Keta Salmon Sushi Stacks
An autumn-inspired modern sushi dish with rich, savoury miso squash, marinated cucumber, and delicious sweet-sake-soy keta (chum) salmon.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 275 g Keta (Chum) Salmon fillet (skin and pin bones removed)
- 30 ml mirin ((2 tbsp))
- 15 ml sake ((1 tbsp))
- 30 ml shoyu (soy sauce) ((2 tbsp))
- 15 ml honey ((1 tbsp))
- 340 g cooked kabocha squash ((~1 and 1/3 cups))
- 70 g white (shiro) miso ((~1/4 cup))
- 60 ml rice vinegar ((1/4 cup))
- 60 ml sesame oil ((1/4 cup))
- 10 ml mirin ((2 tsp))
- 200 g cucumber (thinly sliced into rounds)
- 15 ml rice vinegar ((1 tbsp))
- 15 ml shoyu (soy sauce) ((1 tbsp))
- 7.5 ml mirin ((1.5 tsp))
- 7.5 ml sesame oil ((1.5 tsp))
- 400 g cooked short grain rice ((2 cups))
- 5 ml mirin ((1 tsp))
- 30 ml rice vinegar ((2 tbsp))
- 1/4 cup squash and miso mixture from above
- 30 ml Japanese mayo ((2 tbsp))
- 15 ml rice vinegar ((1 tbsp))
- roasted squash seeds
- pea sprouts
- 60 g ikura ((salmon roe))
- shichimi togarashi ((optional))
Instructions
- 1
Combine the mirin and sake in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the soy sauce and honey and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
- 2
Place the salmon fillet in a plastic bag and pour the cooled marinade over. Squeeze out any excess air and marinate for between 4 hours and up to overnight.
- 3
Preheat an oven to 250°F (120° C).
- 4
Use a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil to create a little 'boat' (simply crumple up the edges and leave a flat center) to hold the salmon and keep the marinade from running out. Put the 'boat' on a baking sheet, then place salmon fillet in the center. Pour the remaining marinade over the salmon.
- 5
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through but still tender. Remove from the oven and spoon any remaining liquid over the top.
- 6
Set the oven to broil and place the salmon back inside. Broil for 2 minutes, or until the surface is glazed and a little browned. Keep an eye on it to avoid burning the salmon. Remove the finished salmon from the oven and set aside to cool.
- 7
(Note: you can cook the squash any way you like, but it's best to do it ahead of time, for example while the salmon marinates) Use a potato masher or large spoon to break the cooked squash up into bite sized pieces.
- 8
Combine the cooked squash, miso, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and mirin in a bowl. Set aside or refrigerate as-is, or remove a 1/4 cup portion now to make the sauce for serving.
- 9
Mix all of the liquid ingredients and toss together with cucumbers in a small bowl or container. Set aside, or refrigerate overnight.
- 10
If you're using fresh-cooked rice here (which is ideal), spread it out in a large, shallow bowl or dish and cover with a cloth. Allow the rice to cool until it's a little above room temperature. If you're using rice cooked earlier, cover it with a damp cloth and reheat in the microwave for about 1 minute before continuing as above.
- 11
Mix the mirin and rice vinegar in a bowl. Carefully sprinkle this mixture evenly over the rice while using a large spoon or paddle to stir the rice and ensure even coverage. Taste a bit of rice and adjust to taste with more mirin or vinegar as necessary. Cover the rice back up with the cloth and set aside until ready to plate.
- 12
To make the sauce, combine the reserved 1/4 cup of the squash mixture with the Japanese mayo and rice vinegar. Mash by hand or with a small mixer/immersion blender. Add water to thin to the desired consistency (1-2 tbsp should do it).
- 13
Place a round metal form (like a cookie cutter) on a plate. Fill with 1/2 cup rice, followed by about 1/3 cup of the squash mixture, 3-4 layers of marinated cucumbers, and 1/4 of the salmon. Top with roasted squash seeds, pea sprouts, ikura, and a drizzle of sauce. If you like a bit of spice, add a dusting of shichimi togarashi too.