Lime and Honey Glazed Salmon with Rice

I wasn't sure if I was going to be too crazy about this recipe as I was making it - I needn't have worried. The combination of flavors presented was amazing. Lime, honey, soy, cilantro - all baked on a bed of rice.

For the first time in my life I'm living more than ten minutes from the ocean - or the Puget Sound - as such I've been buying very little fish. There's just something that skeezes me out about buying fish when I'm several hours away from the water. I know it's perfectly safe, but it just doesn't taste the same after it's been frozen and stored for a while then purchased and brought home and frozen again.

It loses all of that fresh, oceany-ness.

Thankfully I have a Whole Foods fairy that visited me a little while ago with a lovely cooler full of delightful treats. Included was some beautiful Coho salmon that I've been dying to try.

I saw this recipe in October's Bon Appetit. I didn't want to use the same vegetable, but the idea of a one pot baked salmon ready in under an hour was heartily appealing.

And it was delicious. Because the salmon bakes right on top of the rice all of the yummy juices from the fish and the marinade get soaked up. It's wonderful.

This technique could prove to be incredibly versatile and any type of fish or marinade could easily be used. I can see tilapia with curry or snapper with red pepper sauce.

So easily manipulated...

Lime and Honey Glazed Salmon with Rice

Yields two servings

juice of one lime

zest of one lime

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium shallot, diced

5 oz dry white rice (long grain/jasmine/basmati)

1 2/3 cup chicken stock

2 5-oz salmon fillets

Preheat oven to 450F

Mix together lime juice, zest, honey, cilantro and soy sauce. Place the salmon fillets in the marinade and set aside. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a medium skillet with lid. Cook the shallot until beginning to soften, about 1 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice starts to toast and takes on a light brown color. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Put lid on skillet and place in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove skillet from oven. Most of the broth should be absorbed and the rice should be almost cooked thoroughly. Add more stock if rice is too dry. Place the salmon fillets over the rice, pressing in slightly. Pour the rest of the marinade over the fish. Replace lid and put back in oven for an additional 6-8 minutes, depending on desired doneness. Serve with additional chopped cilantro and lime wedges if desired.

Nutrional Estimate

This is a nutritional estimate, regard it as such.

1 serving = 1 5-oz salmon fillet and 1/2 the prepared rice

611 calories

68 g carbohydrates

15 g fat

48 g protein

Comments

[Sarah]

This recipe looks fantastic! And really easy, I see the appeal of the baked fish in one hour too!
Thanks for the great post!

[Robin]

Sarah - I was surprised at just how easy it was. The flavors the marinade imparts to the rice is just out of this world, too.