Food & Wine USA - (11)November 2018

THE CUT

A side of wild

salmon

THE TIME

1 to 3 hours

ROASTED SIDE

OF SALMON

F

ish only needs to brine for an

hour—its shorter muscle fibers take a

fraction of the time to denature and

absorb seasoning compared to red meat. A
saltwater soak also improves the look of the
finished dish, minimizing the white protein

called albumin that appears on the surface of
cooked fish. The added water content helps
to keep the fish from overcooking, even if it

roasts for a minute too long. Use fine sea salt
to evoke the natural brininess of ocean water.

ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 30 MIN; SERVES 6

8 cups cold water

1 / 4 cup fine sea salt (such as La Baleine)

1 / 4 cup granulated sugar

1 (2-lb.) skin-on wild salmon side

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. light brown sugar

1. Combine 8 cups water, salt, and granulated
   sugar in a deep roasting pan large enough to fit
   fish; stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Add fish, and
   let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Remove
   fish from brine; rinse under cold running water,
   and pat dry. Place salmon, skin side down, on a
   parchment paper–lined baking sheet, and chill,
   uncovered, at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.


2. Preheat oven to 450°F with oven rack in top
   third of oven. Stir together mustard and brown
   sugar in a small bowl. Brush glaze over flesh
   side of fish. Roast in preheated oven on top rack
   until fish is opaque around edges, about 8 min-
   utes. Turn broiler to high, and broil until fish is
   cooked through and glaze is bubbly and
   browned, about 8 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

WINE Complex, fragrant white Burgundy: 2016
Olivier Leflaive Meursault

TRY THIS METHOD WITH any 1-inch-thick fillet of
flaky fish.

THE RATIO

Master brine of 6%

salinity. Use less

fine sea salt (about

(^3) / 4 teaspoon per
cup of water) than
kosher to account
for the more densely
packed crystals.