Recipe of the Month

by Duane Radford

Salmon & Citrus Mustard Dill Glaze

Salmon
● two, 6-ounce salmon fillets (skin on or off, boneless)
● 2 cloves garlic (minced) or prepared garlic
● 1 tablespoon rosemary (fresh sprigs or dried)
● 1 tablespoon ginger (prepared)
● 2 tablespoons soy sauce
● 2 tablespoons sherry or dry red vermouth
● 1 tablespoon sesame oil
● 4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
● 4-5 drops Tabasco sauce
● salt & pepper
● 2 tablespoons olive oil 
 
Citrus Mustard DIll Glaze 
● bunch of fresh dill (or one tablespoon dried dill weed)
● 1 tablespoon honey
● 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
● 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
● 4 tablespoons canola oil
● 1/2 lemon juiced
● 1/2 lime juiced
● salt & pepper   

This recipe was featured during the 2023 Food & Wine Festival at Christmas in November (CIN) at the Jasper Park Lodge. CIN has been Alberta’s premier culinary extravaganza for 30+ years and has something for all foodies. It’s a keeper.

Salmon is a fish for all seasons and because this recipe calls for grilling salmon it’s a go at any time of the year. Serve the salmon with a citrus mustard dill glaze and side dishes of your choice. I adapted the recipe for Alberta Outdoors by personalizing it for this column.

Salmon   
1. Add the garlic, rosemary, ginger, soy sauce, sherry (vermouth), sesame oil, honey and salt and pepper (to taste) to a large mixing bowl and blend well.
2. Pour the marinade inside a large Ziploc bag and add the salmon fillets. Slosh the marinade around them until the fillets are coated with the marinade. Refrigerate the fillets for 1 hour so the marinade sets up.
3. Put the olive oil in a hot non-stick skillet and place the fillets presentation side down, and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side (depending on how thick the fillets are).

Note: You could roast the salmon in a skillet for 10-15 minutes in your oven at 400 F, or cook it on the grills of a BBQ for the same length of time in an aluminum tray or foil at 400 F.

Citrus Mustard Dill Glaze
1. Add the dill, honey, mustard and red wine vinegar to a small bowl. Stir well.
2. Add the canola oil and lemon/lime juice, whisking to emulsify the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Top the salmon fillets with the glaze and serve.

Salmon goes well with grilled or roasted vegies (e.g., sliced shallots and red pepper combined with diced carrots and potatoes tossed with canola oil and a spice mix of one teaspoon each of garlic and onion powder, oregano, rosemary and thyme with salt and pepper to taste). Grill the veggies in a cast iron skillet for about 10 minutes, or put them in an aluminum pan and roast them in the oven at 425 F for 3/4 hours.

Salmon stands up to a full or medium-bodied red wine pairing while a dry Sauvignon Blanc would also be a good pairing. The salmon could also be paired with a brown ale, a cool stout, or a dark ale.