Wednesday Recipe: Sesame Grilled Salmon with Wasabi Marinade

Last Friday I said I was going to fix a new salmon recipe that was sure to be a disaster. Well, actually it turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. (I know, it's bad form for a chef to compliment themselves, but I never claimed to be a chef - or to follow the etiquette rules all the time).

I'm not a huge salmon fan. I know a lot of people who are, but it's not one of my favorites, I like salmon but it's one of thos dishes that if I have it 3 times a year I've had it a lot. I can't do just grilled salmon, it has to be spiced up with a little extra flavor.

Some friends of ours served this dish as part of a "surf and turf" menu to us right before we moved. Since we had it Friday (which is a non-meat day for us during Lent) and it was just me, the hubs and the minions children I didn't do anything too fancy. We just had salmon, rice and vegetables. It sounds like a time consuming dish, but it really isn't. The tang of the wasabi mixed with the sweetness of the brown sugar makes the marinade really good. Combine that with the density of the Salmon, and I think it actually scores an A. Plus, middle child really liked it and asked for seconds, this tells me it has to be good!

Ingredients:

1 Tbs Sesame Seeds

2 Tbs Wasabi Powder

1 Tbs Water

1 Tbs Soy Sauce
2 Tbs Olive Oil

2 Tbs Rice Wine Vinegar

1 Tbs Brown Sugar

1.5 lbs. Salmon Fillet

Directions:

1. Toast sesame seeds over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet until light, golden-brown (approx. 3 minutes). Combine Wasabi powder, water and soy sauce in a small bowl. Add oil, vinegar, brown sugar and sesame seeds. Mix well. Reserve 2 tablespoons marinade for basting later.

2. Cut salmon fillets into 6 serving size pieces. Place salmon and marinade in self-closing plastic bag and seal. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Remove salmon from marinade. Discard marinade.

3. Grill or broil over medium heat 8-10 minutes per inch of thickness or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Brush with reserved marinade during last 2 minutes of cooking.

Since I made it in March, and it was cold and snowy the evening I made it, I just used the broiler and cooked it indoors. When I was introduced to this dish last summer, they had plank grilled it on a charcoal grill - that was fabulous as well. All the above mentioned flavors saturated with the smokey charcoal flavor, it's a must do in the summertime!