For this month's Wine & Dine event, my friend John prepared the following recipe. I love salmon and this was a great recipe for a marinade. He even used sake in the dish, making it a great pairing for our dinner!


4 salmon steaks (about 6 oz. each), skinned, or 1-1½ lbs fillet, skinned
1 1/4 cups soy sauce
1/3 cup sake, mirin, or sherry
6 Tbsp granulated sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 Tbsp minced or grated ginger root
1/3 cup vegetable oil
sliced green onions for garnish

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
To prepare the salmon: quickly rinse the salmon under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
Divide each steak into 2 pieces by cutting along either side of the central bone and then discarding the bone; alternatively, cut the fillet into 8 equal pieces.
Place the salmon in a shallow glass or ceramic container and pour 1 cup of the marinade over the fish. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, turning the fish occasionally.
Let come to room temperature before cooking. Prepare grill. Remove the salmon from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Place the fish on an oiled grill rack.
Position the fish 5 to 6 inches from the heat source, turning once and brushing with the reserved marinade several times, until the flesh is just opaque, 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
Serve the salmon at once with reserved marinade as dipping sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions. Makes 4 servings.