Molasses-glazed Salmon with Sweet-and-spicy Peach Salsa

Sweet-and-spicy love

I’m not sure which I love more about this recipe – the salmon or the peach salsa. The combination of sweet fruit and spicy chile is perfect mounded over the buttery salmon with its not-too-sweet glaze. Okay, so I decided. I’m going with loving the Sweet-and-spicy Peach Salsa more. I could eat a gallon of it (can you tell by the picture above?).

I have to admit that the recipes for Molasses-glazed Salmon with Sweet-and-spicy Peach Salsa come from my husband but I’m applying the what’s-mine-is-yours rule since we live in the same house. He doesn’t mind, right Dear?

Just peachy

We grill out a lot most of the year, but there’s only a short period of time when we get to enjoy fresh peaches. If you’re looking for something to do with peaches other than make dessert or smoothies or eat them as-is, try this recipe for the Sweet-and-spicy Peach Salsa. You don’t have to use it to top salmon. Use it with chips. Use it to top a green salad. Use it over grilled mushrooms or maybe even on a grilled pizza (note to self: try this!).

A real fish story

The Molasses-glazed Salmon is delicious, too. I don’t mean to downplay it (I just really love the salsa!). You might think the molasses would make the salmon overly sweet, but it doesn’t. It’s the just the right amount. My husband got the idea for this recipe from the man who sold him some salmon while we were staying on Orcas Island — an amazingly beautiful place in the San Juan Islands — a few years back (can you say fresh fish?). He’s been adjusting, and we’ve been enjoying, the recipe ever since! Hope you enjoy it, too.

Recipe for Molasses-glazed Salmon with Sweet-and-spicy Peach Salsa
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

For the peach salsa

• 1 peach, pitted and diced
• 1 Fresno chile, seeds and membrane removed, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon parsley, sliced in ribbons
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch of ground chile powder (you could use a dash of hot sauce instead)

For the salmon

• 2, 6-ounce salmon filets
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Dash hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons molasses, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

For the peach salsa

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, then refrigerate for an hour if you can.

For the salmon

1. Season both sides of the filets with the salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl, add the garlic, orange juice, soy sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Whisk to combine then add it to a zippered baggie, large enough to hold both filets.
3. Drizzle half the molasses on the flesh side of each filet and add them to the bag. Reserve the remaining molasses.
4. Lightly massage the filets in the bag to coat them. Place them in the refrigerator, flesh side down, for 1-2 hours.
5. Remove filets from the zippered baggie and reserve the marinade.
6. Drizzle the remaining molasses on the flesh side of each filet.
7. Add the filets to an oiled grill on medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes, skin side down. Before flipping, spoon some of the reserved marinade over the filets, then flip and cook for approximately 4 minutes, or until done.

Serves 2