We eat salmon all year round, grilling it whenever the weather permits. The first time we made this particular recipe was in February and the weather was not at all permitting! Fortunately, Eric is very skilled in the kitchen and was handily able to make the adjustments for cooking the fish indoors.
We recently made it again, grilling it outdoors on a beautiful Summery evening. It was fresh (courtesy of the cilantro and lime juice) and tangy (from the fish sauce and ginger), with a kick of heat from the jalapeno and a touch of sweet from the honey. Once again, we tremendously enjoyed this preparation for our favorite fish.
Directions for both indoor and outdoor cooking are included in this post, so no matter what the weather, this wonderful entrée can be made and enjoyed!
Salmon with Ginger-Cilantro Sauce
Salmon with Ginger – Cilantro Sauce (adapted from eatingwell.com) Total Time Required: 25 minutes, Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 8 minutes, Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
Cilantro-Ginger Sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 medium clove garlic, mashed into paste
Salmon:
- 1 pound skin-on salmon fillet (about 2 inches thick), cut into 4 portions
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
To prepare the sauce, whisk together the oil, lime juice, cilantro, fish sauce, jalapeño, ginger, honey, and garlic in a small bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the sauce in a separate small bowl to use for basting. Set the sauce aside.
Prepare the sauce, reserving 1 tablespoon of it for cooking.
For outdoor cooking on a grill: preheat the grill to medium-high. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Rub the oil all over the salmon. Sprinkle both sides with pepper and salt.
Brush the fish with the oil and season it with salt and pepper.
Place the salmon on the grill, skin-side up. Grill until the salmon lifts from the grates without sticking, about 6 minutes. Flip the salmon and brush it with the reserved tablespoon of sauce.
Flip the fish and spread the reserved sauce over it.
Continue to cook the fish until the salmon lifts from the grates without sticking and flakes with a fork, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve the salmon with the remaining sauce.
Serve with additional sauce and sides.
For indoor cooking in a skillet and in the oven: preheat the oven to 325ºF. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Rub the oil all over the salmon. Sprinkle both sides with pepper and salt. Place the salmon pieces in an oven-safe skillet, skin side up over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Flip the salmon over and cook for another 2 minutes. Brush the fish pieces with the reserved tablespoon of sauce. Place the skillet with the salmon in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the pieces to plates. Serve the salmon with the remaining sauce.
It’s delicious whether it is cooked indoors or outdoors! ~Linda
Salmon with Ginger – Cilantro Sauce (adapted from eatingwell.com) Total Time Required: 25 minutes, Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes, Cook Time: 8 minutes, Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
Cilantro-Ginger Sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 medium clove garlic, mashed into paste
Salmon:
- 1 pound skin-on salmon fillet (about 2 inches thick), cut into 4 portions
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
To prepare the sauce, whisk together the oil, lime juice, cilantro, fish sauce, jalapeño, ginger, honey, and garlic in a small bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the sauce in a separate small bowl to use for basting. Set the sauce aside.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Rub the oil all over the salmon. Sprinkle both sides with pepper and salt. Place the salmon on the grill, skin-side up. Grill until the salmon lifts from the grates without sticking, about 6 minutes. Flip the salmon and brush it with the reserved tablespoon of sauce. Continue to cook the fish until the salmon lifts from the grates without sticking and flakes with a fork, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve the salmon with the remaining sauce.
For indoor cooking in a skillet and in the oven: preheat the oven to 325ºF. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Rub the oil all over the salmon. Sprinkle both sides with pepper and salt. Place the salmon pieces in an oven-safe skillet, skin side up over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Flip the salmon over and cook for another 2 minutes. Brush the fish pieces with the reserved tablespoon of sauce. Place the skillet with the salmon in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the pieces to plates. Serve the salmon with the remaining sauce.