Maple-Soy Glazed Salmon

This is one of my favorite salmon recipes.  It sounds like a strange combination of ingredients, but it comes out great every time.

Maple-Soy Glazed Salmon

From: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Serves: 4

Start to finish: 25 minutes

This recipe will work with both skin-on and skinless fillets. Do not substitute salmon steaks. If you have extra glaze, drizzle it over plain rice or steamed vegetables, or pass it separately at the table.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each), 1.25 inches thick
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted 

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Bring the maple syrup and soy sauce to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until the mixture is syrupy and measures roughly 1/2 cup, about 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, remove any bones from the salmon. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and lay it skin-side down in a lightly-oiled 9 by 13-inch baking dish (space fillets about 1 inch apart). Bake for 5 minutes.
3. Using a pastry brush, spread a thick layer of the maple-soy glaze over the tops and sides of the salmon. Continue to bake until all but the very center of the fish has turned from translucent to opaque, about 5 minutes longer.
4. Brush the fillets with another layer of glaze and sprinkle with the sesame seeds before serving.

Notes:

Do not substitute imitation maple syrup.  It's cheaper, but this recipe is MUCH better with real maple syrup.  I almost always double the amounts for the sauce, it's in high demand!

Comments

[Zippo]

The wife said she'd probably trick this one up with some ginger.