Episode 3 - Baked Salmon

You will need the following ingredients: (serving for 4) 

* 1/2 pack of imitation crab sticks (preferably use Japanese crab sticks)

* 2 salmon fillet 

* 1 cup of mayonnaise (use real mayo not reduced fat) 

* 6 teaspoons of masago 

* 1 cup of mirin 

* 1 cup of sugar 

* 1/4 cup of soy sauce 

Step 1 - Crabmeat Filling 

Take your crab sticks and use your fingers to separate or shred the sticks apart. Once your done take a knife, cut your crab sticks into cubes, and then separate the crab even more with your fingers. Put 

your crab in a bowl and add 1 cup of mayonnaise. Mix it well. Then add 3 teaspoons of masago and 

start mixing all the ingredients together. I like to add an additional 3 more teaspoons of masago for 

extra flavor and color. Mix more. 

Step 2 - Prepping the Salmon 

Be sure to wash and pat dry your salmon fillets. Take a sharp knife and begin slicing your salmon into

thin slices. (Please be very careful not to slice your fingers off.) Slice your salmon until you reach the skin. Discard the skins. 

Step 3 - Assemble 

Look for one nice wide salmon slice and begin shaping the slice into a semi-circle. Use your fingers

to spread the salmon. Take a scoop of your crabmeat filling and put it on top of your semi circle slice. 

You want to shape the crabmeat filling into a dome. After that take more salmon slices and begin to cover the sides of the crabmeat filling. Make sure it's firm and shape it into a circle. 

Step 4 - Baking 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take out a pan and cover your pan with aluminum foil. Carefully take a spatula or knife and tranfer your salmon to the pan. I like to use a toaster oven vs. a conventional oven. If your using a conventional oven I found the baking time is a bit longer so be sure to monitor your salmon. Bake the salmon for 15 minutes. Once your done add a little bit of masago on top and drizzle your salmon with the sweet brown sauce. Adjust your oven to a broil setting. Put the salmon back in the oven and allow it to cook for 5-8mins or until the top is a little bit burnt. 

Sweet Brown Sauce Recipe

Turn your heat to medium. Add 1 cup of mirin, 1 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup of soy sauce into a small saucepan. Stir the ingredients until the sugar has dissolved. Allow the ingredients to cook until alcohol (mirin) evaporates and becomes slightly thick. Turn heat off and let it cool off. You can store it in a tupperware and refrigerate for a few weeks.