NORI-CRUSTED SALMON

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Our homemade nori powder becomes a deeply flavorful crust for rich salmon fillets, creating a simple seafood dish that tastes like the essence of the ocean. We set the bar high: a flavorful rub, a deeply seared—but not burnt—crust, a perfectly medium-rare center, and
crispy skin. We rubbed the nori–sesame seed crust mixture only on the flesh side of the fish, allowing the skin to cook more slowly without fear of burning the nori crust. For even more great nori flavor and textural contrast, we sprinkled a little furikake (a Japanese seasoning comprised of crumbled nori, red pepper flakes, sugar, and salt) over the salmon as a finishing touch. You can use either toasted or untoasted nori sheets for this recipe. Both types should be toasted in step 1. Skin-on salmon fillets hold together best during cooking, and the skin helps keep the fish moist. To ensure uniform pieces of fish that cook at the same rate, we find it best to buy a whole center-cut fillet and cut it into four pieces ourselves. If using wild salmon, which contains less fat than farmed salmon, cook the fillets until they register 120 degrees (for medium-rare).

SERVES: 4

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 sheet nori
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
Kosher salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅛ teaspoon sugar
¼ cup Nori Powder
1 (2-pound) skin-on salmon fillet, 1½ inches thick
2 scallions, sliced thin on bias

INSTRUCTIONS:

TOAST NORI SHEET

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just shimmering.
Using paper towels, wipe out oil, leaving thin film in pan.
Place nori sheet in skillet and cook until fragrant and shrunken slightly, about 3 minutes, flipping every 30 seconds; remove and let cool slightly.

PREPARE NORI FLAKE MIXTURE

Crumble nori sheet into rough ¼-inch flakes in small bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper flakes, and sugar; set aside for serving.

COAT SALMON WITH NORI POWDER MIXTURE

Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and nori powder in shallow dish.
Cut salmon crosswise into 4 fillets.
Using sharp knife, make 3 or 4 shallow slashes about 1 inch apart on skin side of each fillet, being careful not to cut into flesh.
Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
Dredge top flesh side of fillets in nori powder mixture, pressing to adhere, and transfer, skin side down, to large plate.

COOK SALMON

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
Place salmon flesh side down in skillet and cook until nori powder is dark green and sesame seeds are well toasted, about 3 minutes.
Using 2 spatulas, gently flip salmon skin side down, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until center is still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 9 to 12 minutes longer.