Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon

I love fish. Especially salmon. I prefer fish baked until just barely cooked through and many of my recipes include salmon baked with different glazes, like teriyaki or maple, or soaked in white wine and wrapped in phyllo dough. It is a very simple way to keep the moisture within the salmon, and up its flavour with the glaze.

I knew pomegranate and salmon paired well together, but I wanted to try something with a stronger, tarter glaze. When I spotted a Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon in The Breakaway Cook by Eric Gower, I knew this was exactly what I was searching for. The salmon fillets are baked with both olive oil and pomegranate molasses. Once it emerges from the oven, a lemon-maple sauce is drizzled over top. This sweet lemony accent, combined with the tart pomegranate glaze was everything I could have hoped for with my salmon. Eric suggests using chives to top the salmon, but fresh basil was a good, if not better, substitute.

I still enjoy my salmon teriyaki recipe, but found the flavours more complex here.  I really enjoyed it. My mom preferred it to the maple salmon, which is  more salty from the soy sauce and sweet from the maple syrup. Once she picks up a bottle of pomegranate molasses, she may make this her new go-to fish recipe. 🙂 I definitely plan on making this again.

This is my submission to this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Winnie from Healthy Green Kitchen.

Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon

4 four ounce wild salmon fillets
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
Pinch of kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade

1. Preheat the oven to 500 F. Rinse and dry fish. Line your baking pan with a sheet of oiled aluminum foil (it was a bugger to clean my pan). Spoon the oil equally over the fillets, then do the same with the pomegranate molasses. Dust liberally with salt and pepper. Place the fish in the oven, and roast for about 10 minutes, until the top is nicely browned  and the inside is barely done.

2. Meanwhile, put the lemon juice and zest into a small cup, add the maple syrup, and mix.

3. Spoon the sauce over the cooked fish, sprinkle with basil, and serve hot.

Serves 4.