Citrus-Glazed Salmon

With outdoor temperatures rising, I don’t like heating up my kitchen by turning on the oven or stove. I prefer to use the grill whenever possible. (That is true year-round for me!) Grilling food is a great way to cook with minimal added fats and loads of flavor. I have made this salmon recipe dozens of times for my family and it is always a hit. It’s easy enough to prepare on a busy weeknight, but special enough to serve to guests.

My favorite way to prepare this recipe is to grill the salmon on cedar planks. Instead of paying big bucks for the fancy cedar planks that are too small for my Costco salmon, I recommend going to the local home improvement store and buying one long cedar board. An employee will usually cut it into planks for you – if you wink and ask nicely! Seriously though, they will cut it to your specifications, or you can do it yourself at home. You will spend far less and they will be the perfect length!

Citrus-Glazed Salmon

salmon
Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ – 2 lb. salmon fillet (I prefer wild-caught when available), rinsed and patted dry
  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp. lemon zest
  • 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions:

  1. Soak cedar planks in cold water for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Place salmon on cedar plank skin-side down.
  3. Combine the sugar, zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Spread the mixture onto the salmon and allow to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a gas or charcoal grill and preheat to medium-high.
  4. Place planked salmon on grill and cook until fish flakes easily with a fork (10-15 minutes for most 1-inch thick fillets), or to desired doneness.
  5. Remove from grill and serve directly from the plank.

Makes 4-6 servings

Note: Planks can be rinsed thoroughly and used multiple times.

Nutrition Information per 3 oz portion:

175 calories; 7 g fat; 53 mg cholesterol; 478 mg sodium; 9 g carbohydrate; 18 g protein.

Nutrition Bonus: Salmon, like other cold-water fish, is rich in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.

Nancy Anderson, MPH, RD, LD is a registered dietitian at Nutrifit, Sport, Therapy, Inc. She works with individuals and families to make healthy eating a way of life.

 

June 9th, 2014