Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Simple Suppers: Grilled Salmon Steaks with Dill and Whole Grain Mustard



Whew, what a whirlwind week!

Between my two new columns, the blog AND trying to finish my novel, I've been going nonstop, but it's all in the service of putting out the best articles and recipes for you, my lovely divas.  I believe that this is the year for all of us to make our dreams come true, whether that's something as simple as eating healthier, or as big as launching a new career, or as daredevilish as learning to skydive, this is the year!

Say it with me one more time.  "This is the year!"

If you haven't had a chance yet, check out my new Flicks and Food with the Domestic Diva column and recipe on GeekWeek, a Hollywood news and entertainment website.  I'm creating recipes inspired by my favorite films for them, and this week, it's "Unforgiven" Spicy Pork Chili (click here for the direct link).  It's a to die for recipe, for a to die for movie, one you won't want to miss out on!  So click the direct link and check it out.

Now let's get down and dirty with a new Simple Supper for your viewing pleasure.  Today I'm writing up my recipe for Grilled Salmon Steaks with Dill and Whole Grain Mustard.

I love the flavor that grilling brings out in fish, especially salmon, smoky, seared deliciousness that's hard to achieve with any other cooking method.  You're probably used to buying fillet cuts of salmon, but I LOVE the steaks, which are actually whole cross sections of the fish with the skin on.  They hold up great to grilling because of the bone structure and aren't prone to falling apart when flipped.  I recommend leaving the skin on because it gets all crackly and crispy (and tastes amazing!). 

Now that we've squared away our cooking method, we all know that great grilling necessitates a great marinade (hello Bobby Flay, I'm looking at you).  In the case of this recipe, I threw together a marinade with whole grain mustard, the sexy star of the mustard world, and dill, one of my favorite herbs (either dried or fresh will work).  These flavors are a classic pairing with salmon, quick to throw together, and the resulting dish is amazing for your health and positively scrumptious!  Pair the fish with some whole grain rice and a vegetable, and you're all set for a complete meal.

Note:  If you don't have access to a grill in winter, or have an indoor grill in your kitchen, you can broil the salmon.  A broiler actually functions like an upside down grill (click here to read my article on broilers).

Grilled Salmon Steaks with Dill and Whole Grain Mustard
Serves 2 people
Cooking time: 30 minutes (including marinade)

Ingredients
2 salmon steaks
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice plus 2 wedges for garnishing
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions
To make the marinade, place the lemon juice, mustard, garlic and dill in a nonreactive bowl.  Whisk together first, then slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Then, add the salmon steaks and allow to marinade for at least 20 minutes (this will also allow them to come up to room temperature for grilling).



Meanwhile, heat your grill.  Once you've finished marinading the fish and allowing it to come up to room temperature, place the salmon steaks on the grill and cook covered for 5 to 7 minutes.  If any pieces are cooking too fast, move them to a cooler part of the grill. Flip the fish, and continue cooking covered for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the fish has cooked through.  Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

To plate, place whole grain rice or vegetables of your choice in the bottom of a plate and top with a piece of grilled salmon. Garnish with lemon wedges and sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper.  Enjoy!

Wine Pairing
For this dish, toss the whole you have to pair white wine with fish out the window.  If you ask me, Pinot Noir is the go to wine for salmon.  There's something about the pungent, silky, buttery texture of the fish that just calls out for this varietal. In the case of this dish, due to the tangy marinade, I'd suggest pairing a New World Pinot Noir, which will be bigger and fruitier, rather than a Burgundy-style, which tend to be subtler and more earthy. 

The Rivers Marie 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is drinking spectacularly right now (we had a bottle this week).  Recently, I've also loved the Anthill Farms 2007 Comptche Ridge Pinot Noir and the Pisoni Estate 2007 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir.  Any of these wines would be a brilliant choice!  Click on the names of the wines to read my previous articles on them.

Source for Ingredients
salmon steaks, whole grain mustard, organic lemons, organic garlic and organic olive oil from Whole Foods

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