This Is How I Salmon Skin Roll: Sushi (Part 2)

So, I couldn’t just make Spicy Tuna and call it a day. . made my mom’s fave too: Salmon Skin rolls! Hope you enjoy this recipe on how to make a salmon skin roll!

To prepare this roll, you need the skin of a smoked salmon or salmon fillet. Because they live in cold water, salmon build up a particularly delicious thick layer of fat under the skin, making their skin best for this preparation. Purchase the salmon with the skin or ask for the skin at your local fishmonger or food store. In many food shops where smoked salmon is cut to order from a large fillet, this delicious skin may simply be thrown away. The layer of fat attached to the skin gradually melts during cooking and makes it crisp.

The pickled mountain burdock—a long, thin, orange-colored root vegetable about 8 inches in length, (that many people mistake for a carrot) often packed in a plastic bag containing eight to ten pieces with pickling solution—can be found at Japanese or Asian food stores. If it is not available, just use carrots instead.

Salmon Skin Rolls

Ingredients

Sushi Rice:

2 cups Japanese rice, such as Nishiki
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Yield: enough rice for at least 4 large rolls (futomaki)

For the salmon:

Vegetable oil, for frying
Four 9-ounce salmon fillets, with skin or smoked salmon
Freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting

For the rolls:

4 (8 1/4 by 7 1/4-inch) sheets roasted nori (seaweed)
Sushi rice
Salmon skin
1 package yamagobo no tsukemono (pickled mountain burdock) or 5 ounces of julienned carrot, 3 inches long
1 medium Kirby (or English) cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/16-inch-thick matchsticks (you can just julienne these and don’t use the inside part of the cucumber with the seeds)
Sesame seeds (optional)
Soy sauce
Wasabi
Ginger (sushi ginger)

Directions

For the sushi rice: In a large bowl, add rice and cover with lots of water. Stir rice in water with your hands, then pour off most of the water, and agitate 10 to 15 times by quickly moving your hand back and forth, swishing rice against side of bowl. Rinse the rice several more times, until the water that drains off of the rice is almost clear. Transfer the rice to a colander and let drain for 1 hour, undisturbed (only do this if you have time and want to, if not, it’s not a big deal). Transfer the rice to a rice cooker, add the water, cover and cook as directed by manufacturer’s directions.

While the rice is cooking, bring the rice vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan, and then remove from the heat. Add sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.

When rice is done, allow cooked rice to remain in rice cooker for 10 minutes. Transfer rice to a large shallow mixing bowl and pour the cooled vinegar mixture over top of rice. “Cut” rice several times with a wooden spoon or whatever you have (or mix gently) to evenly distribute vinegar mixture, then allow to cool. When the rice has cooled to body temperature, it is ready to use for sushi rolls. Rice can be kept at the proper temperature by placing it in an insulated container such as a small ice chest, covered with a damp kitchen towel.

If you are preparing carrots for sushi: You will need to blanch the carrots in boiling water to soften a bit. First, peel the carrots, then cut into long thick strips. Have a pot of boiling water ready with a bowl of ice water. Carefully drop the carrot strips to the boiling water and blanch for about 2 minutes, then transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking process.

If you have the burdock: Cut the pickled mountain burdock in half crosswise and then cut each piece in half lengthwise.

Preparing the salmon: In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 inch of oil to 325°. With a long, sharp knife, cut the skin from the salmon fillets, leaving 1/4 inch of flesh on the skin. Season the salmon skin with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Fry one at a time (skin side down) over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain the salmon skin on paper towels and repeat with the rest. When you are finished cooking all of them, cut them into ¼-inch-wide strips, 8 inches long.

Assembly & Rolling:

Put a nori sheet on a bamboo sushi rolling mat, shiny side down. With moist hands, pat 3/4 cup of the rice on the nori in an even layer, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the toasted sesame seeds over the rice (optional), then spread 1/4 teaspoon of the wasabi paste in a thin line across the rice (also optional).

Lay a salmon skin on the rice nearest to you and top with one fourth of the cucumber strips. Then, top with the burdock or carrots. Lift the end of the bamboo mat nearest to you up and over, pressing to tuck the skin and cucumber into a cylinder. Roll tightly, using the sushi mat to guide you. When you have the roll ready, slice the roll, first in half and then cut the individual pieces.Use a wet knife when cutting. This will help you get a nice, clean cut. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make a total of 4 rolls.

Serve with a small bowl of soy sauce and extra wasabi and ginger, if desired.

Here is a link to my other sushi recipes.

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE AHEAD The rice can stand at room temperature, covered, for up to 4 hours. The fried salmon skin can be prepared earlier in the day. Reheat in a 400° oven for 3 minutes.