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hue hue. i've upgraded eh? |
If you saw my kitchen at 4:30 PM today, you would’ve bet against me. No veggies in the drawer. A frozen block of pork belly. Two lonely salmon fillets. And a toddler (Isaac) waking up from a nap with opinions.
But we don't back down. We raid the pantry.
Today’s mission: Fusion. Umami. One Pot. # The "Pantry Gold" Sauce The MVP of this dish is the sauce. It’s that viral cafe vibe but made with stuff you probably already have.
White Miso: 1 big rounded tbsp
Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp
Mirin: (My secret tweak today—adds that perfect sheen and sweetness)
Sugar: 1 tsp
Pasta Water: 4 tbsp to smooth it all out.
The Game Plan (The "Simple 3" Version)
I decided to tone it down. No need to throw the whole dried seafood aisle in there. We kept it clean.
The Salmon: Skin-side down until the skin sounds like a cracker. Flip for 60 seconds. Rest. (Crucial: Keep the skin-side UP while resting so it stays crispy!)
The Sizzle: Fry the sliced pork belly and dried cuttlefish in the leftover salmon fat. The smell? Incredible. Tossed in the garlic and shallots last so they didn't go bitter.
The Marriage: Threw the pasta, the miso-mirin sauce, and a cold knob of butter into the pan. Toss, toss, toss until it’s glossy and restaurant-status.
The "Chef’s Reality Check" (Mishaps happen!)
The Shattered Ramekin: While the pasta was boiling, as I was balancing the knife (why i didnt set it aside first baka!) and walking and scissoring the wakame because last minute felt it should be cut before into the pan eh?) I managed to drop my 2oz ramekin of wakame. Shattered everywhere. 😠Had to pivot and use a much smaller portion of wakame (after a very careful floor sweep).
The Garnish Pivot: Realized I was out of white sesame seeds. No problem—pulled out the black sesame, gave them a quick toast, and honestly? The contrast against the salmon looked even better.
The Verdict
The Wife (Supreme Authority): "10 out of 10 stars." (I'm safe for another week!)
Isaac: "10 stars plus 1 million more stars." (This cheeky lil...)
Final Thought: Don't sleep on dried cuttlefish in your pasta. It’s the chewy, smoky secret weapon you didn't know you needed.
Alright fine, the actual pics below.
