Maple Glazed Salmon

How is it, you ask, that I've managed to post 53 time and never once share a recipe for salmon? Aren't I from the Pacific Northwest? Aren't I a dietitian? The answer to both questions is most definitely yes. Sigh. I'll go dig my head out of the sand now. But I must confess that I am that dietitian who orders red meat (RED MEAT!!!) at a nutrition dinner lecture. I recall one time, back when I was young and naïve and still trying to impress my nutrition counterparts that I ordered the fish option at one such dinner because it felt like it was what "I was supposed to do." But it didn't take long for me to recognize my foolishness and realize, heck, these dinners are free! And few and far between. And so 9 out of 10 times when presented the opportunity, I'm gonna take the filet mignon. True story. 

But let me be clear: don't allow my beef fixation to discourage you should you ever find yourself with an overabundance of fresh-caught salmon in your freezer! I accept free food of all kinds and I certainly do enjoy me a good fillet of salmon. I'm not super keen on the traditional butter/dill preparation so I've been exploring some recipes with more unique ingredients. I have a couple winners in my repertoire now that I plan to share with you.

This one is particularly delicious if you're looking for something impressive yet super easy to throw together, even on a week night. I mean, look. My chatter leading up to the recipe is longer than the recipe itself! You can mix up a larger batch of the spice rub and store it in a sealed container so it is ready to go at a moment's notice, whenever a fillet of fish finds it's way into your fridge. The trick (which took me FAR to long to master than I care to admit) with salmon is not to overcook it. Salmon is cooked to perfection in less time than feels should be legal so chances are, if you are even the slightest bit concerned that you overdid it, you did. A literal 6 minutes under the broiler is all it takes, unless of course you have a really thick piece of fish. Drizzle it with a little maple syrup and return to the broiler for 1 more minute and voila! It's ready. Of course the REAL Northwestern way to cook salmon is to throw it on the barbecue. You can definitely do that with this recipe as we move toward the warmer summer months. Make a faux "cookie sheet" bed for the salmon out of foil by tearing off a sheet and crimping the corners. This will prevent excess stickage when you are trying to remove the salmon from the grill. Serve alongside couscous and grilled veggies and enjoy.

Maple Glazed Salmon
(adapted from Cooking Light Magazine)

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder  
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin  
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar  
1 teaspoon kosher salt  
1 1/2 pounds Alaskan salmon 
2 tablespoons maple syrup  

Preheat broiler. Combine first 6 ingredients; rub spice mixture evenly over flesh side of fillets. Place fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 6 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Brush fillets evenly with syrup; broil 1 minute.

Serves 4