So Many Dishes

I’m amazed that my copy of Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2002 isn’t falling apart. So many pages are stained or have notations scribbled on them. A few pages are torn, and more pages show evidence of having been wet than not. It has seen a lot of use.

One of the first recipes I tried from this book is bourbon-glazed salmon. It’s a dish we used to make frequently. Over the last few years, Ken and I have a number of new salmon recipes, some of which I’ve made repeatedly. So, while one of us would mention this dish when we’re planning our weekly menu, it’s been probably four or five years since I’ve actually made it.

I don’t think it’s just because it’s been so long that the salmon tasted so good. It’s simply a tasty, easy recipe. I consider it a take on teriyaki, and I suspect that the marinade would be good with chicken or a pork tenderloin. The fish marinated for just 30 minutes before cooking. I’ve cut the recipe in half for just the two of us, and it still made plenty of marinade. I didn’t make any other changes. Shocker!

Bourbon-Glazed Salmon

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons bourbon (may substitute apple juice instead of bourbon)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound salmon fillets
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, for serving, optional

Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon, lime juice, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Place salmon fillets in a large zip-top plastic bag, and add marinade. Seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes before cooking, turning the bag once.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Place salmon in dish, and pour marinade over the fish (I didn’t pour all of it into the dish; maybe two-thirds). Bake at 400 degrees until an instant read thermometer reads 135 to 140 degrees. The amount of time will depend on the size of your fillets. (I had a single large fillet, and it took close 25 minutes, but then again, I’ve talked before about my finicky oven). Begin checking after 15 minutes. Allow the fish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I always serve this with rice. I had some nice asparagus that I steamed and seasoned with lemon pepper as a side. It was an easy, delicious dinner after a busy day.

Happy eating!