Salmon Kushiyaki

Miso-glazed salmon and shiitake, grilled on a skewer.

Level Easy   |   Cook 35 min   |   Total 6 hours 45 minutes   |   Serves 4

About the dish

Salmon and shiitake kushiyaki skewers, glazed and grilled

This rendition of kushiyaki — the catch-all term for the popular Japanese technique of grilling skewered foods — is a play on a surf and turf, combining salmon with earthy shiitake mushrooms, for a dose of umami. Here the fish is first marinated in a mirin, sake and miso mixture; the same mixture is also brushed on the skewers during cooking for a burnished glaze. Finish the skewers with a generous shake of furikake or shichimi togarashi, two popular Japanese seasonings.

Ingredients

Marinade

  • ¼ cup mirin
  • ¼ cup sake
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup light miso

Equipment

  • Four 10-inch bamboo paddle skewers
  • Grill

No skewers or grill? Cut the salmon and mushrooms into bite-sized pieces and cook them in a frying pan instead.

Skewers

  • 1½ pounds center-cut, skin-on salmon, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 6 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
  • Vegetable oil, for the grill grates
  • Kosher salt
  • Furikake or shichimi togarashi, for serving

Allergens

Fish: salmon. Soy: miso is typically made from soybeans. Wheat/gluten: may be present in miso or soy-based seasonings.

Instructions

Marinate

  1. Soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes.
  2. Bring the mirin and sake to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk in the brown sugar until dissolved, then the miso. Let cool.
  3. Set aside ¼ cup of the marinade for brushing. Toss the salmon in the rest, cover, and refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Grill

  1. Heat a grill to medium-high. Lightly oil the grates.
  2. Blot the salmon dry. Thread salmon and shiitake onto each skewer, alternating.
  3. Sprinkle the skewers with salt. Grill about 1 minute per side, then keep turning for about 10 minutes more, until the shiitake are tender and the salmon is browned and cooked through.

Glaze and serve

  1. Brush the reserved marinade over each skewer. Grill 2 to 3 minutes more, until the glaze is slightly caramelized.
  2. Remove from the grill and sprinkle with furikake or shichimi togarashi.
Salmon and shiitake threaded together on a skewer Marinade being brushed on Finished dish, garnished with furikake or shichimi togarashi Salmon kushiyaki skewers, hot off the grill

Serving and storage

Serve hot, right after grilling. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until warmed through.