This was our main course with the boxty. The original recipe, from the barefoot contessa, called for a 3 pound side of fresh salmon, lightly marinated in some of the sauce mixture, grilled, and then allowed to rest on a platter with the remainder of the yummy sauce spooned over all.
PERFECT.
Ermmmm, except…
I didn’t happen to have a fresh 3 pound side o’ salmon laying about the house the day after Christmas; and there was NO. WAY. IN. HECK. I was going to get Rich wading through the snow drifts to fire up his Weber (he’s quite territorial about that grill).
Here’s what I did:
We’ve discovered that Target, of all places, has some really decent fresh-frozen fish – including these great wild-cut salmon filets, individually vacuum sealed in a large-ish bag for a bit under $12 – just pull out what you need and the rest are good to sit – no fuss, no muss. Thawed in the fridge, or in a bowl of cold – not running – water (did you know the old ‘thaw seafood under cold running water’ bit no longer seems to be the recommended way to go?) – they have been lovely barbecued on the indoor grill; and now, since I was a might busy wrangling boxty, in the oven.
I also read some of the contessa’s reviewers, and the advice of one who replaced half of the olive oil called for with honey and added some chopped fresh ginger appealed to me, so that’s what I did.
INGREDIENTS
•Salmon filets – I had two, maybe six ounce, portions – but I think the marinade would would well easily for four, maybe for six
•2 tbsp Dijon mustard
•3 tbsp less-salt soy sauce
•3 tbsp good olive oil
•3 tbsp honey – you may think honey is honey, but Rich and his brother are both BIG fans of Henry’s Honey from Redgranite, WI
•1/2 tsp minced garlic
•1 tsp chopped fresh garlic
Heat oven to 375º.
Whisk the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, honey, garlic and ginger together in a bowl.
Pour about half over your salmon filets in a rimmed baking dish and let sit for ten minutes.
Bake, uncovered, for ten to twenty minutes until the filets flake easily – mine were good to go at a bit under 15 minutes. Pour additional sauce over the filets after five minutes or so.
Salmon & boxty, it’s what’s for dinner!