Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

The inspiration for this delicious dish comes from maeuntang, a spicy Korean fish stew.

Maeuntang is a flavorful and spicy stew that typically features a variety of seafood, tofu, vegetables. The broth is always seasoned with Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) and often red pepper paste (gochujang) plus other aromatic ingredients like garlic and ginger. It’s usually served with a side of rice.

This braised salmon dish takes on a creamy twist, blending Korean with French influences by incorporating unconventional elements such as butter, white wine, and heavy cream. Rather than serving it with rice on the side, the stew embraces a unique touch for the starch – mini potatoes braised directly within the broth.

Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste with sweet heat and a fermented umami richness. It is definitely spicy – but also has a balanced fruitiness, slight smokiness and depth of flavor from the sun-dried Korean red peppers.

It’s a heavenly pairing, marrying the freshness of the sea with the richness of a fiery, creamy broth. Each spoonful delivers a perfect balance of heat and richness. Potatoes and radish contribute not only to the stew’s visual appeal but also to its complexity of flavor. A sprinkling of parsley, scallion, and red chiles add fresh, colorful notes.

For a striking garnish, add a purple dendrobium orchid which is durable and has the ability to withstand varying temperatures without wilting, making it suitable for hot dishes. And while the orchid is considered safe for culinary purposes, here it is used for visual appeal rather than taste.

Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

Gochujang Braised Salmon Recipe

Gochujang Braised Salmon

Ingredients

1 T. butter
1/4 white onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. ginger, grated
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 1/2 c. flavorful broth
1 T. gochujang
1 t. gochugaru
4 oz. radish, sliced into half-moons
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 t. fish sauce
4 oz. mini potatoes, partially cooked
salmon fillet
parsley, chopped
scallion, sliced
red chile, sliced

Method

Melt butter in a medium pot or ttukbaegi (Korean earthenware pot) over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, and garlic and ginger and cook for one to two more minutes.

Add wine, turn up the heat and cook until wine reduces by half. Add broth, gochujang, gochugaru and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, add radish, then lower heat to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Add cream and fish sauce, stir, then add potatoes and salmon. Simmer gently, covered, for 8 -12 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon fillets. Make sure not to boil.

Remove the salmon with a fish spatula. Taste broth for seasoning and check doneness of the potatoes.

Ladle creamy gochujang broth and veggies into 1 or 2 warm bowls. Top with salmon fillet(s).

Garnish with parsley, scallion, and red chile.

Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon

Notes

Broth: Use anchovy broth, fish broth, vegetable broth or chicken broth. Chicken broth is nice here, it doesn’t taste like chicken, it just gives a good depth of flavor.

Radish: Use Korean radish known as mu, or Japanese radish known as daikon.

Potatoes: Pre-cook the mini potatoes ahead of time in boiling salted water, shy of fork-tender. Then finish cooking in the braise so that they take on the braising flavors and are ready at the same time as the salmon.

Salmon: Prepare this dish with a fillet or two of either king salmon or coho salmon. Remove the pin bones but the skin can be left on, it will help keep the fillet intact while cooking and will slide off easily when the fish is cooked. Eating the skin is a matter of preference.