Slammin’ Salmon — Two Ways!

Drats. Summer is in its waning days.  It really hit home yesterday as I saw the sun hitting the deck at unfamiliar angles and felt the chilly 75 degree pool water. Our corner store is selling Oktoberfest brews. And, worst of all, ice cream does not taste nearly as good as it did in July. Trust me — I’ve had it every day this week 🙂

Like clock-work, here comes the melancholy.  As beautiful as autumn can be, it is unwelcome.  September signals the end of lazy mornings with the kids, trips to Maine, and beach days. The only thing that keeps me from sliding into a deep depression is my latent love of schedules, calendars, and to-do lists, of which I will have endless amounts in short time. The other upside, if there even is one — I am finally shaking off the cobwebs of kitchen discontent, after a summer full of egg sandwiches, burgers, and bagel pizzas. That is good news for everybody!

Enter the fish of the day. Now mind you, salmon used to simply be a color that you’d never find in my wardrobe (I am a deep Winter, fyi). As far as the fish goes, we are serious latecomers to the I Love Salmon club. The five of us now eat it voraciuosly and this leaves me wondering what took us so long to catch on? My kids actually LIGHT UP when I tell them there’s salmon for dinner, and complain when there’s not enough for seconds. I sometimes can’t believe this, since my childhood was fraught with a deep aversion to fish.

Salmon is hearty and delicious, and plays well with all kinds of flavors. It’s easy to grill, doesn’t offend with that “fishy smell” and seems like a treat every time we have it. All this and chock full of protein and omega-3’s, to?! Salmon is seriously slammin’!

Check out these two superstar recipes. The Moroccan Grilled Salmon is marinated in and served with a creamy sauce starring lemon, coriander, and cumin. The Teriyaki Glazed Salmon features soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic. Both are delish! Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Moroccan Grilled Salmon
Adapted from The Food Network
Serves 4-6

1/2 cup low fat sour cream (or plain yogurt)
Juice of one lemon (1-2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more to treat grill rack.
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste (I used about 1/4 teaspoon each)
1 1/4 lbs skinless salmon fillets

Mix together the sour cream, lemon juice, oil, garlic, and spices. Put the salmon in a plastic bag, and add half of the sauce. Set aside the rest of the sauce for serving. Marinate the salmon for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Brush grill rack with olive oil. Grill fillets 4-6 minutes on each side. Test the salmon by separating two flakes with a fork. Salmon is done when the flesh is firm and has lost that shiny appearance.

Remove from grill. Serve immediately with sauce for dipping. It’s  easy, honest!

Just one…

…and a two…

…and a three!

Teriyaki Grilled Salmon
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
Serves 4-6

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 lbs skinless salmon fillets

Whisk together the first seven ingredients. Add salmon to a plastic, sealable bag, and pour marinade over top. Marinate up to 24 hours. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Discard marinade, and grill salmon about 5 minutes per side. Test the salmon by separating two flakes with a fork. Salmon is done when the flesh is firm and has lost that shiny appearance.

[My apologies for the poor photography. I was starving. I think my hand was shaking!]