When my doctor told me to start taking fish oil tablets I went right out and bought some....and then I took them and then I burped them...sorry, that was gross, but you can't possibly know gross unless you've burped fish oil....it was then that I decided that I would put more fish on the menu. We have lived in Seattle for more than 16 years - and I think I've had salmon just about every way it can be prepared in that time.
Before moving to Seattle my favorite seafood was Chicken of the Sea - I grew up land-locked so fresh fish was something new for me. I like salmon - with dill, with ginger, and even plain but I LOVE salmon prepared this way. At a dinner a while back, our friend Don served us his version - I had heard tales of his wonderful salmon for a long time so we were thrilled to finally be able to taste it. Naturally, I grilled him about what and how he made it because it was the best tasting salmon I think I've had in 16 years of eating it!
Of course he grilled his salmon and I've already told you how I feel about grilling in the rain....even though it didn't rain today I realized that I have a temperature limit as well as a precipitation limit...if it's 40 degrees or colder I don't grill. So, without his grilling techniques and without exact amounts of ingredients, I had to improvise a bit but I loved the outcome.
Baked Salmon with Brown Sugar and Soy Sauce - adapted from Don Ryther, Salmon Expert
Serves two.
1 lb. salmon fillet, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup butter, melted
6 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped
Pam spray or olive oil
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse and pat dry salmon. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with Pam or lightly coat with olive oil. Place salmon skin side up. Bake in 325 degree oven for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, in small microwaveable bowl, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and soy sauce, mixing until well blended. After 12 minutes, remove salmon from oven. Remove the skin (it will come off easily) and turn the fillet over. With a large spoon, spread brown sugar sauce completely over salmon. Return salmon to oven and bake for an additional 8 minutes. Spoon some of the brown sugar sauce back up on the salmon and place under the broiler for 2 minutes to carmelize. Top with chopped green onions.