toasted sesame ginger salmon.

Mmmm...doesn't that make you hungry? Blogging about food is a lot harder than one may think. It's 8:30 at night...you're sitting on your couch and the dinner you ate over two hours ago is just not cutting it any more...you're looking at pictures of food...and writing about food...and craving just about anything with salt in it...and to top it off...your're watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives! That "Guy" gets me every time!

Well, before I hit up the snack cupboard, here is a recipe that everyone should try at least once...although that may not be enough. This recipe has quickly become a "go-to" for Joe and I. It's not overly difficult, so it's great to whip up on your everyday Thursday night, but it's also an amazing dish to serve up if you have guests coming over for dinner. And it just looks so pretty! We eat this salmon with just about anything, but if you want to keep with the Asian flavours, serve with a side of rice, some bok choy, or a bowl of miso soup. Another tip of mine...call your husband when he's "working from home" and have him marinate the fish for you on one of his "15 minute breaks"...every little bit helps!



Toasted Sesame Ginger Salmon
(Serves 2-4 people)

- (1 1/2) lbs of raw salmon
- (1/4) cup of olive oil
- (2) tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
- (2) tablespoons of rice vinegar
- (2) tablespoons of brown sugar
- (2) tablespoons of soy sauce
- (2) garlic cloves, minced or grated
- (1) tablespoon of freshly grated ginger
- (1-2) tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds
- (4) green onions, sliced

Sesame Ginger Honey Glaze

- (1/4) cup of honey
- (1) teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- (1) teaspoon soy sauce
- (1/2) teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
- (1/2) teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (toasting isn't totally necessary)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet or shallow baking dish with aluminum foil and set aside.

In a bowl, combine olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and brown sugar and whisk well until combined. Either add the salmon to the bowl of marinade and cover or place both the salmon and marinade into a ziplock bag and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Note that I generally cut this recipe in half as I'm only cooking for the two of us :).

Once the salmon has finished marinating, it is now time to pop it in the oven. Place your filets skin side down directly onto the aluminum foil. If you like, season your salmon with a pinch of salt and pepper and place in the oven. The cooking time will vary slightly depending on your oven and the thickness of your filets, but they will generally take about 20-30 minutes. I like to turn my oven to broil for the last 5-10 minutes to get a nice carmelized crust. 

While your salmon is baking, you can go ahead and prepare the glaze. Combine all ingredients listed above in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Once your salmon is finished cooking, remove from the oven. If you're unsure if your salmon is fully cooked, insert a fork into the thickest part of your filet and check out the inside. The fish should be a lighter shade of pink throughout, completely opaque, and should easily flake apart with your fork. 
I like to run a thin spatula underneath the fish to separate it from the skin. Next, plate the fish and top with the glaze. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds and serve. Enjoy!

 

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!!