A couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet Eric Gower, author of The Breakaway Cook. Not only is he a super nice guy, he cooks with a style that I love - non-fussy, simple, healthy, and with a lot of flavor. While some of his dishes have a Japanese influence from his years of living there, his style is focused not on any one culture, but what we can draw on from those cultures to turn the everyday into the extraordinary. We did a cooking class with him at one of my friends' homes a few years ago, and I will never forget the amazing fish that we made there - sushi-grade hamachi, roasted at a very high temperature, with excellent seasoning. So when it was time for me to make lunch for my friend Andrea a few weeks ago, I turned to his book.
I wanted to make something elegant, cost effective, easy, and special. So I settled on the Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon. It calls for pomegranate molasses, which is available online or at Middle Eastern stores, and sells for about $4.50 for a big bottle.
For the salmon fillets, I picked up some wild salmon (skin on) from Trader Joe's. I'm not always a huge fan of their meats, but the fish was great quality and not terribly expensive (about $11 for 2 large filets).
What a wonderful dish! It took no time at all, and was incredibly flavorful. I put it on a bed of Inca red quinoa from Ancient Harvest (available at Mollie Stone's), and it was filling but not heavy at all, and the color was gorgeous. We both had seconds, and there was even some left over. This is one that I will make over and over, and it lends itself to variations. I halved the recipe for 2 people, so the instructions below would easily serve 4. Don't worry about exact measurements - Breakaway style is not about numbers. Just look at the ratios and use your own judgement and taste.
Pomogranate-Glazed Salmon
- 4 4 oz. wild salmon fillets
- 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 T. pomegranate molasses
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon, preferably Meyer
- 1 T. maple syrup
- 1 T. fresh chives
Rinse and thoroughly dry the fish, then place on an oiled broiling pan.
Spoon the oil evenly over the fillets, then do the same with the pomegranate molasses.
Dust liberally with salt and pepper.
Place the fish in the oven, and roast for about 10 minutes, until the top is nicely browned and crispy and the inside is barely done.
Meanwhile, put the lemon juice in a small cup, add the maple syrup, and mix. Spoon over the cooked fish, sprinkle on the chives and zest, and serve hot.
Eric is in the process of writing a vegetarian cookbook - I can't wait to see what he comes up with.
