Gochujang-glazed Salmon with Pickled Cucumbers

Here’s a simple and full-flavored dish (mildly spicy, sweet, and savory all at once) for a weeknight dinner that takes under 30 minutes, start to finish. Put on some rice, and while it’s cooking and resting, you can quick-pickle some cukes, whisk together a glaze, and broil the fish. Keep an eye on the salmon while it’s cooking; the sugars in the glaze can scorch easily if the pan is too close to the broiler.

Gochujang is the perfect foundation for the salmon glaze used in this dish. The Korean red pepper paste adds a touch of smoky spice and lots of umami which is balanced perfectly by the homemade pickles.

Ingredients

• 1 Norwegian Salmon Fillet Slab cut into four, thawed, and patted dry
• 3 cucumbers thinly sliced
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• Dried chile flakes to taste
• ¼ cup gochujang paste
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Oil for the pan
• Sesame seeds
• Greens from 2 to 3 scallions thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Place the cucumbers in a medium heatproof bowl. Combine the rice wine vinegar, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and chile flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and pour over the cucumbers. Stir to combine and set aside.
2. Combine the gochujang, soy sauce, and maple syrup together in a small bowl. Arrange a rack in the oven about 8 inches under the broiler. Rub a baking sheet with a thin layer of cooking oil and place the salmon on the pan. Sprinkle fish with remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and broil for two minutes, then remove from the oven.
3. Drizzle or brush the glaze onto the salmon (you may have some left over) and return to the broiler. Cook for another 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filets, until salmon is cooked through and glaze is bubbly.
4. Remove fish from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle fish with sesame seeds and scallion greens. Use a slotted spoon to spoon the cucumbers alongside the fish. Serve with rice.