Japanese Foil-Baked Salmon
Shimeji Mushrooms
A classic Japanese weeknight dinner where fresh salmon, earthy shimeji mushrooms, and aromatic vegetables are steamed inside a foil packet with sake and melting butter.
Foil baking, known as hoiru-yaki in Japan, is a beloved home-cooking technique that creates a miniature steam oven right in your pan. By tightly wrapping salmon and seasonal vegetables in aluminum foil, the natural juices are locked in, marrying beautifully with a splash of sake, savory bouillon, and rich butter for an incredibly tender, flavorful dish with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
- 1 salmon fillet
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1/4 onion
- 1/4 carrot
- 1/2 pack shimeji mushrooms
- 1 tsp crushed consommé cube or bouillon
- 1 pat butter
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- optional fresh parsley
Instructions
- 1Pour sake over salmon
Place the salmon fillets on a white plate and pour a little sake over them before seasoning to enhance flavor and remove fishy odors.
Tip: Pouring sake before adding salt helps prepare the fish and mellows out strong flavors. - 2Season with salt and pepper
Sprinkle salt and black pepper evenly on both sides of the salmon fillets and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes to absorb the seasoning.
Tip: Allowing the seasoned salmon to rest ensures the flavors penetrate the flesh. - 3Wipe the salmon clean
Wipe the salmon fillets thoroughly with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and surface liquid after resting.
Tip: Drying the surface prevents excess moisture from making the foil-baked dish watery. - 4Slice the vegetables
Slice onions thinly, and cut carrots into thin strips of the same size to ensure even cooking inside the foil packet.
Tip: Uniform slicing helps the vegetables cook at the same rate. - 5Separate the shimeji mushrooms
Take the shimeji mushrooms and tear them apart by hand into smaller, manageable clusters.
Tip: Pulling them apart gently keeps the mushrooms intact while ensuring even distribution. - 6Layer onions and carrots on foil
Lay a bed of thinly sliced onions and carrots onto a sheet of aluminum foil to form the base for the salmon. This vegetable layer prevents the fish from sticking to the foil and infuses it with moisture and sweetness as it cooks.
Tip: Spread the vegetables evenly across the center of the foil so the salmon rests stably on top. - 7Season the vegetable base
Sprinkle the crushed consommé cube evenly over the layer of sliced onions and carrots arranged on the aluminum foil to build a savory foundation.
Tip: Crushing the cube finely ensures the seasoning distributes evenly across all the vegetables. - 8Add salmon and mushrooms
Place the prepared salmon fillet directly on top of the seasoned vegetable bed, then artfully arrange separated shimeji mushrooms around it.
Tip: Arrange the mushrooms uniformly around the salmon so they cook evenly in the foil packet. - 9Top with butter
Use kitchen tongs to place a small pat of butter directly on top of the salmon fillet to add richness and moisture during baking.
Tip: A cold pat of butter placed right on top will slowly melt down over the salmon as it steams. - 10Wrap and steam or bake
Tightly fold and seal both ends of the aluminum foil to lock in all the moisture. Place the packages into a covered frying pan and steam on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or bake in an oven at 250°C for 15 minutes.
Tip: Make sure the foil edges are tightly crimped so steam cannot escape during the cooking process.
