An easy choice for Christmas Day, salmon can be quickly cooked inside or out on the barbecue. The rich flavour can not only withstand these spicy Asian flavours, but will be enhanced by them.

Ingredients

• ½ whole side salmon
• 1½ tblsp grated fresh ginger
• 3 tsp wasabi paste
• ¼ cup dark soy sauce
• ¼ cup grated palm or brown sugar
• ¼ cup mirin (see Cook's Tips)
• ½-1 tsp Chinese five spice

Mirin and Soy Dressing

• ¼ cup white wine, cider vinegar or verjuice
• ¼ cup mirin
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• 2 tblsp chopped chives
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and diced or ¼-½ tsp sambal oelek
• 1 tsp sugar or honey

Method

1. Use tweezers to remove all the pin bones and place the salmon into a large dish.
2. Mix together the ginger, wasabi paste, soy sauce, palm sugar, mirin and Chinese 5 spice and pour over the salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Remove the salmon from the marinade and pat dry. Cut crosswise into thick steaks. Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot and drizzle in a little oil. Add the salmon steaks flesh side down and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the pan and place on a baking paper-lined tray flesh side up.
4. Fan bake at 220ºC for 6 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the steaks; aim to serve them just under-done. Fish is cooked when the flesh flakes easily and, with salmon, the centre will still be a darker pink colour than the outside. Remove from the oven and stand 1-2 minutes. Serve with grilled summer vegetables of your choice (see Cook's Tips), dressed with the Mirin and Soy Vinaigrette.

Mirin and Soy Vinigrette

1. Place all the ingredients into a screw-top jar and shake well to mix.

Cooks Tips

If you don't have mirin, use dry sherry with a tablespoon of sugar added. For vegetables, use a selection of mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster or Swiss browns, with peppers, baby leeks and asparagus or courgettes. Wash, chop and toss in a little oil before grilling on the barbecue until just cooked.