The daikon and cucumber in this recipe are perfect for summertime: cooling, crunchy, and fresh tasting. The mitsuba, an herb that has a wonderful, delicate flavor that’s a bit like chervil, adds another refreshing note and doesn’t overpower. Add tangy yuzu and rich salmon and you have a balanced, nutritious, and delicious dish you can knock out in 15 minutes, from start to finish. If you’d like, you can substitute canned salmon for the fillets and avoid firing up the oven altogether.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets

　　Pinch of kosher salt

　　Pinch of pepper

　　12 ounces dried somen noodles

　　12 cherry tomatoes, halved

　　1/4 cup diced daikon

　　1/4 cup diced cucumber

　　1 cup Yuzu Dipping Sauce (page 86)

　　8 stems mitsuba, cut into 1-inch pieces (or substitute with daikon sprouts or cilantro)

　　

Step 1

Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Season the salmon fillets with the salt and pepper, then grill the salmon until medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

　　

Step 2

Place a pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the somen noodles and cook, following package instructions. Rinse the noodles well under cold running water, drain, and divide among 4 bowls.

　　

Step 3

Top each bowl with one-fourth of the tomatoes, daikon, and cucumber. Place a salmon fillet in each bowl and drizzle 1/4 cup yuzu sauce over it. Garnish with the mitsuba.

　　Takashi's Noodles