My Favorite New Recipe
Last winter was a shadowed valley. Days for lots of fires in the fireplace, working more from home and the beginning of our new season. New should feel fresh and light and easy. None of those descriptors was correct.
Early in February I began to develop hives, lots of them and nothing made them go away. By late month I was taking multiple meds and overhauling my diet, eliminating anything and everything that could be a trigger. Out with my favorite coffee creamer, peppermint mocha, because mint and artificial sweeteners are triggers, and a whole new shopping routine began with a list of everything natural.
One of my discoveries was maple syrup to sweeten my coffee, which was just as yummy as the fake stuff and definitely better for me. Speaking of sweet, my husband researched new ways to make salmon, one of our favorite meals, without all the spices he normally uses. Spices are also triggers. And he found a maple balsamic glazed salmon which has become one of our new favorites.
We made it last week and took these photos to share the fun!
Dennis making the glaze with syrup from FamilyLife Today radio listeners and new friends in upstate Vermont, the Allard family. We are grateful for their generosity and sweet kindness!
Brushing the filets with maple balsamic glaze before baking
The sauce is sweet and tangy and I can’t resist a lick or two while it’s baking.
Our favorite side is cooked spinach. Heat olive oil in a pan, wilt fresh spinach, pour over spinach some red wine vinegar and cook till it’s absorbed into spinach. Sprinkle with goat cheese or parmesan when serving
Maple Balsamic Salmon
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon minced garlic
cook in saucepan for about 5 minutes until it simmers
baste salmon filets with about ¼ of the sauce, skin side down, in foil lined pan (for easier clean up)
bake at 450 for 6 minutes if the filets are an inch thick, 5 minutes if thinner. Rebaste and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes, again depending on thickness. We like salmon best when it’s medium to medium rare so it’s not dried out. (test with a fork and if it’s too rare for you bake longer)
Pour remaining sauce over salmon when serving or reserve a small amount per person for dipping and voila! Let me know in the comments if you have a new favorite recipe or if you try this one!