Sweet Savory Maple Cracked Pepper Salmon

As the story goes… “off the grill, outside a small unassuming wood shack in Alaska, was the best tasting salmon I have ever had”. Still today, my favorite way to prepare wild salmon.

What you need:

Wild salmon filets

Dark maple syrup

Cracked mixed berry peppercorns

Avocado or algae cooking oil

Instructions:

Score the flesh of your fish filet with a sharp knife. Rub in a light covering of maple syrup. Coconut sugar also works well.

Next, grind a light layer of fresh mixed peppercorn berries. I tend to like a pretty good covering.

Place flesh side up in pan with moderately heated avocado or algae cooking oil. Or place gently on moderate heated grill. Reduce temperature in pan or grill to low moderate and let fish cook about 5 minutes. Check for doneness, very slight pink. May need to cook a few more minutes depending on thickness of filet or preference for doneness. Be watchful though, fish can overcook quickly. Remove from heat and serve. This is an earthy and warm spiced recipe.

Try serving over steamed or sautéed julienne cut squash or with your favorite veggies. My hubby enjoys mashed rutabaga.

Why wild salmon? Glad you asked. Wild salmon, a healthy protein source is infamous for being rich in omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation. And inflammation is at the root of most chronic diseases. Salmon, sardines, anchovies and cod are examples of wild ocean fish lower in mercury. I recommended enjoying wild fish 1-2 times per week.

On the other hand, farmed salmon may contain toxic substances like antibiotics, as well as dioxins, PCB’s and other chemicals found in their food pellets.

Sweet Note: so we do not want refined sugars or even too much of a healthier sugar like maple syrup. However when you do enjoy a splash of real dark maple syrup, know you are getting a splash of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory polyphenols, B-12, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, zinc and manganese.

Enjoy

Cheers, Debra