Maple-Crusted Salmon
This salmon seriously could not be easier (I make it in my toaster) or more flavorful (I, the self-professed Condiment Queen, does not bring a single jar to the table).
I stumbled upon the recipe for 10-Minute Maple-Crusted Salmon on the FoodieCrush blog, which credits Alexis Kornblum Davidson of Lexi’s Clean Kitchen with the original version. I was immediately drawn to the image of a caramelized salmon filet and kept the recipe open on my desktop until I had the opportunity to make it.
Opportunity arose last Sunday night, when upon arriving home from a 4-day reunion with my best friends from college, I realized I was in desperate need of a detox meal. Four days of gluttony couldn’t be balanced by even the briskest boardwalk walks on unimaginably gorgeous October days. So, I defrosted a single vacuum sealed filet from my favorite source–Kirkland by Costco–and quickly mixed together the spice rub in a small bowl. I placed the fish on a foil-lined toaster oven tray, pressed on the rub and set the dial to broil. After 8 minutes, I removed the beautifully crusted salmon from the oven, gave it a quick swipe of maple syrup, and put it back under the broiler for one minute more. Dinner is served.
I guarantee that this Maple-Crusted Salmon will be on repeat in my home and in yours. Enjoy!
Maple-Crusted Salmon
- 1 Tbls chili powder
- 1 Tbls paprika
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1½ lbs skinless salmon fillets, cut into 4 portions
- 3 Tbls pure maple syrup
- Preheat your oven (or toaster) to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, paprika, sugar, and salt
- Generously sprinkle the chili powder mixture evenly over the tops of the salmon fillets.
- Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet and broil for 6-9 minutes, depending on how thick your fillets are and how crispy you prefer the crust.
- Remove the salmon from the oven and brush the maple syrup over the tops to coat the spice rub. Return to the oven and broil for an additional 1-2 minutes until the maple syrup has formed a crust.*
- Serve immediately.
- *The salmon may look a little burnt but it won't taste burnt--while you should never stray too far from your broiler (things cook fast!) this one needs to get some real heat to form a nice crust.