Slow-Broiled Salmon with Shaved Cucumber Salad

Styled by Amanda Gold; Photo by Craig Lee

adapted from the San Francisco Chronicle, June 17, 2012

via Jeanne Milligan

serves 4

½ large English cucumbers

½ tablespoon sesame seeds

2½ tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 to 1½-pound slab center cut salmon

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon ground pepper

Place the oven rack on the lowest shelf of the oven, and preheat the oven to broil. In a small pan over medium-high heat, toast sesame seeds until just fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the cucumber salad, use a vegetable peeler to remove and discard the cucumber peel. Cut the whole cucumber in half crosswise, so that you have three equal pieces. Working one at a time, continue peeling the cucumber; press firmly to create the thickest ribbons possible into a bowl, turning the cucumber around as you work toward the center. Discard the seeds.

Pour the vinegar and oil into the bowl, and toss well to combine. Add toasted sesame seeds and season generously with salt and pepper, set aside.

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place salmon in the center of the pan. Spread the mayonnaise evenly over the top of the salmon. Shake the pepper over the mayonnaise.

Place in the oven on the bottom rack and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling and the salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Remove, let cool slightly, and serve family-style with the cucumber salad.

This recipe also suggests garlic salt on top of fish rather than pepper. Be careful with amount of garlic salt.