Sous Vide Salmon with Meyer Lemon–Olive Salsa, Delicata Squash, Cep Brussels Sprouts and Ryeso Brown-Butter Cabbage

Sous Vide Salmon with Crisp Skin

Gentle water-bath cooking keeps the salmon succulent, while cooking the skin separately delivers crispness without overcooking the flesh.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb very fresh skin-on salmon, pin bones removed, cut into 4 portions about 1 inch thick
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, plus a little for the skin

Instructions

1. Heat a sous vide bath to 125°F / 52°C. Carefully remove the skin from each salmon portion with a sharp knife; reserve it.
2. Season the flesh with the salt and place in a single layer in suitable sous vide bags with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Seal gently or use water displacement, keeping the bag openings above water.
3. Cook portions about 1 inch thick for 45–60 minutes. The flesh should be tender and moist, with a translucent center. Remove from the bags just before serving and blot gently.
4. For the skin, heat an oven to 375°F / 190°C. Scrape away any thick patches of attached flesh, pat the skin very dry, then rub with the remaining teaspoon of oil and a little salt.
5. Lay the skin flat between sheets of parchment on a rimmed baking sheet and place a second baking sheet on top. Bake for 20–30 minutes, checking after 20 minutes, until rendered and crisp. Transfer to a rack; it will firm further as it cools.

Notes

• The 125°F preparation is intentionally below the USDA recommendation and is not a pasteurization process. Use salmon suitable for undercooked service, with appropriate parasite control; freshness alone does not establish safety.
• For pregnant, elderly or immunocompromised diners, and anyone avoiding undercooked fish, cook the salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F / 63°C instead.

Meyer Lemon and Green Olive Salsa

Sweet-tart Meyer lemon and briny olives cut through the salmon and butter-rich vegetables. Hand chopping keeps the salsa lively rather than turning it into a purée.

Ingredients

• 2 Meyer lemons, washed
• 3/4 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped
• 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, chopped
• 1 tbsp finely minced shallot
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Finely grate 1 teaspoon zest from the lemons. Cut away their remaining peel and pith, then cut the flesh into small pieces, removing seeds and collecting the juice.
2. Combine the lemon flesh, zest, olives, shallot and olive oil with 1 tablespoon collected juice. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Fold in the parsley shortly before serving. Taste before adding salt, then season with pepper and additional lemon juice as needed. Keep the salsa chunky and spoonable.

Notes

• If the olives are especially salty, rinse and dry them before chopping.

Roasted Delicata Squash Halves

Roasting the halves cut-side down concentrates their sweetness and gives the rims a dark caramelized edge while the centers stay soft.

Ingredients

• 2 medium delicata squash
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
2. Rub the cut surfaces and skins with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Roast for 30–40 minutes, until the flesh yields easily to a knife and the cut edges are deeply browned. Turn cut-side up to serve.

Notes

• The skin is edible; no peeling is needed.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cep Tamari

A hot, uncrowded pan produces crisp leaves and browned centers. Adding the mushroom-rich tamari near the end prevents it from scorching.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp Noma Projects cep tamari, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp Meyer lemon juice
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Dry the Brussels sprouts thoroughly and toss with the olive oil and pepper.
2. Arrange cut-side down on a metal baking sheet, leaving room between pieces. Roast for 20–25 minutes, until the cut faces are dark golden and the centers are just tender.
3. Drizzle with the cep tamari, toss, and roast for another 2–3 minutes. Remove and finish with Meyer lemon juice. Taste before adding more tamari.

Notes

• Check loose leaves early and remove any that become crisp before the larger pieces are done.

Roasted Cabbage

Small wedges retain enough core to hold together while exposing plenty of surface for browning. Their sweet, tender layers catch the brown-butter sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 small green cabbage, about 1.5 lb
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Trim the dry base of the cabbage, leaving the core intact, and cut into 8 wedges.
2. Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper, working a little oil between the outer leaves. Arrange on a metal baking sheet on a cut face.
3. Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning after about 20 minutes, until both cut faces are well browned and a knife passes readily through the thickest part.
4. Transfer to a warm platter and spoon the ryeso brown butter over the cabbage just before serving.

Ryeso Brown Butter

Browned milk solids echo the roasted cabbage, while rye-bread miso adds fermented depth. A little water loosens the butter into a sauce that clings to the leaves.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp Noma Projects ryeso, stirred well
• 2 tbsp warm water, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp Meyer lemon juice

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a small light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl frequently until the milk solids turn hazelnut brown and smell nutty, about 4–6 minutes.
2. Immediately remove from the heat and let the vigorous bubbling subside. In a small bowl, loosen the ryeso with the warm water.
3. Carefully whisk the diluted ryeso into the browned butter, then add the lemon juice. Whisk until glossy, adding warm water a teaspoon at a time if needed for a spoonable consistency.
4. Keep warm off direct heat and whisk again before spooning over the cabbage.

Notes

• Ryeso contains rye bread and is not gluten-free.
• If the sauce separates, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water off heat. Do not boil after adding the ryeso.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The skin crisps first, then the vegetables share a hotter oven while the salmon cooks gently in its water bath.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 375°F / 190°C and the water bath to 125°F / 52°C. Remove the salmon skin and prepare it for baking.
2. 0:10 — Put the skin in the oven. Season and bag the salmon; refrigerate briefly while preparing the vegetables.
3. 0:15 — Cut the squash, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Prepare the lemon–olive salsa, keeping the parsley separate.
4. 0:30 — Check the skin and remove when crisp. Raise the oven to 425°F / 220°C and put the salmon into the water bath.
5. 0:35 — Start roasting the squash and cabbage on separate trays. Add the Brussels sprouts about 10 minutes later. Use convection if available, leave airspace between trays, and rotate them as needed.
6. 1:00 — Make the ryeso brown butter. Check the vegetables for doneness and finish the Brussels sprouts with cep tamari and lemon.
7. 1:15 — Fold parsley into the salsa, remove the salmon from its bags, and plate everything immediately. Allow a few extra minutes if the crowded oven slows browning.

Notes

• If oven space is limited, roast the squash and cabbage first, then hold loosely covered while the Brussels sprouts cook.

Plating

Keeping the sauces with their intended components preserves the contrast between bright salmon, sweet squash and deeply savory vegetables.

Instructions

1. Place one delicata half along one side of each warm plate.
2. Lift the salmon onto the other side, leaving it whole or allowing it to separate into large natural flakes. Spoon the Meyer lemon–olive salsa generously over the flesh.
3. Arrange cabbage and Brussels sprouts alongside. Spoon the ryeso brown butter over the cabbage rather than across the whole plate.
4. Lay the crisp salmon skin across the fish at the last moment, keeping most of it above the salsa so it stays crisp.

Leftover Path

Separate storage protects the salsa's freshness and prevents the roasted vegetables and salmon skin from becoming soggy.

Instructions

1. For salmon you intend to save, chill the sealed portions immediately in an ice-water bath, then refrigerate promptly at 40°F / 4°C or below. Because this low-temperature cook is not pasteurized, use within 1 day and do not treat the sealed bag as extended-life storage.
2. Refrigerate the vegetables, salsa and brown butter separately within 2 hours. Use the salsa within 2 days and the cooked vegetables within 3–4 days.
3. Reheat the vegetables in a 400°F / 205°C oven until hot, about 10–15 minutes. Warm the brown butter gently with a splash of water and whisk to recombine.
4. Serve the chilled salmon with the remaining salsa and warm vegetables, or reheat it to 165°F / 74°C for conventional leftover safety, accepting a firmer texture. Recrisp refrigerated skin briefly in the oven and use within 1 day.