The Washington Post, September 10, 2003
Simple. Fast. Healthful. Delicious.
Some would say that this combination of demands stacks up to a difficult, if not impossible, achievement for a weeknight dinner. That's true only if you overlook the innate flavor of high-quality ingredients.
A terrific piece of fish requires little adornment; in this case, a salmon fillet wants just a little something acerbic to offset its richness.
2 servings
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Using tweezers or kitchen pliers, remove any pin bones from the salmon. Pat the salmon dry and season both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon, skin side up, and do not move or turn it for 2 minutes. (If the salmon sticks to the skillet, it is not yet properly seared; cook for 30 more seconds and try again.) Turn and cook until lightly browned and crisp but not cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and honey. Drizzle the top of each salmon fillet with some of the balsamic glaze, transfer the skillet to the oven and finish cooking to the desired degree of doneness.
Transfer the salmon to individual plates, drizzle with a little more glaze and sprinkle with chives, if using. Serve immediately.
Adapted from "Covered in Honey" by Mani Niall (Rodale, 2003).
329 calories, 15g fat, 2g saturated fat, 94mg cholesterol, 217mg sodium, 12g carbohydrates, n/a dietary fiber, n/a sugar, 34g protein.
