Kimchee Salmon Belly Don

Waste Not | Series 1 | Dish 1

This recipe will be the first in my Waste Not series. It is a Korean inspired dish with a chili kick not traditionally found in Japanese cuisine and also an excellent use of part of the salmon which may be discarded when cutting down a fillet or whole salmon. The salmon belly is delicious and fatty, but it is challenging to trim down to use the off cuts in sushi rolls, so I find it easier to cook and get more usage of this otherwise neglected part. Cooked salmon belly is perfect to serve over plain rice as the chili and oil will coat the rice heavenly. This is a recipe is great for the day after after a sushi session. Or save belly and skin in the freezer to do this recipe at a later stage.

This recipe is a twist on the famous Miso Cod so famed by Nobu. Recipes for my interpretation of this famous dish will follow shortly.

Kimchee sauce us available online or in Asian supermarkets.

Serves 2 or as part of Izakaya style sharing meal

2 salmon bellies

Salmon skin from one salmon fillet

50 grams kimchee sauce

200 gram standard miso paste

50 ml mirin

200 gram round grain Japanese (or sushi rice) rice

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 large carrots

100 ml. sushi vinegar

5 grams dried wakame

5 grams ito togarashi chili

First make the marinade placing kimchee sauce, chili and miso paste in a small saucepan and heat though on medium heat and whisk well to incorporate. Leave to cool, then put a quarter aside and then rub salmon belly in the remaining marinade and leave in the fridge overnight. Also keep the salmon skin in the fridge overnight.

Turn the oven until 180 degree (160 for combination heat).

Place rice in a bowl and gently rub the starch off the grains and then rinse the rice in a colander. Leave to rest for 30 minutes, then cook in 1:1 rice to water, add olive and sea salt. Bring to the boil, let it simmer for 12 minutes and then rest for 10 minutes.

Rinse of the marinade, dry salmon pieces with kitchen towel and place skin side down on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Place the salmon skin next to the salmon belly. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, turn skins and belly, then cook for a further 20 minutes.

Place the wakame in a bowl of 1/2 litre of ice cold water. Peel the carrots, cut in julienne style and pour over the vinegar to marinate. Leave both for 20 minutes, then drain.

Divide rice into 2 serving bowls, place salmon belly, skin, carrots, wakame and ito togarashi inside. Finish with a dot of the miso chilli sauce and the don is ready to serve.