Teriyaki Grilled Marinated Salmon with Marinated Cucumber and Sesame Salad

To begin with, make the marinade.

All you do is whisk together the soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, ginger and garlic. Next, place the salmon fillets in a small, shallow dish and pour the marinade over. Now cover them and leave in a cool place for two hours, turning them once, halfway through the marinating time.

To make the cucumber salad, begin by toasting the sesame seeds. Do this by pre-heating a medium-sized, heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat, then add the sesame seeds, moving them around in the pan to brown evenly. As soon as they begin to splutter and pop and turn golden, they're ready. This will take 1-2 minutes. Then remove them to a plate.

Next, cut the cucumber in half, then into quarters and then into eighths (all lengthways). Remove the seeds, then chop each piece on the diagonal into 3 inch (7.5 cm) strips and place them in a bowl. After that, measure the soy sauce, sake, mirin, vinegar and sugar into a screw-top jar, shake them together thoroughly, then pour this mixture over the cucumber wedges and leave them to marinate for about an hour – again, giving them one good stir at half-time.

When you're ready to cook the salmon, pre-heat the grill to its highest setting for at least 10 minutes. Brush the baking tray with the oil and put it under the grill to pre-heat as well. When the grill is really hot, remove the tray, using a thick oven glove. Now take the salmon steaks out of the marinade (reserving it) and shake them slightly before placing them on to the baking tray. (They should sear and sizzle as they touch the hot metal.) Then position the tray about 3 inches (7.5 cm) from the heat source and grill them for 6 minutes exactly. I advise you to use a kitchen timer here, as the timing is pretty crucial.

Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a small pan and bring it up to simmering point, allowing it to bubble, until the mixture has reduced by about a third, or until it is syrupy. Strain this sauce through a sieve. Serve the salmon with the sauce poured over, garnished with the chives. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the cucumber salad and hand it round separately on a plate.

Nutritional information
Per serving: 334 kcal, Fat 20.3 g, Saturates 3.4 g, Protein 32.6 g, Carbohydrate 5.4g