My mom makes a killer pan-seared salmon. I don’t know whether I’ve devoted any time yet here to my mother and her cooking, which is honestly a travesty, since she’s one of the best cooks I know. In that je-ne-sais-quoi Asian mother way, with no recipes or measuring cups in sight, just an unflappable fearlessness and an apparent instinct in the kitchen. (Also, an apron with fluffy sleeves.)
Anyway, her salmon is only one of the many killer foods she has at her disposal, but it has to be one of the best. It has all the most fundamental elements you’d expect from home-cooked Chinese food — healthy slices of ginger, smashed garlic, and green onions, the deafening hiss-roar when cold food meets a smoking-hot wok (when it’s me at the stove, usually also popping oil and yelps of pain), a splash of shaoxing rice wine, a sweet soy sauce glaze. Done right, the fish is melt-in-your-mouth tender, with a crisp and flavorful caramelized skin.
Unfortunately, there are about seventy-four million ways it can be done wrong, all of which I handily did when I asked how to make it a few years ago — cooking it on too high heat and burning it black before the center cooks through, cooking it on too low heat and ending up with a flavorless pink slab, adding too much soy sauce and feeling like you took a wrong turn and ended up in a hibachi joint by accident. And though you can get the hang of it through practice (or through whatever culinary gifts are mysteriously bestowed upon Chinese mothers), sometimes you just don’t feel like sweating over a sizzling wok, right?
Which is why I’ve recently taken to steaming the salmon en papillote. With the one caveat that you don’t get that crisp, buttery salmon skin (arguably the best part, for some people), steaming in parchment is amazing. It’s easy as pie (easier, actually, since pie is kind of hard) and it’s so predictably delicious, every single time. It’s kind of my favorite way ever to make fish, and I’m sharing it over at Verily Magazine this week. You can check it out here, along with a few super easy recipes for broccoli stem salad and steamed broccoli. Hope you’re all having a wonderful week!
Michelle @ Hummingbird High
Wow wow wow, will you come over and make this for me now please?! Kthnxbai XOXO
tworedbowls
HAHA next stop, Portland!! (But really, that would make my life.)
dinnersforwinners
Yes!! It would make ours, toooooo 🙂
Matt
This looks incredible! Love the photos as well. 🙂
tworedbowls
Thank you so much, Matt! 🙂
wallflourgirl
Talk about Asian mothers, Cynthia! My mom (as, I’m sure, most non-American moms are, as I’ve heard) doesn’t know what measuring spoons are for–she thinks they’re a joke. Seriously. unfortunately, though she’s eager to teach, she isn’t the culinary master my aunt is–my aunt does everything from zhong zi (if you’re familiar with those–bamboo-wrapped rice) to homemade bao and sweet soup dumplings and walnut dessert soup–and I’m not sure she knows what it means to share those recipes. I really don’t know where she gets her technique from! It’s simply amazing, as is this fish with that awesome caramelization. You’ve definitely got the culinary talent from somewhere–great post!
tworedbowls
Hahaha, the measuring spoon thing is TOO hilarious! (It also made for a few super interesting and less than successful baking experiments when I was a kid …) Oh, to have the mystic power of Asian aunties. Maybe one day. 🙂 Thanks so much for the kind words, Ala!
Shikha la mode
I started eating seafood a couple years ago and love salmon, but I’m terrified of cooking it at home since like you said, there are so many ways to do it! I think I’m okay with foregoing the crispy exterior so I can make this and get it right!
tworedbowls
Yes!!! I 100% bet you can do it. It’s amazing how reliable it is. (And so easy to clean up.. thank goodness!) I hope you like it if you try it, Shikha!!
Millie l Add A Little
I love salmon, so definitely want to try out your way of cooking it! I always just end up doing shioshake because it so simple – I want to venture out more!
Also, that Broccolli looks so delicious!!
tworedbowls
Ooooh, I just googled shioshake — that sounds so interesting! I’ve never had it! I’ll have to try that sometime. Thanks for sharing, Millie!
mandylee@ladyandpups
Mom’s cooking is always the best (even if sometimes only in our minds…), even though I think recently my mom has gotten a little competitive with me in the kitchen…
tworedbowls
HAHAHA Mandy this made me lol so hard!!! Omg our moms.
Kathryn
There’s a certain little mom magic that makes everything taste that bit different and which is impossible to recreate in your kitchen isn’t there? I love your take on her recipe though and the simply jaw-droppingly gorgeous styling in your photographs xo
tworedbowls
There so is! Someday we’ll have it. 😉 Thank you so much, Kathryn! (And AGH, sending so much virtual cake and finger-crossing for next weekend!!!!!!!!!)
Krizia
Cynthia— this post made me miss you! I love the intimate details of your mom and her cooking prowess, and how it relates to this lovely dish (thanks for sharing it with us over at Verily, btw!). I could say the same of my mother, who is so savvy with conjuring comforting Filipino dishes that she doesn’t need to protect her hands when touching even the hottest pots and pans; my jaw drops every time she does it. Aren’t mothers amazing? Hope to catch up with you soon 🙂 Please share more mother-inspired recipes!
tworedbowls
Yes! My mom is the same way! She’s undeterred by everything — even slicing her finger open (then she just holds it up over her head and cooks with the other hand). But speaking of fantastic mothers, I’ve been missing you too, lady!! I hope you and your little ones are all healthy and doing wonderfully and I can’t WAIT to meet you so so soon!!! (AND HARUKA! Best. News. Ever!)
Pang
I know, right? I don’t know about Asian mothers, aunts, grandmothers that they never wrote anything down, and somehow managed to make delicious meal after meal. My mom once told me many many different ways to fried fish, and of course, at that time, I hardly listened.
Love your writing & photos as ALWAYS. I am gonna click over for your recipe now. 🙂
tworedbowls
I know! I never appreciated her prowess until I moved out and had to have her email it or rattle it off over the phone (or else devour it all like there’s no tomorrow whenever I go home). I don’t know how they fit it all in their heads 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind words, Pang! 🙂
Nik@ A Brown Table
So when can I come to try your mom’s cooking 😉 ! You’re right though, mom’s always do things better but your salmon looks delicious and perfectly cooked!
tworedbowls
Haha!! I’m sure she’d love to have you! And in turn, you can share some of your amazing Indian cuisine .. mmmmm. Thank you so much, Nik!
Stephanie Le
cynthia, you’re giving you mom a run for her money here with this salmon! i looks delicious – it has ALL the good things: ginger, green onions, garlic and soy?! always a good thing. and oh, i LOVE broccoli stems 😀
tworedbowls
Baha, don’t let her hear you say that!!! 😉 And oh my goodness, me too re: broccoli stems! So underrated. I’m always the weirdo looking for the crowns with the longest stalks at the grocery store.
Erika
I’m thinking I need to be at your mom’s house next time she’s cooking.. this looks so amazing and your photos are beautiful as always.
tworedbowls
You and me both! 🙂 I miss that cooking. Thanks so much, Erika!
Lindsey
there’s something about how graceful moms are when they cook. my mom never cooked anything fancy, but she had this ease and assuredness whenever she did. sounds like you are just the ace your mom seems to be.
this looks like such a wholesome, delicious meal!
by the by, i eat fish often, mostly white, would you think a cut of halibut would cook sufficiently in parchment? i’m too scared to try for fear i’ll mess it all up and waste perfectly good fishies : /
tworedbowls
I think halibut would totally work!! Maybe even better? It seems like it would be tenderer. I’ve never tried it, so I can’t say for sure, but Google appears to be backing me up … Hope it turns out if you do try it!
dinnersforwinners
LOVE this method for fool-proof delicious salmon and love the sweet tribute to your mother! Those flavors… perfection. Also, thanks for showing the broccoli stems some love 😉 Looks TASTY! And easy enough for tonite! Happy weekend, xo!
tworedbowls
Broccoli stems totally need more love!!!! So good. 🙂 Thanks so much for the kind words, friend!
Sini│my blue&white kitchen
To be honest, I’ve been dreaming of this dish for the whole week now. The recipe sounds mouth-watering, and your pictures capture that deliciousness in such a great way, Cynthia. I’m sure I can’t resist for much longer; I just have to make this en-papillote dinner happen. Soon. Very soon.
Sending you post-midsummer greetings,
Sini
Julia @Vikalinka
I love the description you gave your mom, I could’ve said the same about my Russian mom too! 🙂 No recipe-no problem, no right ingredients-no problem, she will just substitute with whatever she has and charges on. My kids are making cookies as I am typing this and I am keeping an eye on them. I hope they will inherit the fearlessness in the kitchen! I am totally stealing your salmon recipe, Cynthia. You are right it does look like a killer one!
Gintare
It warms up heart reading about your moms cooking and your photos, stunning as ever!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
Your mom sounds exactly like my mom, Cynthia. Amazing in the kitchen, with no formal training, just years and years of experience and incredible instinct. I’ve tried to recreate so many of my mom’s dishes and I NEVER make it the same way. My parents are pros at pan frying salmon – it’s always perfectly seasoned, so delightfully crispy on the outside and butter soft on the inside. I just can’t do it! I’ll have to make mine paipillote like yours. These photos are GORGEOUS as always! Heading over to read your post.
Queen Sashy
Oh, I so wish someone cooked this for me…
Maggie | Omnivore's Cookbook
Such a beautiful piece of salmon! I just check your recipe on Verily site, and I just realized that I have found the perfect recipe to prepare salmon! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Fran
For some reason I can’t get this recipe on my iPad. It looks so good. I don’t see a link to click on for the recipe.
Thank you, Fran
tworedbowls
Hi Fran! The recipe can be found here: http://verilymag.com/asian-salmon-en-papillote-for-two/ I hope you enjoy it if you try it — thanks so much for the kind words and for stopping by!
Kayla
Thank you (so very much) for this delicious salmon recipe! It puts such a rich twist on my favorite dinner fish! I’ve been experimenting for what seems like years now trying to find the perfect salmon recipe and I’ve finally found it! If I could, I’d hug you! Thank you!
malina28202
this recipe is not awailable
Fiona
I would love to see this recipe the wok/mom-style! My mom did a similar dish that I never managed to perfect in the wok….
tworedbowls
I’ll put that on my list! But yes, it’ll be tough to match up to our moms in any event 🙂