Broiled sesame salmon with carrots and leeks

My oldest daughter has asked me many times to make salmon for dinner and I finally did. This is only the second fish recipe I have posted which shows that cooking and eating fish isn't something I naturally gravitate to. It is not that I don't like fish. I will often order fish at a nice restaurant, but preparing and cooking it at home is still rare.

I think that my childhood memories growing up in Norway where fish is abundant actually turned me off to fish. Mostly I remember bland boiled Cod or Pollock with bones. Yes, the little bones (cringe!)! I think I still have a fear of finding bones in my fish. Well, this wild Sockeye salmon did not have any bones and it was a breeze to prepare. Actually, I have a wonderful little seafood shop right by my house and the guys working there are so nice, and they skinned the fish for me and cut it up into individual steaks. All I had to do was transfer it into the marinade and broil it! My whole family liked it, and I was so happy with the outcome of this dish that I am now inspired to make fish more often. I have already found some recipes I want to try.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup lite soy sauce, divided

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Asian mustard (I used regular Dijon)

1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder

1 cup fat-free reduced sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

3 carrots, cut into julienne strips

1 leek (white part only), trimmed, rinsed and cut into julienne strips

6 salmon fillets (about 5oz. each), skin removed

Cooking spray

Limes and cilantro for garnish (optional)

How you do it:

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, lemon juice, mustard and spice powder. Place salmon in a shallow dish and pour mixture over, coating both sides of the fish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.  Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a skillet lightly coated with cooking spray over medium to low heat, until golden 1-3 minutes. Transfer seeds to a plate.

Spray skillet again and saute carrots and leeks until tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth, remaining soy sauce and sesame oil. Simmer until liquid is  mostly absorbed , 10-15 minutes.

I threw in some red bell pepper that needed to be used ASAP!

Meanwhile place salmon on broiler pan, broil, 4 inches from heat, until fish is cooked through, 5-8 minutes depending on the thickness of your fillets.
Spoon leek mixture evenly onto plates. Arrange salmon on top. Garnish with sesame seeds, lime and chopped cilantro.
I served white rice alongside.

Serves 6

(Recipe from Organic and natural Magazine, March 2012)