If you’re like Jing Gao, founder of Fly By Jing, you’re often reaching for one-pan recipes that save on time but don’t sacrifice flavour (like her Kung Pao Shrimp). She loves salmon for meal prep because it’s one of the few types of fish that keeps well even when prepared two or three days ahead of time.
Sheet-Pan Zhong-Glazed Salmon
Jing Gao's easy recipe for one-pan salmon and Brussels sprouts with zhong sauce.
Ingredients
Zhong Sauce
- 1 cup neutral oil
- ½ cup minced garlic
- ⅓ cup chili powder
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 cup Sichuan Sweet Soy Sauce see note
Salmon
- ¼ cup Zhong Sauce
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved (454 g)
- 4 salmon fillets 8 oz (227 g) each
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Zhong Sauce
- Heat a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat until it reads 350°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Add garlic and fry until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat and bring the oil down to 260°F; add chili powder and stir well as it releases its fragrance and colour into the oil.
- Add sesame oil; remove from heat and let the chili oil cool down. Transfer into medium heat-safe bowl; stir in Sichuan sweet soy sauce.
Salmon
- In small bowl, stir together 1⁄4 cup of the Zhong Sauce, lemon juice, garlic, honey and salt until combined.
- In bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with 2 tbsp of the marinade to coat. Transfer to prepared sheet pan, spreading evenly, and bake for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place salmon fillets in a large resealable bag and pour in remaining marinade. Seal bag and refrigerate while Brussels sprouts cook.
- Remove pan and push Brussels sprouts to one side. Add salmon fillets to pan and return to oven. Bake until fish flakes when tested with fork and Brussels sprouts are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, 7 to 9 minutes.
- Serve with rice or enjoy salmon and Brussels sprouts as a complete meal.
Notes
To make Sichuan Sweet Soy Sauce, bring 2 cups light soy sauce and 2 cups dark-brown sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Place 2 cardamom pods, 1 to 2 pieces of star anise, 1 piece cassia bark, a 1-inch-long ginger slice, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 bay leaf and 1 tsp whole Sichuan pepper in a spice bag. (If you don’t have a spice bag, add everything directly to the pot and strain when finished.) Add the spice bag to the pot and adjust the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer for at least 1 hour. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the sauce steep overnight. Remove the spice bag and store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
