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Soy-Glazed Salmon with Shiitake Mushrooms and Bok Choy

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on June 24, 2009

Yield

Serves 6

Soy-Glazed Salmon with Shiitake Mushrooms and Bok Choy

Ingredients

Salt 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips1 small head bok choy (about 1 ¼ pounds), cored and sliced crosswise into ½-inch-thick shreds1 ½ cups long grain white rice 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth ½ cup soy sauce ½ cup dry sherry ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar ¼ cup sugar 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce 1 tablespoon cornstarch 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean, stems discarded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press6 (6-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets (roughly 1 to 1 ¼ inches thick), skin removed4 scallions, white and light green parts only, sliced thin

Before You Begin

Asian chili sauce can be found near other spicy condiments in most supermarkets. If it is not available, 1 to 2 teaspoons of Tabasco can be substituted. You can substitute 1½ pounds of napa cabbage, cored and shredded into ½-inch thick pieces, for the bok choy.

Instructions

  1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot (with a perforated pasta insert, if available) over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and bok choy; cook for 10 seconds. Transfer the vegetables to a colander using a slotted spoon or mesh spider or by lifting out the pasta insert, if using. Pat dry with paper towels and transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Return the water to a boil and add the rice; cook until almost tender but still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain through a fine mesh strainer, shaking to remove any excess water. Toss with the red pepper and bok choy and set aside.
  3. Whisk the chicken broth, soy sauce, sherry, rice vinegar, sugar, chili sauce, and cornstarch together in a medium bowl; set aside. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the shiitakes and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Briefly re-whisk the soy mixture and add it to the pan; bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  4. Spread the rice and cabbage mixture into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish (or a shallow casserole dish of similar size). Lay the salmon fillets, skinned-side down, about ¼ inch apart on top of the rice. Pour the shiitake sauce evenly over the salmon. Bake until the salmon is cooked through and the rice is steaming, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve immediately.
Soy-Glazed Salmon with Shiitake Mushrooms and Bok Choy
Photography by Kritsada Panichgul. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Soy-Glazed Salmon with Shiitake Mushrooms and Bok Choy

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

Salt
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips
1 small head bok choy (about 1 ¼ pounds), cored and sliced crosswise into ½-inch-thick shreds
1 ½ cups long grain white rice
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup dry sherry
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean, stems discarded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
6 (6-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets (roughly 1 to 1 ¼ inches thick), skin removed
4 scallions, white and light green parts only, sliced thin

Ingredients

Salt
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips
1 small head bok choy (about 1 ¼ pounds), cored and sliced crosswise into ½-inch-thick shreds
1 ½ cups long grain white rice
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup dry sherry
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean, stems discarded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
6 (6-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets (roughly 1 to 1 ¼ inches thick), skin removed
4 scallions, white and light green parts only, sliced thin

Ingredients

Salt
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips
1 small head bok choy (about 1 ¼ pounds), cored and sliced crosswise into ½-inch-thick shreds
1 ½ cups long grain white rice
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup dry sherry
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean, stems discarded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
6 (6-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets (roughly 1 to 1 ¼ inches thick), skin removed
4 scallions, white and light green parts only, sliced thin

Why This Recipe Works

We anticipated the sauce would be the trickiest component of our soy-glazed salmon recipe, so we decided to tackle it first, starting with a foundation of dry sherry, chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili sauce. The rice vinegar balanced the saltiness of the soy sauce, and the chili sauce added spiciness and heat. We also sweetened the mix with sugar in order to tame the bite of the chili sauce.

Before You Begin

Asian chili sauce can be found near other spicy condiments in most supermarkets. If it is not available, 1 to 2 teaspoons of Tabasco can be substituted. You can substitute 1½ pounds of napa cabbage, cored and shredded into ½-inch thick pieces, for the bok choy.

Instructions

  1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot (with a perforated pasta insert, if available) over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and bok choy; cook for 10 seconds. Transfer the vegetables to a colander using a slotted spoon or mesh spider or by lifting out the pasta insert, if using. Pat dry with paper towels and transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Return the water to a boil and add the rice; cook until almost tender but still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain through a fine mesh strainer, shaking to remove any excess water. Toss with the red pepper and bok choy and set aside.
  3. Whisk the chicken broth, soy sauce, sherry, rice vinegar, sugar, chili sauce, and cornstarch together in a medium bowl; set aside. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the shiitakes and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Briefly re-whisk the soy mixture and add it to the pan; bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  4. Spread the rice and cabbage mixture into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish (or a shallow casserole dish of similar size). Lay the salmon fillets, skinned-side down, about ¼ inch apart on top of the rice. Pour the shiitake sauce evenly over the salmon. Bake until the salmon is cooked through and the rice is steaming, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve immediately.

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