Ginger-Glazed Salmon (Lhj)

Two punchy components doing very different jobs on the plate. The ginger glaze goes on the salmon ahead of time (even a day ahead if you want), where soy, lime, brown sugar, fresh ginger and mint work their way into the fillets. Under the broiler, the sugar caramelizes fast and the glaze lacquers onto the top of the fish while the inside stays silky and just-opaque.

The green herb sauce is the counterweight. Blended cilantro, mint, parsley and jalapeno with sour cream turns almost neon green and tastes as fresh as it looks, cutting through the rich salmon like an herby chimichurri. Both parts hold up in the fridge, the glaze 24 hours ahead, the sauce 8, which makes this an easy dinner-party plate.

Don’t turn the salmon under the broiler. Eight to ten minutes at 4 inches from the heat is enough for 6 oz fillets, and flipping disrupts the glaze crust.

Chef Tips

• Pat salmon dry before glazing, wet fillets slide off the glaze.
• Line the pan with foil, the sugar in the glaze welds itself to bare metal.
• Watch the last two minutes closely, broilers vary and burnt sugar is bitter.
• Rest fillets five minutes before serving, the center finishes carrying over.

Variations

• Swap lime for lemon and add a tablespoon of honey to the glaze.
• Use miso paste in place of soy sauce for a deeper umami lacquer.
• Toss the herbs in a food processor with olive oil only for a vegan chimichurri-style sauce.