Teriyaki-Grilled Salmon Sandwiches with Hoisin and Ginger Relish

Suggested wine: riesling; Spanish albariño or Portuguese alvarinho

Here’s an Asian twist on a gutsy salmon sandwich. Boldly infused with big hits of ginger and garlic, this teriyaki-marinated salmon is grilled to perfection, giving a smoky-sweet quality to the fish. As a counterpoint and a delicious addition to the sandwich, a cool and crunchy hoisin - and-ginger relish is slathered on a crusty baguette. The sandwich is finished with a slawlike mound of shredded napa cabbage. Serve with a side of taro root chips and a little mound of pickled ginger. Add this to your repertoire for casual summer eating.

MAKES 4 SANDWICHES

Marinade

• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup mirin
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

• 4 salmon fillets (about 5 ounces each), skin on and scaled, pin bones removed Vegetable oil for brushing
• 1 baguette (about 20 inches long)
• Hoisin and Ginger Relish (recipe follows)
• 1 small head napa cabbage, halved lengthwise, cored, and cut crosswise into thin slices

TO MAKE THE MARINADE: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, mirin, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Place the salmon in a baking dish, pour the marinade over the top, turn the salmon to coat all sides, and marinate at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Prepare a medium fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium.

To grill the salmon, brush the grill grate with vegetable oil. Place the salmon, skin side up, directly over the medium fire. Cover the grill and cook on one side until beautiful grill marks are etched across the fillets, about 4 minutes. Baste the salmon with some of the marinade and then turn and cover again. Cook until the salmon is almost opaque throughout, but still very moist, or an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers between 125° and 130°F, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

To assemble the sandwiches, cut the baguette crosswise into 4 sections, each approximately 5 inches in length. Split each section in half lengthwise, cutting almost all the way but not completely through the crust on the opposite side. Use your fingers to pull out and discard some of the soft bread, hollowing out a canoe-shaped section on each side. Spoon some of the hoisin relish on both sides of each sandwich, generously filling the hollowed-out sections. Place a piece of salmon on top of the bottom piece of bread. Stuff some napa cabbage along the length of each sandwich. Serve immediately.

HOISIN AND GINGER RELISH

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded, deribbed, and minced
• 1 cup finely diced daikon
• 1 cup finely diced jicama
• 2 green onions, including green tops, diced
• Juice of 1 lime

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, hoisin, ginger, and chiles. Stir in the daikon, jicama, and green onions. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Stir in the lime juice just before assembling the sandwiches.

MAKES ABOUT 2½ CUPS