked fish, reach 145°F; the flesh should be just opaque and separate into moist flakes.
5. Transfer to a warm plate skin-side up. Rest briefly while finishing the sauce; do not cover tightly.

Notes

• Coho is leaner than king salmon. Begin checking thin tail pieces early and remove individual portions as they finish.

Golden Chanterelles with Shallot, Garlic, and Parsley

Browning the chanterelles before adding aromatics concentrates their flavor and keeps them from becoming waterlogged. Parsley adds freshness against the rich miso sauce.

Ingredients

• 12 oz chanterelles
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Brush away grit and trim the chanterelle stems. If necessary, rinse briefly and dry thoroughly. Leave small mushrooms whole and tear large ones lengthwise.
2. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat and add the ghee. Add the mushrooms in a loose layer, using batches if needed.
3. Cook for 6–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until any released water evaporates and the mushrooms develop golden edges.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallot and salt and cook for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes, until softened but not dark.
5. Season with pepper and fold in the parsley. Transfer to a warm bowl, leaving the browned mushroom residue in the skillet for the sauce.

Notes

• If the mushrooms are particularly wet, let their liquid evaporate before expecting them to brown.

Chanterelle Miso Butter Sauce

Chanterelle miso extends the mushrooms' savory flavor, while butter gives the stock-based sauce a light gloss. A small amount of lemon keeps the finish from feeling heavy.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp Shared Cultures chanterelle miso, or to taste
• 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1–2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Add the stock to the mushroom skillet and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup, 4–6 minutes.
2. Whisk the miso with a spoonful of warm stock in a small bowl until smooth.
3. Lower the skillet heat to its minimum setting. Whisk in the miso mixture, then remove the skillet from the heat.
4. Whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time until glossy. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, taste, and add more only if needed.
5. Keep warm without boiling. The sauce should lightly coat a spoon but remain loose enough to pool around the fish.

Notes

• Miso salinity varies: start with 1 tablespoon if yours is particularly salty, then increase to taste.
• If the sauce becomes too thick or salty, whisk in warm water a tablespoon at a time. If it separates, whisk in a teaspoon of cool water off heat.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Aged Balsamic

High heat brings out the sprouts' sweetness and crisps their outer leaves. Adding aged balsamic after roasting preserves its fruity acidity and avoids scorching.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb small Brussels sprouts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Trim the sprouts and remove damaged leaves. Leave small sprouts whole; halve any larger than about 1 inch.
2. Dry thoroughly, then toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet with room between them, placing halved sprouts cut-side down.
3. Roast for 25–35 minutes, turning whole sprouts once, until deeply browned outside and tender when pierced. Remove loose leaves early if they begin to burn.
4. Toss the hot sprouts with the aged balsamic just before serving. Taste and adjust the salt.

Notes

• Use a naturally thick aged balsamic rather than a sweetened balsamic glaze.

Roasted Parsnip Fries with Pumpkin Bushi

Long parsnip batons caramelize at the edges while staying tender inside. Finely shaved pumpkin bushi adds a smoky, savory finish that balances their sweetness.

Ingredients

• 2 lb parsnips, peeled
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1–2 tbsp finely shaved or grated Noma Projects pumpkin bushi

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the parsnips into long batons about 1/2 inch thick. Remove any noticeably woody central cores.
2. Toss with the olive oil and salt. Spread in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between the pieces.
3. Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning after about 20 minutes, until tender through the center with golden-brown faces and crisp tips.
4. Immediately toss with 1 tablespoon pumpkin bushi. Taste, adding more bushi or salt as needed, and serve hot.

Notes

• These are roasted root-vegetable fries: expect caramelized edges and a tender center rather than a deep-fried potato texture.
• Add the pumpkin bushi after roasting so its delicate shavings do not scorch.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The vegetables roast together while the stovetop remains available for mushrooms, salmon, and sauce. Finishing the fish last keeps its skin crisp and flesh moist.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Prepare the parsnips and Brussels sprouts on separate baking sheets.
2. 0:15 — Put both trays in the oven. Clean the chanterelles, slice the aromatics, chop the parsley, and measure the sauce ingredients.
3. 0:25 — Cook the chanterelles and aromatics. Transfer them to a warm bowl, then reduce the stock in their skillet.
4. 0:35 — Turn the parsnips, check the sprouts, and rotate the trays between racks. Pat the salmon dry and begin heating a separate skillet.
5. 0:40 — Sear the salmon. Finish the miso butter sauce off heat while the fish cooks, keeping the sauce warm without simmering.
6. 0:50–0:55 — Check all components for doneness. Toss the sprouts with balsamic and the parsnips with pumpkin bushi. Plate immediately.

Notes

• Allow roughly 55–65 minutes total, depending on preparation speed and vegetable size. In a crowded oven, the vegetables may need an extra 5–10 minutes.

Plating

Keeping the fries and most of the salmon skin away from the sauce preserves their texture. Separate piles make the three autumn flavors distinct.

Instructions

1. Arrange a generous row of parsnip fries across one side of each warm plate and a compact pile of Brussels sprouts beside them.
2. Spoon a little chanterelle miso sauce onto the remaining space and set the salmon partly over it, skin-side up.
3. Spoon the chanterelles and their parsley-shallot mixture over one edge of the fish, leaving some crisp skin exposed. Add the remaining sauce around the salmon rather than over the fries.

Leftover Path

Separate storage prevents the roasted vegetables from soaking up sauce and lets the lean salmon reheat gently.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate the salmon, mushroom mixture, sauce, and roasted vegetables in separate airtight containers within 2 hours. Use within 3 days.
2. Reheat the parsnips and sprouts in a 400°F oven until hot and their edges have firmed up again, about 10–15 minutes.
3. Warm the mushrooms and sauce gently over low heat with a splash of water, whisking the sauce as needed.
4. For a hot leftover meal, cover the salmon and reheat gently in a 275°F oven until it reaches 165°F. Alternatively, serve it cold, flaked over the warm vegetables, with the sauce alongside.