Shio Koji Salmon Wings with Miso-Butter Broccolini and Dashi-Simmered Hokkaido Squash

Broiled Shio Koji Salmon Wings

Shio koji seasons the irregular cuts and encourages browning without a heavy glaze. Broiling renders the fatty edges while keeping the flesh around the bones succulent.

Ingredients

• 8 pieces salmon wings, fin-attached collar/belly cuts, about 2–2½ pounds total
• 3 tablespoons gluten-free shio koji
• 1 teaspoon avocado oil, for the broiler rack

Instructions

1. Check the salmon for loose scales and bone fragments, then pat dry. Coat the fleshy portions evenly with shio koji and refrigerate, covered, for 4–12 hours.
2. Heat the broiler to high with a rack about 6–8 inches below the element. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a lightly oiled broiler-safe rack on top.
3. Wipe away excess koji without rinsing and pat away surface moisture. Arrange the wings in one layer with the broad fleshy sides facing up. Shield exposed fin tips with small pieces of foil if they sit close to the element.
4. Broil for 8–14 minutes, turning once if needed for even cooking. Begin checking small pieces at 6 minutes; move the tray farther from the heat if the koji darkens before the flesh cooks.
5. Remove each piece when the thickest fleshy portion reaches 145°F, measured away from bone, and the meat flakes readily. Rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Ask the fishmonger for salmon wings with a generous strip of flesh attached; yield varies considerably with the cut.
• Do not add salt before cooking: shio koji and the accompanying tamari provide the seasoning.

Shiitake Tamari for Dipping

A small amount of mushroom-rich tamari adds concentrated umami without hiding the salmon's delicate koji seasoning.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons gluten-free shiitake tamari
• 1–2 teaspoons water, only if needed

Instructions

1. Taste the shiitake tamari. If especially concentrated, soften it with a little water; otherwise serve it straight.
2. Divide among four small dipping dishes, about 1½ teaspoons per person.

Notes

• Serve alongside rather than pouring over the salmon, so each bite can be seasoned lightly.

Broccolini with Chanterelle Miso Butter

Blanching keeps the stems juicy and the florets green. A little hot cooking water turns butter and miso into a light coating rather than a heavy sauce.

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds broccolini
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ tablespoons gluten-free chanterelle miso
• 2–3 tablespoons hot broccolini cooking water
• to taste salt, for the blanching water

Instructions

1. Trim the dry ends from the broccolini and split particularly thick stems lengthwise. Mash the softened butter and chanterelle miso together.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the broccolini and cook for 2–4 minutes, until bright green and just tender through the stems.
3. Reserve a small cup of cooking water, then drain the broccolini thoroughly.
4. In a wide pan over low heat, stir the miso butter with 2 tablespoons of hot cooking water until glossy. Add the broccolini and toss for 30–60 seconds to coat, adding a little more water if needed.
5. Taste before adding any further salt and serve promptly.

Notes

• Keep the heat low after adding the miso butter; boiling or frying it can split the coating and dull its fermented aroma.

Hokkaido Squash Simmered in Dashi, Tamari, and Sake

A shallow, gentle simmer lets the squash absorb savory broth while retaining its shape. Its natural sweetness balances the fermented seasonings elsewhere on the plate.

Ingredients

• 1 small Hokkaido squash, about 2 pounds
• 1½ cups gluten-free bonito-kombu dashi
• 2 tablespoons dry sake
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari

Instructions

1. Scrub the squash, halve it, and remove the seeds and stringy pulp. Leave the skin on and cut into broad pieces about 1½–2 inches thick.
2. Arrange the pieces skin-side down in a snug, wide saucepan. Add the dashi, sake, and tamari; the liquid should reach about halfway up the squash.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a parchment drop lid or a lid left slightly ajar and cook over low heat for 15–22 minutes, until a skewer slips easily through the flesh and skin.
4. Avoid stirring; spoon broth over exposed surfaces occasionally. If the pan becomes nearly dry before the squash is tender, add a splash of water.
5. Remove from the heat and let stand in the broth for 5 minutes. Lift the pieces out carefully with a wide spoon, allowing excess broth to drain.

Notes

• Keep the simmer gentle for soft, intact pieces rather than broken squash. The finished flesh should be tender and yielding, not crisp.
• Taste the dashi before adding tamari; use less tamari if the broth is already salted.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The squash can rest while the salmon broils, leaving only a quick broccolini finish at the end.

Instructions

1. 4–12 hours ahead: Coat the salmon with shio koji and refrigerate.
2. 0:00 — Prepare the squash and start its gentle simmer.
3. 0:10 — Trim the broccolini, mix the miso butter, and bring the blanching water to a boil. Portion the shiitake tamari.
4. 0:18 — Preheat the broiler and prepare the salmon tray.
5. 0:23 — Check the squash for tenderness and begin broiling the salmon. Let the cooked squash rest in its broth.
6. 0:28 — Blanch the broccolini, then coat it in the warm miso butter.
7. 0:35–0:40 — Check the salmon's temperature, rest briefly, and plate everything warm.

Plating

Keeping the three foods distinct preserves the salmon's broiled surface and the broccolini's glossy coating.

Instructions

1. Place two salmon wings on each warm plate with their fins pointing toward the upper edge.
2. Set a few broad pieces of drained squash beside the salmon and arrange the broccolini across the lower part of the plate.
3. Spoon any remaining miso butter over the broccolini rather than the fish. Serve the shiitake tamari in small dishes alongside.
4. Provide a small bone plate for the salmon fins and bones.

Leftover Path

Separating the fish from its bones while it is still easy to handle makes the leftovers useful, while storing the squash in broth keeps it moist.

Instructions

1. Remove leftover salmon flesh from the fins and bones. Refrigerate it separately from the vegetables in covered containers within 2 hours; store the squash with its simmering broth.
2. Use the salmon within 2 days, gently warming it covered with a splash of water or serving it chilled. Reheat to 165°F when serving hot.
3. Reheat squash gently in its broth. Warm the broccolini briefly over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the butter coating; use the vegetables within 3 days.
4. For another meal, flake the salmon into warm squash and dashi, then add chopped broccolini just before serving.