Thursday, September 15, 2011

SALMON WITH SUCCULENT GLAZE

It’s awfully hard to think of a healthier food than wild salmon.  There are people who eat this delicious fish every day, for the health of it. Besides the vitamins and minerals in salmon, this lovely fish also contains enormous concentrations of a beneficial, essential component, Omega-3 fatty acids.

These fatty acids are as precious as gold to the body since they do so much good.  They are the MVP of fats, providing excellent control of the body’s normal processes such as cell function, brain function and transfer of information between the body’s cells. These omega-3 acids abundantly found in wild salmon, are outstanding for fighting ever- present inflammation which would otherwise disrupt these functions.

Inflammation is part of our body’s first line of defense against bacteria and viruses, but in the long-run cause very serious problems. Heart disease, arthritis, pre-mature aging, osteoporosis and the list goes on and on; all are caused and/or aggravated by inflammation.

 Regarding the number one killer in the USA, heart disease - intake of omega-3 fat is well known to decrease the risk of cardiovascular problems like heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia as well as high blood pressure. As little as one wild salmon meal a week has been shown to increase cardiovascular benefits. Great, let’s make some.

The easiest and most healthful way to prepare wild salmon is to broil it. I usually broil it in a cast iron skillet.  I put a little olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. Then I put each fillet in the skillet to get a little oil on it and turn it over. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper some chopped basil and parsley and a little lemon juice and broil for ten minutes without turning.  Some people enjoy it seasoned with jerk seasoning.  http://gritsandgroceries.blogspot.com/2011/04/jerk-chicken.html Salmon has a robust flavour, so you can season it to your choice. Chef Paul Prudhomme has a wonderful commercial product called Magic Salmon Seasoning which I sometimes use.

We usually put our broiled wild salmon fillets on a dressed salad, but you can put them over pasta or rice if you wish. Or try this special wild salmon dish, served on a plate with magnificent side dishes of steamed rice and green beans with almonds.

Salmon Fillet with Spicy Glaze            serves 4

Ingredients

¼ cup of honey
1 teaspoon of oriental 5-spice powder
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon oriental sesame oil
½ teaspoon chili paste (optional but I like it)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 wild salmon fillets, each about 6 ounces (170gms)

Method

  • Whisk the honey, 5-spice powder, soy sauce, sesame oil chili paste and minced garlic
  • Place the salmon skin side down on a platter
  • Pour the whisked ingredients over the fillets
  • Turn the fillets and let marinate 15 minutes
  • Put the fillets in a lightly oiled skillet or broiling pan.
  • Brush on the whisked ingredients
  • Broil ten minutes

There it is- a great tasting wild salmon .This sauce is so fine you could make extra and eat the salmon on steamed rice with the extra sauce.

In case you need a side dish, here is one I like, adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook

Buttered Green Beans with Almonds

Ingredients                    serves 4

11/2 pounds (680gms) green beans
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of highest quality olive oil
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 cup sliced almonds

Method

  • Blanch the green beans in boiling salted water, about 5 minutes
  • Meanwhile, melt butter, add  olive oil, pepper and parsley and mix
  • Drain beans and place in a warm bowl
  • Sprinkle almonds on top of the beans and then pour butter mixture in
  • Toss well and serve


The fresh parsley in the green beans is wonderful. I hope you will try this and the wild salmon dish. . 

In case you are wondering, I stress wild salmon as opposed to farmed salmon because I have seen the feed that farmed salmon eat and it is mostly grain. The farmed salmon are grey coloured and need a feed supplement to acquire the otherwise natural orange shade.  Regrettably, the all-important Omega-3 fat is not as prominent as it should be; instead the farmed fish features Omega-6 fat which most people get too much of already. So, if it is not wild, I avoid it. Brisling, herring and walnuts are also excellent sources of the vital Omega-3 nutrient.

42 comments:

Hannah said...

Holy crap, I don't even like salmon and that sounds delicious! I will def. be back!

Misha Gerrick said...

Oh wow this looks gorgeous... wonder if the glaze would work with another sort of fish...

Keena said...

I'm not a fish eater....I know! I know! Fish is good for you but I just can't handle the fishy taste.

nutschell said...

such a great recipe! And i do love me some salmon. :D Thanks for sharing this!
nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com

Joanne said...

I love salmon and this looks really good.
Blessings, Joanne

anthony stemke said...

HANNAH: It is delicious with the sauce, please try it.

Hannah said...

I'm at work right now, but as soon as I'm going to bookmark this and make a list for the next grocery store trip.

anthony stemke said...

MISHA: Yes, would wor with any fish.

KEENA: Salmon has a lovely taste and the sauce is wonderful. Please reconsider.

Nutschell: You're welcome, Thanks for the ind words.

JOANNE: Wait till you sample it. Thanks for calling.

HANNAH: I'm sure you won't be sorry.

Eat To Live said...

My Hubs loves Salmon. It is so hard to find good fish in our area, that we hardly ever buy it. We do shop at Wooley Bros. when we get to Pittsburgh, but lately that is not often.

This recipe sound so good.

anthony stemke said...

MY JOURNEY: We find frozen wild salmon filets at the WalMart store. I'm reluctant to order it in a restaurant because it might be farmed salmon, which defeats the expectation of the Omega-3 fat.
Thank You for calling.

anthony stemke said...

KALYAN: You are correct, it is mouthwatering and the preparation is easy and the result is delicious.
Thank You.

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

very gourmet! better than any resturant quality... lovely presentation!

anthony stemke said...

PEGASUS: I'm much obliged reading your generous comment above.
Thank You.

createwithmom said...

delicious preparation of salmon looks flavourful
regards Akheela
torviewtoronto and createwithmom

Jessica Thompson said...

Yummmm
alphabetalife.blogspot.com

Nicki Elson said...

Thanks for the nutritional info along w/ the recipe. Interesting about the difference between wild and farm salmon.

Miriam said...

That sauce sounds fabulous! Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Yummy! My husband and I LOVE salmon. I'll definitely be trying this recipe. :-)

anthony stemke said...

CREATE WITH MOM: Thank You, we love it.

JESSICA: Yeah you're right.

NICKI: Thank You

MIRIAM: Thank You, it is.

SHANNON: You'll love it.

Shannon said...

This sounds great :)

Samantha Vérant said...

You know, I used to HATE salmon--except Sushi. Weird, I know. Anyway, since moving to France, I've grown to love it. This dish does sound succulent!!!!!

anthony stemke said...

SHANNON: Thank You, this is a delicious preparation.

SAMANTHA: Salmon is my favourite Sushi. I'm sure French cooks prepare salmon wonderfully, my recipe has an oriental touch,we love salmon this way.
Thankm You.

Stephanie said...

Clearly I do not eat enough salmon. It has such a mild flavor that I love the idea of combining it with a sweet and spicy glaze.

anthony stemke said...

STEPHANIE: Eat salmon just once a week, you'llo be glad. Thanks for calling.

Joyce said...

This sounds good. I just made salmon last night and have a similar marinade. I'll look it up and send it to you..it's only a few ingredients but really flavorful.

Thank you for the birthday wishes. The cake was divine but you really cannot expect anything less when you're talking chocolate ganache : )

Leovi said...

I love salmon, rich ...

anthony stemke said...

JOYCE: Thanks, I'm looking forward to it.

LEOVI: Salmon is rich tasting and rich in the hard -to -get essential fatty acid Omega-3.Thanks for calling.

Prathima Rao said...

Wow...This makes for such a satisfying meal!!!! I totally loved the ings of the glaze..Trying it out for tofu..!!!
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner

anthony stemke said...

PRATHIMA: The glaze would be fabulous on firm sauteed tofu. I myself am going to prepare tofu with this glaze this week.
Thank You for calling.

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Anthony, your blog always makes my mouth water! I love your recipes! Thanks for sharing your love with us. :)


♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥

Kitchen Belleicious said...

Salmon is such a fantastic fish but pairing it with a succulent glaze brings it to a whole new level! Wow, it looks amazing

Kalyani said...

delicious and yummy clicks ......

Purabi Naha said...

Very interesting recipe. I love salmon both for its taste and nutritional benefites. Tanks for sharing.
http://cosmopolitancurrymania.blogspot.com

anthony stemke said...

ELIZABETH: Thank You for your kind words.

KITCHEN BELLE': I agree,this is a great way to enjoy salmon.

KALYANI: Thank You, glad you like it.

PURABI: I'm happy you like this, salmon is not only delicious but nutritional as well. Thank You.

Jolene Perry said...

Okay. I LOVE Salmon, and living in Alaska, ALWAYS have some. This looks INCREDIBLY DELISH :D

SO going in my box :D

anthony stemke said...

JOLENE: Loving salmon as you do, this lovely recipe should satisfy you mightily. Enjoy.

Leovi said...

Yes, this must be exquisite, to accentuate the emotions.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the useful info about salmon. I know about the essential components but not abt their benefits.

This recipe looks very delicious. I need to try next time I buy salmon. here, Does 'oriental' represent the brand name?

anthony stemke said...

LEOVI: Quite right, looks beautiful with classic taste.

UMA: You will love this particular preparation. No, "oriental" is not a brand name. Five-spice powder is used in Chinese cookery. It is a spice mixture containg five ingredients. I called it "oriental" so readers would know it, perhaps I should have called it "Chinese" to be clearer.

You can mix your own five spice powder thusly:
1 Tablespoon star anise
1 tablespoon Sichuan pepper (fagora)
1/2 tablespoon powdered cinnamon
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1/2 tablespoon cloves.
Grind everything well and store in airtight container. Is strong so use sparingly.

Thank You, hope this helps.

Gail M Baugniet - Author said...

I love salmon and eat it not quite once a week. But no matter how healthful it is, I would never have the energy to whip up the recipe you described. It was a lot of fun to read all the ingredients, though. Thanks for the entertaining recipe.

Unknown said...

GAIL: I regret your reluctance to whip up this recipe.
Salmon filets are easy to cook because you just stick them under a broiler for ten minutes. Of course, seasoning is important, so you cold pour a little olive oil in a skillet moisten both sides of the salmon in it and then just sprinkle salt and pepper and broil them. When done squeeze a little lemon juice onj it and Bob's your uncle.

Leovi said...

Yes, besides rich is very good for coloesterol to me what I like is the part of the tail. Greetings.

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