Eat This: Fish Friday - Maple Mustard Salmon

Stone Ground Mustard and Maple Glazed Salmon

I love salmon. When the wild caught, Copper River Salmon is available, I am always a step away from a feast.  Tonight, I made something a little different; Mustard-Maple Glazed Roasted Salmon.  It was DELICIOUS and so easy. 

Sadly, I was very lazy and only have the final product photographed, but I'll walk you through the process.


Ingredients

1 Salmon fillet - mine was 1.8 pounds
2 Tablespoons stone ground mustard
2 Tablespoons good maple syrup
1 Tablespoon Thai chili paste
1 Lemon, cut in wedges for garnish
1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

I buy salmon as a whole fillet.  There are bones. Tiny little things along a line which you will need to remove.  I keep a pair of tweezers in my kitchen just for salmon. Use them.

Line a heavy sheet pan with regular aluminum foil. Place the de-boned salmon filet on the foil. One cooked, the skin will stick to the foil and allow you to easily lift the cooked fish wiht a metal fish spatula.

Combine the mustard, maple syrup and chili paste. The proportions are what I considered perfect.  If you want spicier, go for more chili paste, but sometimes I think we go for more spicy at the expense of flavor.  Tasting just HOT is, well, just HOT and not flavor.  My opinion.

Use the glaze generously.  There is no reason to save anything for later.  Spread it evenly over the fillet and sprinkle with the freshly ground pepper.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.  If you think the fillet is a little thinner, err on the side of caution. Nothing is worse than overcooked fish.  I remove it and let it sit for a moment or two and use a metal fish spatula to separate the flesh from the skin.  

I eat this with lemon alone, or with my "Adult Tartar Sauce" made from Dukes Mayonnaise and Thai Chili Paste.  Served with a very cold, crisp white wine?  Delicious on the hoof.  Eat this.  Eat this NOW.