Description
Chan Chan Yaki is a classic Japanese miso butter salmon dish featuring tender salmon cooked atop a bed of sautéed vegetables including cabbage, carrots, onions, and optional enoki mushrooms. The salmon is generously coated with savory miso butter, creating a rich umami flavor complemented by a splash of sake. This one-pan skillet meal offers a harmonious balance of flavors and textures, perfect served over steamed rice for a comforting and elegant dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Salmon and Miso Butter
- 1 (1 1/4-pound) piece skin-on salmon fillet
- 1/3 cup shiro (white) or tanshoku (yellow) miso
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 to 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup dry (junmai) sake
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
Vegetables
- 1/2 small head green cabbage, trimmed and cored (about 6 cups, chopped into 2-inch pieces)
- 2 large carrots (peeled and cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch coins, about 2 cups)
- 1 medium yellow onion (halved and sliced into 1/2-inch half moons, about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 1/2 ounces enoki mushrooms (optional, trimmed and separated into large clusters)
- Steamed rice, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Remove the salmon from the refrigerator to come to room temperature. Chop the cabbage into 2-inch pieces, peel and slice the carrots on a diagonal into 1/2-inch coins, halve and slice the onion into half moons, and if using enoki mushrooms, trim and separate them into clusters. Set aside.
- Make the Miso Butter: In a small bowl, combine the miso paste, unsalted butter at room temperature, and sugar. Stir well until smooth and fully combined. This miso butter can be prepared up to three days in advance and refrigerated; bring it to room temperature before use.
- Coat the Salmon: Lay the salmon fillet skin side down on a plate. Spread a thin layer of the miso butter mixture over the top of the salmon, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the miso butter for the vegetables.
- Cook the Vegetables: Heat a large, deep skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the neutral oil, then add the chopped cabbage, carrots, onion, and enoki mushrooms if using. Season lightly with salt and pepper, remembering the miso butter is salty. Stir frequently and cook until the vegetables start to wilt but remain crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Simmer the Salmon and Vegetables: Flatten the vegetables in the pan and place the salmon on top, miso-buttered side up. Dot the reserved miso butter over the vegetables as desired. Pour the dry sake over the vegetables. Cover the skillet with the lid, reduce heat to medium to maintain a strong simmer, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the salmon is flaky and just cooked through—timing depends on fillet thickness and personal doneness preference.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the lid and stir the vegetables gently around the salmon to incorporate the melted miso butter. Sprinkle the thinly sliced scallions over the salmon. Serve immediately with steamed rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use junmai sake for authentic flavor; if unavailable, dry white wine or mirin can be substitutes.
- Miso butter can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Adjust sugar in the miso butter to taste, balancing the salty miso with sweetness.
- Enoki mushrooms are optional but add a delicate texture; shiitake or other mushrooms can be used instead.
- Cooking time for salmon may vary based on thickness; check for flakiness to avoid overcooking.
- This recipe is best cooked in a deep skillet with a lid to enable steaming and prevent drying out.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
Keywords: Chan Chan Yaki, Miso Butter Salmon, Japanese Salmon Recipe, One Pan Salmon, Miso Butter, Sake Salmon
