Recipe by Nancy Johnson/Wine Commentary by Gary Twining
This teriyaki sauce is delicious on chicken, scallops or shrimp. Mirin is a sweet and salty rice wine similar to sake, but with less alcohol and more sugar. It can be found in the international section of most supermarkets.
4 salmon fillets
Teriyaki Sauce
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup mirin
2 TBS brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
2 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS water
Canola oil, for grill
Make teriyaki sauce: In a medium saucepan, whisk soy sauce, water, mirin, brown sugar, white sugar, garlic and ginger. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch with water; stir into sauce. Cook until thick and bubbly. Divide sauce in half.
Place salmon in large resealable plastic bag with half the teriyaki sauce. Marinate in refrigerator one hour.
Preheat grill for medium heat.
Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill; discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serve salmon with remaining teriyaki sauce.
Serves 4.
Gary: The richness of salmon and its intensity of flavor calls for a richer wine to pair with it. The salt from the teriyaki and soy will be the main flavor added, as the sweetness is minimal in the preparation. Try medium to full-bodied whites with good acidity or texture, such as Chardonnay without oak from the new world, Macon and Burgundy, Albariño, Verdejo, Arneis, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, dry Furmint, Marsanne, Roussanne or a fuller-bodied dry Riesling. A rich sparkling wine would also make a lovely pairing. For reds look for those that masquerade as whites—lower color, astringency and higher acidity. Pinot Noir, Gamay/Beaujolais, Barbera, Garnacha/Grenache in lighter styles would all work quite well with this dish.
