Grilled Sweet Miso Salmon

Perfect Pairing:  Foil

About a year ago I started noticing miso recipes all over the internets.  I knew I liked miso.  What is not to like about miso soup?  It is salty and savory and all sorts of umami.  My knowledge of miso pretty much ended there.  I made a special trip to Whole Foods to find miso.  I was too proud to ask where it was, so I had a great tour of the store.  I did not find it on the shelf with other Asian foods which is where I was SURE it was going to be.  I found random packets of miso soup mix.  I stood in front of those googling trying to figure out if that was, in fact, miso paste.  It was not.  During the search I saw something about the refrigerated section and headed there.  At my Whole Foods it was chilling with the tofu and cheese. 

So I found miso paste….. red miso, white miso, mellow white miso.  Eh?  I JUST WANT MISO PASTE.  I decided to go with white.  That seemed innocuous enough.  It was a big tub and I had no idea how I would ever make a dent in it.  Guess what folks?  I just bought my second large tub of miso paste.  This stuff is the NUTS!

The first thing I made with it was this simple Miso Coconut Chicken and Rice dish.  It was fabulous.  I started using it in salad dressings, and mixing it with a little cream cheese to spread on toast for breakfast.  I also combined miso with butter and sautéed fresh corn in it with a little lime juice.  This was based on a dish my brother told me he had at a local restaurant.  Amazing. 

One of my favorite uses has been in this Grilled Sweet Miso Salmon.  Miso is mixed with brown sugar, mustard and rice vinegar and then basted on grilled salmon.  I grilled the salmon on foil so it is easy cleanup and dinner is ready in minutes.  

I served it with these super simple grilled seasoned potatoes and brussels sprouts.

Embrace the miso!

One year ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Coconut Cream Pie

Two years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Traditional Potato Salad

Three years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Southwest Salad

Four years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Tomato Pie

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Salmon Burgers with Dill Yogurt Sauce

Perfect Pairing: Broiler Pan

These salmon burgers were a fun switch from regular hamburgers or a simple salmon fillet.  Fresh salmon is combined with fresh dill, horseradish, lemon zest, and shallot to form a super tasty burger.  Then it is topped with a light sauce made from fat free Greek yogurt, fresh dill and a touch of honey.

These are so simple to make, you basically throw everything into the food processor and then the oven.  I would try to get salmon without the skin.  I didn’t do this and removing the skin was the most time consuming part of the meal prep.

Most ovens come with broiler pans but I think they are pretty underused.  I know I rarely use mine!  I dusted it off for this recipe and it was perfect.  If you don’t have a broiler pan you could use a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet.

These were perfect with slices of crunchy cucumber and crisp lettuce.  I served mine with oven-roasted broccoli and sweet potato fries.  It was a delicious and healthy meal.  

One year ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Kale, Butternut Squash, and Bacon Breakfast Burritos with Spicy Chipotle Sauce

Two years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Pasta Fagioli Soup

Three years ago on Perfecting the Pairing: Lasagna Soup

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Healthy Salmon with Dill

 

Perfect Pairing:  No time to make dinner

I found this recipe on the blog of my lovely sorority sister, Linda Wagner.  Her site is an inspiration to me as a blogger and as a healthy lifestyle enthusiast.  Her photographs are gorgeous and she gives some great tips and recipes.  Her site says that she is a skilled Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach who utilizes a holistic methodology to invigorate the mind, body, and spirit.  It is her passion to assist others in achieving their true, unlimited potential.  I think she is doing just that!  Be sure to check it out.

The Perfect Pairing for this recipe is a night when you just don’t have much time to make dinner, but still want something delicious and healthy.  There are just a few ingredients and the prep is done in minutes.  After about 15 minutes in the oven you have an amazing salmon dish! 

I bought salmon that still had the skin on and cooked it on foil.  After you mix up the yogurt sauce you spread a thick layer on the salmon and it goes straight into the oven.  When it is cooked the salmon slides right off the skin.  Throw away the foil and clean-up is done!

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Un-Recipe Files – Smoked Salmon, Scrambled Eggs, and Avocado Toasts

Admittedly, this is pretty similar to one of my favorite posts, Smoked Salmon Breakfast. 

Smoked salmon is just so tasty and easy.  In Smoked Salmon Breakfast 2.0, I paired it with rye toast, scrambled eggs (made to your personal preference), and mashed avocado.  The only thing I added to the avocado was salt and pepper.

This is a great dish to put together for a big group.  Perfect for the holiday season!

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Smoked Salmon Breakfast

Perfect Pairing:  Large tray and assorted containers

One of my all-time favorite breakfasts is a bagel with cream cheese and lox, or smoked salmon.  My family often puts this out at the holidays. 

Recently I was trying to come up with a breakfast that would be easy to take out on the boat, and decided to change up our standard bagel/cream cheese/lox variation by including a few additional toppings.  It ended up being one of the best breakfasts I have had in a long time, if I do say so myself.  Granted, it didn’t hurt that I was on the boat with my parents and some of my great girlfriends on a gorgeous morning.  Oh, there was also champagne.  That definitely didn’t hurt.

You can make this breakfast according to your tastes and what you have on hand, but this is what I included

 I like a little bit of everything on my toast. 

The Perfect Pairing for this salmon breakfast is a large tray with assorted containers.  It was great to be able to transport the entire breakfast on one tray, and the presentation was very attractive.

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Smoked Salmon Pizza

Perfect Pairing:  Naan

One of my favorite breakfasts is smoked salmon, or lox, on a bagel with cream cheese, capers, and onions.  I love that combination.  This smoked salmon pizza has a similar flavor profile but also includes fresh lemon, fresh dill and smoked gouda cheese.  It is perfect cut into small pieces for an appetizer or served as a main dish.

The Perfect Pairing for this pizza is naan flatbread.  Naan is an Indian flatbread that is usually cooked in a clay oven.  I think it tastes like a hybrid of pizza crust and pita bread.  While it may not be available in all grocery stores, I see it popping up all over the place.  So keep an eye out for it!  You can certainly make this on normal pizza crusts but I really like the texture of naan for this smoked salmon pizza.

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Oven Roasted Salmon in a Lemon Broth with Pea Puree

Perfect Pairing:  Spoon

I think I found my new favorite recipe.  Thank you Giada!  I can’t say enough about this salmon dish.  I made it twice in one week, if that tells you anything.  The combination of tart lemon broth and minty pea puree is outstanding.  When you put everything together on the plate it is a lovely presentation that looks like it took hours to make.  In actuality, it is incredibly easy and quick!

The original recipe had the salmon cooked in a skillet on the stovetop.  I was hesitant to do that since salmon can be slightly odiferous when cooked in a small one bedroom condo.  I opted to roast it in the oven, which was quick and effortless.  I bought salmon that still had the skin and placed it skin side down on a foil lined pan.  I sprinkled it generously with salt and pepper and after about 12-15 minutes in a hot oven it was perfectly cooked and the fillet slid right off the skin. 

If you need another reason to make this recipe…. Do it for your health.  Not only is salmon delicious, it is also one of the world’s healthiest foods.  It is a great source of lean protein, packed with omega-3 fatty acids and contains healthy vitamins and minerals. 

The Perfect Pairing for this salmon dish is a spoon.  You are going to want a spoon handy to get every last bit of the lemon broth and puree.  It is that good.

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