A Taste of Nostalgia: Salmon from the Coast

By RGC Food & Beverage Director Steve Buzak

Featured in the 2025 Royal Review

There’s a bit of nostalgia in cooking salmon. As a child, I spent summers on the coast and lakes fishing. As an adult, I’ve continued the tradition—spending most of my culinary career in BC fishing Sockeye and Chinook Salmon. These dishes are inspired by what I’d cook and serve at camp or at home—simple, flavourful, and made with vibrant, local vegetables.

There’s something deeply satisfying about preparing something you’ve caught or foraged yourself. It connects you to the land and water in a way no grocery store ever could. The pride of gathering your own ingredients—whether a freshly caught salmon or wild greens—brings a true sense of purpose and accomplishment to the plate.

Shopping List

• Sockeye salmon (skin on, bones removed)
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Red onion
• Heirloom gem tomatoes
• Avocados
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Fresh ginger
• Jalapeño
• Miso paste

Rice vinegar

Soy sauce

Brown sugar

Sesame oil

Yuzu juice (or limes)

Avocado oil

Honey

Corn tortillas

Cilantro

Your favourite spice mix or Cajun rub

Baked Sockeye Salmon

Sesame-ginger glazed, served with roasted vegetables, onion pickle, miso-ginger dressing, and avocado crème.

Ingredients:

• Sockeye salmon fillets

• Roasted vegetables

• Pickled red onions

• Miso-ginger dressing

• Avocado crème

• Heirloom gem tomatoes

• Fennel

Instructions:

1. Marinate the Salmon: Use the Ginger Soy Marinade (below) and marinate fillets for 15–30 minutes (no more than 1 hour).

2. Bake the Salmon: Preheat oven to 500°F on high convection. Bake salmon for 5–7 minutes or until it reaches an internal temp of 120°F. Let it rest to reach 140–145°F.
   Note: Sockeye is lean and can dry out if overcooked.

3. Roast the Vegetables: Toss cabbage and cauliflower with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 500°F in convection oven for 5–7 minutes until lightly charred.

Plate the Dish:

• Spoon roasted vegetables onto the plate and drizzle with miso-ginger dressing.

• Add a few dollops of avocado crème around the plate (at 10, 2, and 6 o’clock positions).

• Scatter roasted gem tomatoes.

• Place the salmon in the center.

• Top with pickled red onion and shaved fennel.

Fish Tacos

Spiced sockeye salmon, charred cabbage, avocado crème, pickled onion, lime, cilantro

Ingredients:

• Sockeye salmon

• Spice mix

• Charred cabbage

• Pickled red onions

• Avocado crème

• Fresh lime wedges

• Cilantro

• Corn tortillas (or flour tortillas)

Instructions:

Season & Cook the Salmon: Rub salmon with your favourite spice mix. Grill, bake, or pan-sear for a few minutes until just cooked through.

Char the Cabbage: Toss cabbage with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast or grill until charred and tender.

Warm the Tortillas: Heat tortillas in a pan or on a grill until soft and warm.

Assemble the Tacos: Layer charred cabbage, spiced salmon, a dollop of avocado
crème, pickled onions, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Miso-Ginger Dressing (Makes ~2 cups)

• 170 ml rice vinegar

• 30 g fresh ginger

• 42.5 ml lime juice with zest

• 150 g miso paste

• 112.5 ml honey (Gramma Bee’s or local)

• 100 ml sesame oil

Instructions:

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Best used fresh or within 3 days.

Quick Pickled Red Onions

• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

• ½ cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup hot water

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1½ tsp salt

• Optional: peppercorns, 1 garlic clove (sliced), pinch of chili flakes

Instructions:

Combine vinegar, hot water, sugar, and salt in a jar or bowl. Add onions and optional spices. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 15 minutes for a quicker pickle. Keeps for 2+ weeks in the fridge.

Avocado Crème

• 2 medium avocados

• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp yuzu juice (or lime juice)

• ¼ cup avocado oil

• 1 garlic clove

• 2 tsp sea salt

• 1 tsp ground black pepper

• ¼ jalapeño, seeded (optional)

Instructions:

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Best consumed fresh or within 3 days.