Salmon with Maple Mustard Glaze

It is copper river salmon season again. Time for awe inspiring salmon dishes. For those of you who live in terror of eating fish due to cross contamination with shellfish, this is one way you may be able to get around it since the fish are not netted in the ocean nor are they farmed. That said, check your fishmonger or grocer’s procedures to make sure you do not get sick.

Salmon is a funny fish to cook with. While most fish requires a light hand with the seasoning, salmon almost begs for strongly flavored pairings. This recipe actually was the result of being at my mother’s house unexpectedly after a wake at 10pm and needing to make something out of what was in the refrigerator. What was in the refrigerator was salmon, lettuce and condiments. I repeated it at home for Father’s day and it was again a hit.

This is a fast and easy recipe. Total cooking time is about 15 minutes. One baking dish. Yes, the sugars will burn on but burned on sugars soak off beautifully. Microwaved rice and some asparagus, peas or greens and you have dinner fit for company.

Beware tasting the sauce in the cup. It smells and tastes so strong as to be kind of awful. Only after it cooks onto the salmon does it become a nice complement.

Ingredients
1T Maple syrup
1T prepared dijon mustard (check to make sure the brand is gluten-free)
1/2 tsp of sriracha sauce (chili sauce…again check the label but the popular one we use is safe)
1 tsp agave (could be honey)
Pinch salt
One large piece of salmon (about 1.5 lbs)

Equipment
One ceramic or glass ovenproof baking dish (you can use stainless but the cooking time will vary…do not use nonstick as the fish may burn)
One small cup for mixing sauce
Measuring spoons
Basting brush

Instructions
Mix all ingredients except for salmon in a small cup
Preheat oven to 425
Put salmon into an ovenproof baking dish skin side down
Brush glaze thickly on the salmon. Try to keep it on the fish
Bake for about 15 minutes
Serve while still hot with rice and a green veggie