Spicy Grilled Salmon

I learned recently Salmon is one of the healthiest fish to eat as it is packed with omega-3s and protein. (If you’re surprised to hear me talking about salmon… no, I do not eat seafood but my family loves it so I do cook fish occasionally!)

A friend recommended a favorite recipe so I decided to try it out for a party I was having with a few friends. Some of them only eat Halal or kosher meats but enjoy seafood so I thought it would be an easy entree.

Visiting the Baltimore Aquarium this summer, I also discovered that sustainability is a major issue with most fish consumption. When shopping, ask where the salmon is from. There are several good choices – find out more here on SeafoodWatch.org.

I used to ask the butcher at my supermarket to remove the skin of the salmon for me but I later learned that there are benefits of leaving the skin on. When salmon is grilled skin side is up,  the omega-3 “good” fats melt, and moisten the fish. After the salmon is turned with the skin side is down, the skin gets crispy and it is then easy to remove.

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Ingredients

3 pounds salmon , cut into 2″ pieces

1 cup plain yogurt

8-10 cloves, garlic

3″ piece of ginger, (skinned and chopped)

1 tablespoon tandoori paste or powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 heaping teaspoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon mustard oil (safflower or vegetable oil)

2 tablespoon methi leaves crushed (optional)

Lemon wedges and finely cut onion rings for garnish

Preparation

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Grind the garlic and ginger with about 2 tablespoon water to make a smooth paste

Mix all the ingredients together and add to the salmon pieces. Marinate for a 2-4 hours.

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Heat grill to very hot, oil the grates and cook the salmon for about 5 minutes, turn and cook again for another 3-4 minutes (depending on the thickness) .

Garnish with lemon wedges and raw onion rings.

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Cilantro-Jalapeño Fish (or Chicken)

A few years ago I was looking for an interesting healthy and low calorie dish and came across a recipe for a marinade. I added a few more ingredients and it became one of our favorite Asian-fusion recipes. I originally used it for chicken but after my daughter tried it as a marinade with fish we realized it was great with both. This has been one of our favorites as it is easy – all the ingredients are added to a blender jar and blended.

I put the fish in a foiled lined glass dish which makes the clean up even quicker. The chicken is skewered and then also broiled or grilled. There is no oil in the recipe but if you’d like you can use cooking spray on top of the fish or chicken. The great thing is that you can make extra marinade and freeze it to use another time.

Cilantro-Jalapeño Fish

6  filets of Tilapia

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup honey

2 bunches cilantro, leaves and stems (approximately 4 cups)

2 jalapeño peppers (more or less, according to taste)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3-4  garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.

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Pour enough marinade over the fish to cover it.

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Set aside for 1/2 hour. Place the dish on the middle rack of the oven and broil for approximately 5 minutes, until the fish is done.  After broiling the marinade becomes a dark green.

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Serve with the remaining marinade and slices of lemon.

Cilantro-Jalapeño Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes (about 2 pounds)

Reserve 1/2 cup of marinade to serve with the chicken. Marinade the cubed chicken in the remaining marinade for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the broiler and place the oven rack one shelf from the top.

Skewer the chicken pieces and grill or place under the broiler, for approximately 4 minutes on each side.  Serve with reserved marinade and lemon slices.

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