Maple Glazed Salmon with Pineapple

This may sound silly, but I never knew I had a broiler until I realized that my oven has a broiler setting. Ha Ha Ha. Well, at least I know now. Since using this recipe to make fish, I am convinced that fish cooks much better under a broiler than it does in a full-on oven setting. Not that I'm an expert, but that's how I currently feel. I've tried before to look for the perfect crusty glaze for salmon, and I think this is it. Maple syrup and Dijon mustard, heated over a flame and thickened to perfection, makes for quite a delicious flavor and texture. Match that up with sweet pineapple and a little bit of spice....you've got a delicious and healthy dinner in 35 minutes.

From Diary of a Designer

Serves 4 

Hands-On Time: 15m

Total Time: 35m

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup rice
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 6-ounce salmon fillets
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

 
Cook the rice according to the package directions. 

Whisk together the maple syrup and mustard in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. 

Heat broiler. Place the salmon in a foil-lined 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Season with the salt and pepper. 

Cut the pineapple lengthwise into quarters, then cut each quarter into ½-inch-thick triangles. Scatter the pineapple and jalapeño around the salmon. 

Brush the salmon with the syrup mixture and broil for 5 to 7 minutes or until it flakes easily and is the same color throughout. 

Serve the salmon and pineapple with the rice and drizzle with the remaining glaze, if desired. 

Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

It has been so HOT here lately, it makes me want to lie on the beach all day long. One of my favorite beach-y foods is fish tacos. We find ourselves dining out a lot on Tuesday night for various restaurants' Taco Tuesday deals, but someday I envision making every Tuesday night in my home Taco Tuesday and I will make the tacos. This would definitely be one recipe in my arsenal. It's very fast and simple.

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/3 cup beer (may be substituted with milk)

8 oz. tilapia fillet or other white fish, cut crosswise into 1-inch wide strips

Vegetable oil

Corn tortillas

1-2 tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, sliced

sour cream

paprika or other seasoning 

DIRECTIONS:

Combine flour, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in beer to create a batter. 

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat tilapia pieces in the batter and, letting the excess batter drip into the bowl, add fish to the pan. Cook until crispy and golden, about 2-4 minutes per side.

Serve with tortillas, tomatoes, avocados, sour cream, and season with paprika or your favorite seasoning. 

Honey-Cilantro Salmon with Rice

Honey is such a great addition to salmon. The way it makes it crisp up is so delicious. I love the way this turned out, but I think I might use even more honey in the future. Mmmm....

*Adapted from Bon Appétit

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 Tablespoons finely grated lime zest

4 Tablespoons honey

4 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup sliced shallots (I didn't have these, so I substituted with onions)

1-1/2 cups basmati rice

3-1/4 cup chicken broth

4 5-6 oz. salmon fillets

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Whisk together lime juice, lime zest, honey, cilantro, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large, deep, ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots (or onions) and sauté until just beginning to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, then 3-1/4 cups broth. Bring to a boil. Cover skillet tightly with lid, place in oven and bake 10 minutes. (Rice will be almost coked through and most of the broth will be absorbed.)

Remove skilled from the oven. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper and arrange on rice, pressing the salmon in lightly. Spoon 1-2 Tablespoons of lime mixture over each salmon fillet. Cover skillet and return to oven. 

Bake until salmon is just opaque in center, about 8-10 minutes.

Drizzle remaining lime mixture over fish and rice, sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro and serve from skillet.

VARIATION: To make this an all-inclusive, one-skillet meal, add some fresh vegetables (broccolini, carrots, snap peas, etc.) into the skillet at the same time the salmon is added. 

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce

Brad has this thing against purchasing farm-raised fish. He doesn't like it. And our local Ralph's usually only carries farm-raised salmon. Every time I beg for it, he jokes, 'Just wait 'til we move to Alaska. You can have all the wild-caught salmon you like.' Truly, I am jealous of the salmon abundance there. But back to the grocery store. Last week, Brad spotted wild-caught salmon at our local California Ralphs and we jumped on it, so excited to get our healthy fill of Omega-3s.  

Ah, the simplicity of cooking it with this recipe. Being healthy and tasting mouth-watering goodness never felt so easy.

*from Gourmet Magazine, July 2006 (Ian Knauer)

INGREDIENTS:

3 (6 oz.) salmon fillets

3/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest 

(for lime butter sauce):

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/8 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Make lime butter sauce. In a blender or food processor, purée garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds. 

Grill salmon. Season salmon all over with salt and pepper. Place fillets on a lightly olive-oiled grill. (I used a George Foreman grill and left it in there for about 8 minutes.) Sprinkle fillets with zest and top each fillet with one tablespoon lime butter sauce.

SERVING SUGGESTION: 

Serve with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes (seen in picture) and a summer salad of fresh greens, tomato, avocado, goat cheese and Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette dressing.

Seasoned Tilapia with Mango Avocado Salsa

Summer is here! Can we sing the Hallelujah praises now? I spent all day yesterday in a swimsuit and fell asleep with  sunscreen on my skin and a bit of sand in my toes. The grills have been smoking in our apartment complex and, well, I could go on and on with reasons why I love summer, but this is a food blog, not a summer blog. But I will list just one more reason why I love summer: dishes like this. Simple, flavorful food with fresh ingredients that speak for themselves. Avocados and mangoes are a magical combination.

For tips on how to cut a mango, click here.

INGREDIENTS:

(for the fish):

3-4 fillets tilapia (or other white fish)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon (or less) cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

juice of one lime (or 1 Tablespoon lime juice)

olive oil

(for the salsa):

3/4 cup red salsa

1 mango, chopped

juice of two limes (or 2 Tablespoons lime juice)

1/2 avocado, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Place the fish on a plate and sprinkle with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and juice of one lime. 

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until golden on the outside. Remove from heat and cover, until ready to serve.

Make the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup red salsa, mango, 2 Tablespoons lime juice, and avocado. Serve immediately with fish. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

This also works well as fish tacos. On a small corn tortilla, layer chopped lettuce (cabbage or iceberg works best), then fish, then salsa. Let the warm summer nights begin. 

Lemon Tilapia with Spinach

I love being a newlywed. There are some nights that are just spontaneously romantic. I made this dish a couple nights ago and, I am not kidding, Bradford and I felt like we were dining at a fancy restaurant. This meal set the tone for a beautiful dining experience filled with meaningful, end-of-the-day conversation. This pasta is so freshly and simply seasoned with garlic and lemon, and the fish is so perfectly flaky and delicious, it surprises me. After devouring this perfect, all-in-one dish, we topped it off with the last piece of this divine chocolate creation that was sitting in our fridge. Food can be such a great mood-setter.

*from Tasty Kitchen Blog

INGREDIENTS:

2 pieces tilapia

1 whole egg white

1/4 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour

1-2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 whole lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon capers (optional)

3/4 cup chicken broth

1/8 cup white wine (or substitute with chicken broth)

1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves

6 oz. angel hair pasta

Fresh parsley and parmesan for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Put egg white in a bowl and flour on a plate. To flour, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasonings and stir to combine. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip tilapia into egg whites, then dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Add fish to the skillet and cook each side for about 3 minutes, until brown. Add garlic. 

Next, add lemon juice, remaining Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, capers (if using), chicken broth and white wine. Simmer on low for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions.

Remove fish to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add spinach to the lemon sauce, cover and steam for 3-4 minutes, until spinach is just wilted. 

To serve: place pasta on plate, then top with spinach and lemon sauce, and gently place fish on top. Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan cheese if desired.

Enjoy.