While this blog is primarily a space for me to rant about food and publish recipes that I have personally developed, adapted or used, I feel that the world should know about Jose's Maple-Almond Encrusted Salmon. It is delicious and easy-two qualities that I look for in any recipe, especially for a mid-week dinner. We ate this with my mushroom-raisin-spinach rice, but any carb and vegetable combo will make it a complete meal.
Maple-Almond Encrusted Salmon:
1 large or 2 small fillets of Alaskan Coho Salmon (skinned and deboned)
Marinade:
1 Tbsp Organic Plain Yogurt (we use my homemade yogurt)
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tsp Pure Maple Syrup
Pinch of salt to taste
Roasted Candied Almond Crust:
1/2 Cup Almonds
1 Tsp Maple Syrup
1 Tsp Olive Oil
Sauce to serve:
5 Tbsp Organic Plain Yogurt
2 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Dill-weed, preferably fresh
This is an easy meal that you can throw together pretty quickly, just let the salmon marinade while you go over your bills or take care of that work that you brought home with you.
1. Mix ingredients for the marinade together, place salmon in a lidded container, pour marinade over and stick in the fridge for an hour.
2. Meanwhile, pulse the almonds in your blender once or twice until they are ground into medium and small sized pieces but aren't turning into a paste. If you don't have a blender, you can mince the almonds by hand instead. You could also use sliced almonds for this, but the crust wont bind as tightly to the fish. Mix the ground almonds with the maple syrup and olive oil, then spread in a pan and brown in an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Once your fish is marinaded, bread it in the almonds, coating each piece and making sure that it sticks well. Wipe down a non-stick frying pan with olive oil and cook salmon fillets on medium-high heat to brown them (about 3 minutes each side). Immediately place in a baking pan in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven. Bake for 14-15 minutes, flipping the fillets halfway through.
4. While the fish is baking, stir together the ingredients for the sauce to serve with the meal. Feel free to experiment-try adding horseradish, capers or olives, lemon juice, even hot sauce for the more adventurous.
With sides to accompany this makes a hearty dinner or lunch for two. The recipe, made with one large or two very small salmon fillets, is about 860 calories total or 430 calories per serving. Unfortunately I don't have a picture as we made this before I started the blog, but I promise to shoot a photo next time and retroactively post it in all its glory. Just imagine almonds and maple-y goodness, which goes surprisingly well with salmon-then run out and pick up some fillets so you can try it yourselves!Labels: Main Courses, Marine Life