Salmon is remarkably rich, comfortably handling the heat of a broiler for this no mess, one bowl, one sheet pan dinner. Try to get one big fillet rather than four single-serving portions. Cooking the fish in a slab gives you more time to get the skin crispy without the flesh drying out. Don’t be afraid of getting the skin charred for crackly contrast against the velvety flesh (I think the blistered skin is the best part). Nuoc cham is a sour, sweet, salty, all-purpose Vietnamese condiment that comes together quickly and packs one hell of a punch, cutting through the fatty salmon. Get to know it; you’ll want it on everything.
Sohla El-Waylly ‘s Crispy-Skinned Salmon with Radishes & Nuoc Cham
Ingredients
For the salmon and radishes
- 1 large bunch radishes with tops (about 12 ounces/340 grams)
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 teaspoons plus a large pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more as needed
- one 24-ounce/670-gram skin-on salmon fillet
For the nuoc cham:
- 2 tablespoons boiling water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more to taste
- 2 garlic cloves finely grated
- 2 Thai green or red chilies, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 3 limes), plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- Kosher salt
To serve
- cilantro leaves and stems, roughly chopped
- Steamed rice
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425°F (220°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Separate the greens from the radishes, wash and thoroughly dry both. Cut the radishes in half and trim the greens of any dry, wilted, or yellow leaves. Place the radishes and greens in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil and a large pinch of salt. Spread onto one side of the prepared sheet pan. (Reserve the bowl, no need to wash.)
- Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Rub with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and evenly season all sides with the 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Set the salmon on the prepared sheet pan alongside the radishes. (They cook at different rates, so the radishes will be pulled out first.)
- Place in the oven and roast until the radish greens are wilted and charred and the radishes are tender and opaque, 12 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the nuoc cham:
- In the reserved bowl, combine the boiling water, sugar, garlic, and chilies and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lime juice and fish sauce. Taste and season with salt and more lime juice or sugar as needed.
- When the radishes are done, pull out the sheet pan and transfer the radishes to a platter. Set the broiler to high. Return the salmon to the oven and broil until the skin is crisped, puffed, and charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve the salmon alongside the radishes, top with cilantro, drizzle with some of the nuoc cham, and serve the rest on the side. Serve with steamed rice alongside.
Notes
From Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook © 2023 by Sohla El-Waylly. Excerpted with permission from Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.