Creamy Salmon Stew with Spinach & Mushrooms 🍣

Steps

1. 1

   Step 1

   

   Dice a small wedge of onion, mince one garlic clove, halve the cherry tomatoes, and prep a small knob of butter. Wash the spinach and cut to bite-sized lengths. Slice mushrooms (oyster or shiitake work well — I didn't have any on hand so just imagine!). Cut the salmon into thick slices and lightly salt the flesh. (You can cut thicker pieces than shown — I was using leftover thick-cut sashimi-grade salmon from the day before.)

   ✅ Done when: Dice a small wedge of onion, mince one garlic clove, halve the cherry tomatoes, and prep a small knob of butte. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

   Watch out: Don't salt the salmon too far ahead of cooking, as salt draws out moisture and weakens the sear. Season right before cooking and pat the flesh dry.

   If The salmon surface turns wet and weeps liquid before it ever hits the pan.:

   Salt the salmon right before searing and pat the surface dry with a paper towel.

   If The spinach floods the pan with water later in the cook.:

   Spin or pat the spinach thoroughly dry after washing, then cut it to bite-sized lengths.

2. 2

   Step 2

   

   Pan-sear the salmon on all sides until golden and crispy. (Use a non-stick pan — no oil needed, the salmon renders its own fat! If using a regular pan, add a little oil to coat.) Sprinkle with black pepper sea salt to season.

   ✅ Done when: Pan-sear the salmon on all sides until golden and crispy. (Use a non-stick pan — no oil needed, the salmon ren. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

   Watch out: Don't move or flip the salmon too early or it will stick and tear. Also, don't cook it all the way through here, since it finishes simmering in the sauce later.

   If The salmon sticks to the pan and tears when you try to move it.:

   Leave each side undisturbed until it releases easily and turns golden, then flip.

   If The salmon ends up dry and chalky after simmering in the sauce.:

   Sear only until golden on the outside and slightly underdone in the center, since it finishes cooking in the sauce.

3. 3

   Step 3

   

   Keep the oil rendered from the salmon in the pan, then add the butter. Melt over the lowest heat.

   ✅ Done when: Keep the oil rendered from the salmon in the pan, then add the butter. Melt over the lowest heat. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

   Watch out: Keep the heat at its lowest. Butter burns quickly, and darkened milk solids will make the whole sauce bitter.

   If The butter turns dark brown with black specks and smells bitter.:

   Melt the butter over the lowest heat and pull the pan off the burner if it browns too fast.

   If The finished sauce tastes flat and lacks depth.:

   Keep the drippings in the pan and melt the butter right into them.

4. 4

   Step 4

   

   Add the minced garlic and diced onion and stir-fry until fragrant. Then add the sliced mushrooms and cook until softened. (I didn't have any, so just picture it!)

   ✅ Done when: Add the minced garlic and diced onion and stir-fry until fragrant. Then add the sliced mushrooms and cook unti. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

   Watch out: Garlic burns in seconds and turns bitter. Keep the heat moderate, stir often, and add the mushrooms only after the onion has started to soften.

   If The garlic turns dark brown and the whole dish tastes bitter.:

   Keep the heat moderate, stir often, and add the mushrooms only after the onion turns translucent.

   If The mushrooms turn gray, watery, and steamed instead of browned.:

   Spread the mushrooms in a single layer and let the liquid cook off before stirring.

5. 5

   Step 5

   

   Add the halved cherry tomatoes and continue stir-frying until they start releasing their juices.

   ✅ Done when: Add the halved cherry tomatoes and continue stir-frying until they start releasing their juices. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

   Watch out: Don't stir so vigorously that you mash the tomatoes. Press them gently so they break down and release their juices without turning to mush.

   If The tomatoes collapse into mush and the sauce looks pulpy.:

   Press the halves gently with the spatula just until they release their juices.

   If The tomatoes stay firm and never release their juice.:

   Cook a minute or two longer and press them lightly to help them break down.

6. 6

   Step 6

   

   Add 1 teaspoon of Korean chili paste (gochujang).

   ✅ Done when: Add 1 teaspoon of Korean chili paste (gochujang). Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

   Watch out: Gochujang is salty and spicy, so measure it rather than eyeballing, and stir it in promptly so it doesn't scorch on the pan bottom.

   If Dark crusty spots form on the pan bottom and taste burnt.:

   Stir the paste in promptly and scrape the pan bottom as it melts.

   If The finished sauce is too salty or too spicy.:

   Measure out 1 teaspoon, stir it in, and taste before adding more.

7. 7

   Step 7

   

   Add a drizzle of ketchup.

   ✅ Done when: Add a drizzle of ketchup. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

   Watch out: Ketchup adds both sugar and salt, so a light drizzle is enough. Too much makes the sauce cloying alongside the gochujang.

   If The sauce tastes overly sweet and cloying.:

   Use a light drizzle and taste the sauce before adding any more.

8. 8

   Step 8

   

   Add a drizzle of heavy cream and stir everything together until well combined.

   ✅ Done when: Add a drizzle of heavy cream and stir everything together until well combined. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

   Watch out: Don't crank up the heat. Boiling cream hard, especially with tomato acid in the pan, can cause it to curdle or separate.

   If The cream curdles into grainy flecks and the sauce looks broken.:

   Keep the heat low, stir gently, and never let the sauce boil once the cream is in.

   If The sauce looks streaky and unevenly colored.:

   Stir until the sauce is a uniform pale orange before adding the water.

9. 9

   Step 9

   

   Add a small bowl of water (adjust the amount based on how thick you want the sauce. The tomatoes will release juice too, and seafood doesn't take long to cook, so don't add too much water!)

   ✅ Done when: Add a small bowl of water (adjust the amount based on how thick you want the sauce. The tomatoes will release. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

   Watch out: Go easy on the water. The tomatoes will release more juice and the seafood cooks fast, so a watery sauce is the most common slip-up. Add it gradually.

   If The sauce ends up thin and watery and never coats the salmon.:

   Add the water gradually in small splashes and let the sauce reduce to the thickness you want.

10. 10

    Step 10

    

    Add the seared salmon back into the pan and simmer. (The salmon can be substituted with cleaned shrimp, clams, snails, abalone, etc.) Season with black pepper sea salt.

    ✅ Done when: Add the seared salmon back into the pan and simmer. (The salmon can be substituted with cleaned shrimp, clams,. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

    Watch out: The salmon is already seared, so over-simmering dries it out. Keep the heat gentle and stir as little as possible so the pieces hold together.

    If The salmon turns dry and breaks apart into small bits.:

    Keep the heat at a gentle simmer and stir as little as possible, just spooning sauce over the pieces.

    If Shellfish substitutes taste gritty, or some clams stay closed after cooking.:

    Soak and scrub clams beforehand, and discard any that stay shut after cooking.

11. 11

    Step 11

    

    Add the spinach. (If you have a sensitive stomach, blanch it first. If not, you can toss it in raw. I added mine straight in.)

    ✅ Done when: Add the spinach. (If you have a sensitive stomach, blanch it first. If not, you can toss it in raw. I added mi. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

    Watch out: Spinach shrinks a lot and overcooks fast. Add it at the very end and don't overload the pan, or it turns dull, mushy, and watery.

    If The spinach turns dull olive-green, mushy, and watery.:

    Add the spinach at the very end and pull the pan off the heat as soon as it wilts.

    If The sauce thins out and cools down when the greens go in.:

    Add the spinach in a couple of batches, tossing until each batch wilts.

12. 12

    Step 12

    

    (The next 3 steps share ingredient tips. If you don't have these, feel free to buy them; if you have similar alternatives, use those up! The goal is to finish pantry items before they expire.) I had this black pepper sea salt left over from grilling steak — it works great here. If you don't have it, regular salt and black pepper will do just fine.

    ✅ Done when: (The next 3 steps share ingredient tips. If you don't have these, feel free to buy them; if you have similar a. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

    Watch out: Seasoned salt blends vary a lot in saltiness. Taste the sauce before adding any extra salt so the dish doesn't end up over-seasoned.

    If The finished dish is over-salted.:

    Taste the sauce before seasoning, add the blend lightly at the end, and adjust gradually.

13. 13

    Step 13

    

    Both the Korean chili paste and ketchup were already in my pantry (the gochujang was leftover from making Korean oxtail stew or bibimbap).

    ✅ Done when: Both the Korean chili paste and ketchup were already in my pantry (the gochujang was leftover from making Kore. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

    Watch out: Gochujang brands differ widely in heat and salt, and the paste often separates in the tub. Stir it well first and adjust the amount to taste.

    If The spice level and saltiness vary from batch to batch.:

    Stir the gochujang well before scooping and adjust the amount to taste.

14. 14

    Step 14

    

    The heavy cream and butter were also bought for bread-making. The cream was the smallest carton I could find. The whole idea is to use up ingredients before they expire!

    ✅ Done when: The heavy cream and butter were also bought for bread-making. The cream was the smallest carton I could find. Finished: Heat the pan or oil to about 180 C before adding the mixture; the surface should sizzle gently on contact.

    Watch out: If you swap in milk or half-and-half, it can curdle against the tomato acid. Stick with heavy cream, or stir the substitute in off the heat.

    If The sauce curdles when milk or half-and-half is used instead of heavy cream.:

    Stick with heavy cream, or stir the substitute in off the heat at the end.