1-Prepare Your Ingredients: To prepare, chop the cabbage into 2-inch pieces, slice the carrots diagonally into ½-inch coins, slice the onion into half moons, and separate the mushrooms if using. Uniform cutting helps ensure even cooking, so take your time with this step. The diagonal cut on the carrots not only looks attractive but also increases the surface area for better flavor absorption.

2-Make the Miso Butter: Combine miso, butter, and sugar to make a smooth miso butter, reserving some for vegetables. You can do this in a small bowl with a fork or use a food processor for extra smoothness. The mixture should have the consistency of softened butter, making it easy to spread. Taste a tiny amount to check the balance the sweetness should just barely temper the saltiness of the miso.

3-Prepare the Salmon: Spread miso butter thinly over the salmon, skin side down. You don’t need a thick layer; a thin, even coating will provide plenty of flavor without overwhelming the fish. The skin side should be left bare as it will be in direct contact with the pan, helping it crisp up nicely during cooking.

4-Sauté the Vegetables: Heat oil in a skillet and sauté the vegetables with salt and pepper for 5 to 8 minutes until slightly wilted but still crisp. Use a large skillet that has a lid you’ll need it later. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, to develop some color on the vegetables. It’s important not to overcook them at this stage since they’ll continue cooking with the salmon.

5-Assemble and Cook: Flatten the vegetables, place salmon on top miso side up, dot remaining miso butter on vegetables, and pour sake over them. The sake will create steam that helps cook the salmon through while keeping it moist. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes until salmon is flaky and cooked. The exact time will depend on the thickness of your salmon fillet, so start checking at the 7-minute mark.

6-Finish and Serve: Stir vegetables with melted miso butter, sprinkle scallions on top, and serve with steamed rice. The miso butter will have created a delicious sauce that coats the vegetables. For the best presentation, transfer everything to a serving platter rather than serving from the cooking pan. Serve immediately while hot, with the steamed rice on the side to soak up all that flavorful sauce.