As you can probably tell, I am currently on a strawberry kick. I enjoy strawberries as much as possible from Mother’s Day to the 4th of July. And I try to feature them in a variety of recipes in that time period here. This one is seasonal and delicious!
This one is also a bit unusual – it combines salmon with strawberries. It took a while to convince Eric to try it, but he finally conceded. And the gamble paid off – this is a great recipe.
In this recipe, salmon is coated with a brown sugar mixture. The sweetness of brown sugar is tempered by mustard and allspice. Ground mustard has an intense aroma and a sharp, spicy, slightly bitter taste. Allspice has a multidimensional flavor. It’s warming, aromatic, and pungent, lending a slightly peppery dimension to the mix. When combined with the brown sugar, the mixture becomes a savory seasoning for the salmon that has just a hint of sweetness to it. The salsa is strawberries and cucumber enhanced by lemon zest and juice, as well as fresh mint. Put all together, this complete dish is a wonderful meal!
Brown Sugar Salmon with Strawberry – Cucumber Salsa
Brown Sugar Salmon with Strawberry – Cucumber Salsa (adapted from tasteofhome.com) Total Time Required: 1-1/2 hours, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Chill Time: 1 hour, Grill Time: 10 minutes, Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 small cucumber, finely chopped
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the mustard, allspice, and salt.
Mix together the brown sugar, olive oil, mustard, allspice, and salt.
Rub the mixture over the flesh side of the salmon. Refrigerate the fish, covered, for 1 hour.
Rub the mixed over the salmon fillets.
For the relish, in a medium bowl, mix together the mint, remaining tablespoon of oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, and sugar. Add the strawberries and cucumber and toss it all together to coat.
Combine the ingredients for the relish.
Preheat the grill to medium. Lightly oil the grill rack. Place the salmon on the grill rack, skin side down. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 8 – 10 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Grill the salmon.
Serve the grilled salmon with the salsa.
Serve the salmon with the salsa.
It may seem unusual, but it is definitely delicious!! ~Linda
Brown Sugar Salmon with Strawberry – Cucumber Salsa (adapted from tasteofhome.com) Total Time Required: 1-1/2 hours, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Chill Time: 1 hour, Grill Time: 10 minutes, Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 small cucumber, finely chopped
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the mustard, allspice, and salt. Rub the mixture over the flesh side of the salmon. Refrigerate the fish, covered, for 1 hour.
For the relish, in a medium bowl, mix together the mint, remaining tablespoon of oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, and sugar. Add the strawberries and cucumber and toss it all together to coat.
Preheat the grill to medium. Lightly oil the grill rack. Place the salmon on the grill rack, skin side down. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 8 – 10 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with the relish.