Fast, Fresh + Easy: Smoky Date Teriyaki Wild Salmon

We’re talking dinner here, especially those weeknight dinners where you need to get it on the table fast to satisfy hungry mouths and because you’ve got things to do, people to see, a couch calling your name…. But you still want to create an appealing, nutritious meal because your family deserve the best! My mainstay protein for quick meals is fish – an excellent source of lean protein and good-for-you Omega-3 fatty acids – and seafood such as shrimp or scallops.

Seafood can be prepared in many ways – my favorite is broiling or grilling, but it can be roasted, baked, poached, “cooked” in a citrus marinade, or eaten raw – which makes it much more versatile than chicken! And, I’m lucky to have fresh fish and seafood readily available – for some of you sourcing may not be so easy, in which case there is nothing wrong with frozen, defrosted, in fact, it is often the best way to go.

Today’s recipe is the second in what I’m calling my Fast, Fresh & Easy collection of recipes; created for all the dishes I cook after the sun goes down and post on Instagram. Based on generous positive feedback and requests for the recipes, I thought I’d start sharing. After all, isn’t this how we cook most of the time?

Spring dinner: King Salmon with Smoky Date Not Ketchup, asparagus, radishes and chives. All kinds of yum! #fresh #sustainable

Part of its charm is there really is no recipe – only fresh wild salmon quickly broiled with Smoky Date Not Ketchup – my new go-to substitute for teriyaki and soy sauce (that just happens to be low sodium!!) and some of Spring’s finest produce: bright green asparagus spears and thinly sliced, crispy crimson radishes.

Fast, Fresh + Easy: Smoky Date Teriyaki Wild Salmon

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

The vibrant pink and green of fresh salmon and asparagus make for a beautiful and nutritious Spring dinner in less than 30 minutes. Gluten free, dairy free, low sodium, heart healthy.

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 pound fresh, skin-on wild salmon (sockeye, king, coho)
2 tablespoons Smoky Date Not Ketchup
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 pound asparagus
salt & pepper
6 radishes
1 tablespoon chopped chives*

Instructions

Preheat oven on Broil.
Cut the salmon into half for two 8 ounce pieces. Mix Smoky Date Not Ketchup with rice vinegar. Brush fish with sauce. Place on a sprayed, rimmed baking sheets. Place top rack 4-6" away from the heat and broil on High for about 5 minutes for 1-inch thick pieces. Do not overcook. It is better to remove the fish from the oven a little undercooked as residual heat will continue to cook the fillets.
For the asparagus: brush with olive oil, top with a few grinds of sea salt* and pepper and either pan fry or roast on a lower rack while the fish is cooking for 8-10 minutes until crisp, tender.
Garnish with julienned radishes and chopped chives*.

Notes

The "white stuff" that appears when fish cooks is albumin (protein) - it's a good sign that your fish is done. Wipe it off with a paper towel before serving, if it bothers you.

Shown served with basmati brown rice. *Eliminate salt for low sodium diets - I use Mrs. Dash's Table Blend.Thinly sliced green onions can be substituted for chives.

How easy is that! Enjoy 🙂