Trading Places Salmon Ramen

Well now… this is quite something, isn’t it? Salmon ramen. Already an interesting departure from the usual beef or pork…rather like diversifying one’s portfolio into more… delicate assets. The broth, miso, yes, but with a sweet and sour profile. That’s rather daring. Bright, balanced… not unlike a well-played market position. And here we have the ramen itself, properly structured, absorbing all of that complexity. Shiitake mushrooms…earthy. Edamame…pleasantly firm. Jalapeño for a touch of heat… assertive, but not reckless. Rare spicy salmon, beautifully prepared. And, ah! Fried enoki mushrooms. Crisp, almost indulgent. A clever contrast in texture…extraordinary. It’s layered. Sophisticated. Each element contributes without overwhelming the others. Even the cilantro…normally a divisive ingredient…feels…intentional. I must say, this is not merely a meal. It’s a carefully managed arrangement of assets…risk, reward, and refinement in perfect balance. Yes… I’d invest in this again.

Ingredients

for 4 servings

1 lb salmon filet
1 tbs miso dashi paste (plus 8 tbs more for broth)
1 tbs minced cilantro (plus 8 sprigs for garnish)
1 tsp Sriracha (plus 1 tsp for garnish)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil (plus 1 tsp more for broth)
10 cups cold water
1 cup shitake mushrooms (dried)
1 4×4 inch piece kombu
1/4 cup bonito flakes (plus 1/4 cup more for fried enoki)
4 scallions (plus 4 more for garnish)
1 tbs tomato paste
2 tsp tamari
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tsp white pepper
2 tsp chili paste
2 cloves garlic microplaned
1 tbs ginger microplaned
1 tbs mirin wine
4 packages of ramen noodles
1 cup edamame
1 jalapeño sliced on mandolin
2 boiled eggs (for 8 minutes)
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp rice wine vinegar (plus 1 tsp more)
1 tsp soy sauce
3/4 cup seltzer
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp Sensai Splinter’s Secret Spice (plus pinch more for seasoning)
4 oz enoki mushrooms
4 cups neutral oil for frying

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
For the salon, while salmon filet is on the skin, slice 1/2 inch slices in the meat of the salmon down to the skin but not through. Coat the salmon meat with the miso dashi, minced cilantro, Sriracha, and then the toasted sesame oil. Bake for 8 minutes, allow to cool slightly and remove the 1/2 inch pieces of salmon from the skin.
For the dashi, in a stock pot, add the skin from the salmon, shitake mushrooms, kombu, 1/4 cup bonito flakes, and 4 scallions to the cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until the shitake mushrooms are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove the mushroom from the dashi, slice thin, and reserve. Strain the dashi through a strainer.
For the broth, add the dashi back to the stock pot with the sliced shitake mushrooms, 8 tbs miso dashi, tomato paste, tamari, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, white pepper, chili paste, garlic, ginger, and mirin wine, bring to a simmer and cook the ramen per package instructions.
For the enoki, separate the mushrooms out and season with Sensai Splinter’s Secret Spice. In a small bowl combine milk and bonito flakes, let sit for 10-15 minutes. In another bowl combine 3/4 cup of flour, potato starch, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Heat oil to 325 degrees for frying. Drain bonito flakes from milk and add milk to flour mixture with rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and seltzer and whisk into a batter. Dredge seasoned enoki in batter and place in fry oil. Fry 1-2 at a time for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove mushrooms from oil and drain on a wire rack. Season with Sensai Splinter’s Secret Spice and rice wine vinegar.
To assemble, divide ramen and broth between four bowls. Top each with 1/4 of the salmon, 1/4 cup edamame, slices of jalapeño, sprigs of cilantro, slices of scallion, 1/2 a boiled eggs with Sriracha and Sensai Splinter’s Secret Spice, and fried enoki.
Serve