Salty-Sweet Barbecue Salmon and Broccoli

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Here’s a sheet-pan dinner featuring salmon and roasted broccoli.

The sauce for the salmon is an Asian-inspired barbecue sauce. Obviously I’ve heard of oyster sauce and I know that flavor but I was curious what it actually is. It is made from caramelized oyster juices, salt and sugar. The prelude to the recipe describes it as a “sweet yet briny soy sauce” which is an apt description. Next time I need to cook the sauce for a bit longer to reduce it further. The flavor was great but the consistency was a bit thinner than I wanted. If salmon isn’t your thing, the sauce would be great on chicken as well.

My other tip is that at 450 degrees the broccoli only needs about 10 minutes before adding the salmon. After the salmon is cooked, I might suggest removing the broccoli and putting the fish under the broiler for a minute or two.


Salty-Sweet Barbecue Salmon and Broccoli
Kay Chun, NYT Cooking

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 pound broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
  • 12 scallions, trimmed and halved crosswise
  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
  • ¼ cup safflower or canola oil
  •  Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (or 2 tablespoons light brown sugar)
  • 6 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
  •  Steamed rice, for serving
PREPARATION
  1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine broccoli, scallions, ginger and 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer and roast until softened, about 15 minutes.
  2. While the broccoli mixture roasts, prepare the oyster barbecue sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over low. Add onion and garlic, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Add sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves and the mixture darkens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup water (be careful, as the mixture may splatter a little), then the oyster sauce, vinegar and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer. (The sugar may seize, but keep stirring; it will dissolve.) Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Season generously with pepper. Remove 1/2 cup and set aside for passing at the table.
  3. Stir the roasted broccoli. Season salmon with salt and arrange on top of the broccoli. Liberally brush salmon all over with half of the remaining oyster barbecue sauce in the saucepan. Roast until the vegetables are caramelized and the salmon is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, basting salmon after 5 minutes with the barbecue sauce.
  4. Divide salmon and vegetables among plates. Serve with steamed rice and the reserved barbecue sauce.


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