Seared Salmon with Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glaze
I cannot begin to stress how easy or delicious this dish is to put together - it’s perfect for a Monday night! I only made one salmon filet but the recipe below is intended for four (it’s tough to shrink it down to only one serving)
4 6oz salmon filets (skin on)
1/4 c water
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t lemon oil
Salt & pepper
Finishing salt
First of all, it’s really important to make sure your protein is at room temperature before cooking it, especially so for fish. If you throw it in a pan right out of the fridge the outside will be overcooked and the middle will still be cold.
Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Season the fish with salt & pepper, then add skin side up to the pan. Crank the heat up to high and cook for about 4 minutes, then flip over and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until finished.
When the fish is done cooking, place it on a plate to rest. Remove the pan from heat for a minute or two to cool it down, then add the brown sugar, water, vinegar, and lemon oil. You can use one tablespoon of lemon juice in lieu of the lemon oil, but I like to use the oil because I think the vinegar is acidic enough. The lemon oil adds the flavor of lemon without the additional acidity. Boil for 2-3 minutes until a thin glaze is formed.
Spoon the glaze over the fish, and sprinkle with a little fleur de sel or other finishing salt. I think this would work well with some mashed vegetables (potato, sunchoke, use your imagination!) and fava beans.
Enjoy!
