maple brined salmon.

I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm NOT a huge fan of fish. I should clarify...I'm not a huge fan of SOME types of fish. I could eat shellfish any night of the week; a nice lobster, some mussels, even scallops! But Salmon...it's always rubbed me the wrong way. It looks pretty, and I know it's supposed to be really good for you, but it's just so "fishy" tasting. I've tried it baked, broiled, fried, covered in sauce, barbecued on a cedar plank, smothered in dill...and it's always the same...too fishy! 
Joe and I keep saying that we'd like to try to eat more fish. I'm not sure we'll ever make it to the recommended two servings a week, but starting with one seems doable. I was browsing through my cookbook collection the other day, trying to decide which chef would have the BEST recipe for salmon. If I'm going to give this type of fish one last shot, I have to do it justice and prepare it the best way possible. I saw my "Oprah" cookbook sitting there and thought...if it's good enough for Oprah, well...you know the rest! I ran across a recipe for Maple-Brined Salmon, and while my initial reaction was "ewww", the fact that it said "one of the most satisfying" right underneath the title kind of swayed my opinion. That and the fact that I had a big can of maple syrup in my fridge :)
I must say that after trying out this recipe, I may just be a salmon convert. Soaking the fish in the maple brine really cut the fishy taste and rendered it tender, moist and so flavourful. The sugars from the maple syrup caramelized in the pan, so don't worry if you get a few dark spots from frying...they taste the best!  One thing I learned in the process was that with fish, the fresher is always the better. There are numerous different grades and types of salmon out there with a huge range in price. Wild salmon is typically considered the best, however, I cooked up a nice fresh piece of Atlantic salmon and it was terrific. Fresh fish should not smell "fishy", so if a piece of fish smells like a fish...I'd toss it back :)

Maple Brined Salmon

- (2-4) 5 to 6 ounce salmon fillets
- (2) cups of water
- (1/2) cup of pure maple syrup
- (1/8) cup of salt
- (1) tsp. whole black peppercorns
- (1) bay leaf
- (2) tbsp. canola oil or extra virgin olive oil


In a small saucepan, bring water, maple syrup, salt, peppercorns and bay leaf to a boil for 30 seconds. 

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. At this point you can either add your salmon fillets right into your pot of brine and put the pot directly into the fridge, or you can transfer the brine into a large resealable plastic bag, add the fillets and place the bag in the fridge. Refrigerate, turning the salmon occasionally, for 1 to 2 hours.

Remove the salmon fillets from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle both sides with a pinch of salt. In a large, non-stick pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of canola oil and heat. If you're cooking up more than 2 fillets, you'll most likely have to cook the fish in two batches, so add the other tbsp of oil for the second round. Add the salmon fillets to the skillet, skin side up, and cook until opaque throughout (approximately 4 to 5 minutes on each side).

 Serve with your choice of sides and enjoy!!