Diner and deli meals are getting a glow-up, with fancified variations of consolation dishes popping up on menus throughout the nation. On this recipe, salmon is given the weeknight-friendly pastrami therapy with a sugar-and-spice mix that creates a smoky crust harking back to the cured meat, balanced properly towards a crunchy fennel slaw. Contemporary fillets are brushed with Dijon mustard and dusted with a mix of onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and brown sugar.
Searing something crusted in a mix of spices—significantly those who embody sugar—yields a deep shade and flavorful crust. Resist the urge to take the salmon off the warmth too quickly for worry of burning; the darkish bits of bark on the surface of pastrami are the perfect elements, and the identical is true for this fish.