Brown Sugar and Citrus Salmon (plus Biscotti for dessert)

Hubby and I have been eating primarily vegetarian meals lately, mostly because we're too cheap to keep buying expensive meat. The other night we decided to have a nice date and indulge ourselves in a couple of beautiful wild salmon filets. YUM. (We also indulged in a dessert and some champagne...so much for that diet...)

We have made this salmon recipe before and keep going back to it whenever we are lucky enough to have good salmon. It's so simple but seriously so delicious. We ate it with some broccoli and some really nice couscous made with vegetable broth and minced carrots and onions. Paired with an Austrian champagne bought in the summer of 2008 (yes, we've been saving it this long, I have no idea why), it turned out to be quite the meal!



Broiled Salmon with a Citrus Glaze

by Alton Brown

One 1 1/2 to 2 pound salmon filet, skin on and pin bones removed

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Place your top oven rack about 3 inches below your broiler. Line a small sheet pan with aluminum foil and place salmon on top. Put sugar, zest, salt and pepper into a food processor and pulse until combined, about one minute. Spread the mixture onto the salmon and let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes. Turn the broiler on high and let it heat for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, place the salmon on your top rack and cook for 6-8 minutes (or until the thickest part flakes nicely with a fork). Allow the fish to rest uncovered on the counter for 8-10 minutes before serving.

Oh yeah, did I mention I made biscotti? Diet fail.

Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

via Gourmet, December 1994

2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup walnuts, chopped

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until fully combined. Stir in flour mixture until the dough is very stiff and hard to stir. Mix in walnuts and chocolate chips.

Butter and flour a large baking sheet, then flour your hands. Form the dough into two logs (about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide). Flatten them just a bit and then sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Bake for about 35 minutes or until slightly firm. Cool the logs on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer both logs to a cutting board and slice diagonally into 3/4-inch pieces. Arrange biscotti back on the baking sheet (cut-side down) and bake for 10 minutes or until crisp.

P.S. Photos from our photography field trip coming soon!