Honey and Soy Glazed Salmon

A successful honey soy salmon combines a short marinade, of 15 to 30 minutes, with chestnut honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and lime; oven cooking at 200 °C adjusted to the thickness of the fillet; and a reduced glaze poured over at the end of cooking. Toasted sesame seeds and a bed of spinach and edamame complete the plate. Allow one thick fillet per person.

Method

1. Make the marinade Make the marinade: mix the soy sauce, honey, the zest and juice of one lime, the finely grated ginger and garlic, and the sesame oil. Pour half into a separate bowl: this will be the glaze and will not touch the raw fish.
2. Marinate the salmon Place the salmon fillets in a dish, coat them with the other half of the marinade and turn them over. Leave to marinate for 15 to 30 minutes in the fridge, no longer: the salt in the soy sauce and the acidity of the lime quickly change the texture of the fish.
3. Preheat and toast the sesame Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Toast the sesame seeds for 2 minutes in a dry frying pan and set them aside.
4. Reduce the glaze Pour the reserved half of the marinade into a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water. Simmer briskly for 2 to 3 minutes to reduce, until the glaze coats the spoon.
5. Glaze and bake the salmon Drain the fillets and discard the marinade that has touched the raw fish. Place them skin side down on a dish lined with baking paper and roast for 10 to 14 minutes, depending on their thickness. Three minutes before the end, brush them with a third of the glaze.
6. Cook the greens While they cook, plunge the edamame into a pan of boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, then drain. Wilt the baby spinach for 1 to 2 minutes in the frying pan with the neutral oil, and season with pepper.
7. Check the salmon is done Check the salmon: the flesh should flake apart, with a centre that is still translucent if you like it tender, or opaque all the way through if you prefer it well cooked. Give it another 2 to 3 minutes if needed.
8. Plate up and serve Arrange the spinach and edamame on the plates, place the salmon on top, pour the rest of the glaze around it and scatter with sesame seeds. Serve with the second lime cut into wedges.

Which honey should you choose?

Chestnut honey is our first choice for this glazed salmon: robust and woody, with a hint of bitterness, it balances the saltiness of the soy sauce and gives the glaze its dark colour. Forest honey, maltier and less sweet, is a very good alternative. A floral honey such as lavender is still pleasant, but its fragrance fades behind the soy and ginger. If you like the combination of ginger, lemon and honey, our lemon, ginger and honey recipe turns it into a hot drink.

Tips and variations

• Choose thick fillets of the same size: they cook evenly and stay moist in the centre.
• In a frying pan, sear the salmon for 3 to 4 minutes skin side down over a medium heat, turn it over, add the glaze and let it coat the fish for 2 to 3 minutes, basting with a spoon.
• For a darker glaze, put the salmon under the grill for 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching it closely.
• For pregnant women, young children and vulnerable people, cook the salmon right through, until the flesh is opaque in the centre.
• Replace the spinach with fragrant rice or rice noodles, and add a sliced spring onion when serving. The same glaze also works with poultry, as in our honey chicken.

Storage

Glazed salmon keeps for 48 hours in the fridge, in an airtight container. Enjoy it cold, flaked over a salad, or reheat it gently, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes in the oven at 150 °C, so that it does not dry out. Do not refreeze salmon that has already been frozen raw and then cooked. Any unused reserved glaze keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Discover more dishes among our honey recipes.

Frequently asked questions

How long should you marinate salmon in honey and soy sauce?

Between 15 and 30 minutes in the fridge is enough. Any longer, and the salt in the soy sauce and the acidity of the lime start to firm up the flesh and make it drier once cooked.

How long does glazed salmon take in the oven?

Allow 10 to 14 minutes at 200 °C for a 150 to 180 g fillet, depending on its thickness. Take it out when the flesh flakes apart, with a translucent or opaque centre according to your taste.

Can you use the salmon marinade as a sauce?

It is best not to reuse a marinade that has touched raw fish. That is why the recipe sets aside half the mixture from the start, which is reduced separately and used as the glaze.

Can you make this recipe with frozen salmon?

Yes. Thaw the fillets in the fridge the day before, pat them dry with kitchen paper, then marinate and cook them like fresh fillets.