I found this recipe on the allrecipes web site. I was researching seafood dishes because we need to add more seafood to our diet. And since salmon is one of our favorites, I jumped all over this recipe when I read the ingredients list. Now granted I did change out olive oil for vegetable oil, and low-sodium, GF Tamari for regular soy sauce. But the bones of the recipe are straight off the site. (And thank you allrecipes for that!)
What appealed to me most when I first read this recipe was the fact that I could probably get away without serving a sauce of some kind with this marinated and grilled preparation. (And believe me, my dear husband loves tartar sauce or aioli with his seafood!) So finding a fish dish that wouldn’t require a sauce is exactly what I was looking for when I went searching. After all, if you are going to go to the trouble of adding more foods to your diet that were designed by Mother Nature to help lower cholesterol, like salmon, then adding a sauce made with mayonnaise isn’t the wisest choice as an accompaniment! (Kind of bad karma trying to mess with Mother Nature that way!) Plus, did you ever hear the term “defeating the purpose”? Well that’s exactly what I would have been doing if I had served this salmon with Mr. Cs favorite aioli or tartar sauce! Not to mention; any sauce I could have prepared would have detracted from the subtle and delectable flavor the salmon derived from its short bath in the Asian inspired marinade. So, as they say – mission impossible (serving fish without a sauce) became mission accomplished (he didn’t miss a sauce in the least)!
So please give this recipe a try if you too are trying to add more seafood to your diet. It’s really an outstanding seafood dish. And as a personal favor, since he rarely reads my blog, please don’t mention this post to Mr. C. I am slowly and surely reducing the amount of fat in our diet to try and bring both of our cholesterol levels down. But I don’t want him to feel deprived, so the less Mr. C. knows of my master plan, the better off he’ll be! (In more ways than one!) Thanks
- 1½ – 2 lbs. salmon fillet or fillets*
- granulated garlic
- sea salt
- lemon pepper
- 1/3 c. brown sugar
- 1/3 c. low sodium GF Tamari or soy sauce
- 1/3 c. chicken stock or water
- ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
Moderately season the salmon with granulated garlic, salt, and lemon pepper. (Flesh side only. No need to season the skin.) In a shallow pan, whisk together the brown sugar, Tamari, chicken stock, and olive oil. Place the seasoned salmon fillet or fillets flesh side down in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
When ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium. If you have a basket or other grilling container, lightly coat with cooking spray. If not, lightly coat the grill grate itself with cooking spray. Place the salmon in the basket or on the grate skin side down, lower lid and let cook for about 4-8 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. Discard marinade. When time to turn, carefully lift the salmon and turn it over. (Usually the skin stays in the basket or on the grill.) Cook covered for another few minutes just until done**. Do not overcook or the salmon will be dry. Serve immediately or cool and serve at room temperature. No tartar sauce or aioli required.
*If I purchase one large fillet, I usually cut it in half. That way it’s easier to marinate and also to flip when grilling.
**The USDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Push the tip of the meat thermometer gently into the middle of the salmon fillet at its thickest part to get an accurate reading.
Please note: Another method of grilling salmon or any fish with skin on one side, is to place the fillet skin side down on aluminum foil that has been pierced in several places with a table fork. Place the aluminum foil on the grill, lower lid, and cook for 4-6 minutes over medium heat. When it’s time to turn, grab the closest edge of the foil with both hands and slide it off the fire. Flip the fish gently onto the hot part of the grill. Gently remove the foil and the skin should lift right off. Lower the lid again and cook just until done.