Grilled Salmon with a Vodka~Infused Citrus Glaze | Miso Roasted Asparagus | Brown Rice
We don’t eat enough fish. It’s a fact, both here in my own home as well as in the broader realm of the general American diet. Despite the well-known health benefits, cited here and here, of a diet which includes foods rich in the Omega~3 fatty acids {such as oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring & trout}, the overall consumption of fish by Americans is on the decline….
But much of that consumption decline seems to be at home, as many restaurants report an increase in the popularity of seafood.
“I actually see a huge increase in both fish and vegetable consumption in the restaurant world,” said David Santos, chef of Louro in New York City. “However, I think that people are eating far less fish at home and that is the cause for the drop-off. Meats tend to be more forgiving and easier to cook than fish. So in these days of cost-effective living, people are definitely more prone to buying that pork loin or that chicken than say, that wonderful local wild striped bass. People know how to cook chicken or pork and beef.” ~ Study: Americans Eating Less Seafood, by Bret Thorn in Nation’s Restaurant News
Well, if you {like me} are looking to incorporate more of the ocean’s delicacies into your diet, you can begin with this simple & flavor~packed salmon recipe…I promise, you will be hooked!
We are…I have made it three times since I first discovered the recipe over at Sara’s place a few weeks ago. It’s a quick and easy dish, perfect for a weeknight dinner, like ours {ready in 30 minutes or less} that can easily be dressed up and served for a special occasion, like Sara’s.
My adaptations to the original recipe were slight. Rather than one large piece of salmon with the skin on, I opted for individual filets with the skin removed. My citrus: a combination of blood & carra carra oranges, which yielded a beautiful rosy pink juice for the glaze…
After brushing the salmon with the sauce, the filets were given a quick turn in a hot grill pan {rather than set under the broiler} and then removed to individual dinner plates with a beautiful sear. The salmon was so tender and had a wonderfully bright, slightly sweet flavor. Served with simple brown rice and Miso Roasted Asparagus {recipe follows}, this salmon dinner is a celebration of spring.
- 4-5 skinless salmon filets {about 1 pound total}
- Olive oil
- Salt & freshly cracked pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice {I used a combination of blood & carra carra oranges}
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 2 tablespoons natural cane sugar {or brown sugar}
- 2 tablespoons liquid aminos {or soy sauce}
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill {fronds coarsely chopped & stems discarded} + additional as garnish {optional}
- Place salmon in a shallow dish and rub the filets all over with a bit of olive oil & season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients {except the dill} and bring to a boil over medium~high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by half. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the chopped dill. Pour the sauce over the salmon.
- Lightly oil a grill pan and heat over a medium~high flame. When the pan is extremely hot, place the salmon filets into the pan and cook {without moving} until the meat turns opaque approximately half-way up the filet and is nicely seared on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes {depending on the thickness of your filets}. Flip each piece of salmon over and finish cooking in the same manner.
- Remove filets to individual serving plates and garnish with additional dill fronds if desired.
Like the first blooms of mustard in the fields, asparagus is a sure sign of spring and a welcome addition to the dinner plate after weeks of winter greens.
“Like most vegetables, asparagus starts losing its sweetness the moment it is cut. Therefore, as always, look for the freshest specimens: they should be smooth~skinned and bright~colored, with the bloom of a living green stem; the heads should be compact and tightly formed. Inspect the butt ends ~ if they look desiccated, it means they were not freshly cut. Asparagus is sometimes harvested too late, after it has begun to bolt: the heads will have started to elongate and spread apart, and the tiny nascent leaves and branches to open up; the section of stalk just below the tip will appear slightly streaky and almost fluted. Asparagus like this will usually be tough, taste grassy and bitter, and may discolor when cooked. Asparagus is best eaten as soon as possible after harvesting, but to store, treat the stems as cut flowers: put the bunches in warm water, tips up, and refrigerate.” ~ Alice Waters, Chez Panisse Vegetables
The asparagus that accompanied our salmon was dressed with a mixture of sweet white miso, freshly grated ginger, lemon juice and some sesame oil and then gently roasted. The finished vegetable was incredibly tender with a beautiful bright green color and even brighter flavor…a perfect match for the slightly sweet salmon.
- 1 bunch asparagus spears (about 1 pound), ends snapped off, stalks cut diagonally into 3" lengths
- 1 tablespoon sweet white miso
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
- big pinch salt
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375ºF. Spread the snapped and sliced asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, stir together the miso, sesame oil, lemon juice, grated ginger, and salt. Drizzle this mixture over the asparagus, toss to coat, and roast in the oven until crisp-tender, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
I saved both of these simple recipes in my yumprint file. I love salmon and asparagus and I know I can handle putting together both of these dishes even on the busiest day. Thank you!
Beverly,
These really are such simple recipes that produce amazing, flavorful food! Enjoy!!!