Off the Hook

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'm thinking that this is not the week for macaroni and cheese.  What I am thinking is that maybe I should try and keep it lighter at dinner so I won't feel as guilty as I reach for a second serving of stuffing.  As such, this is a week for salmon.

I used to love salmon and then I didn't.  Now I'm back to liking it because it's kind of the chicken of the fish family.  You can do almost anything to it and it still tastes pretty good.  Plus, it's full of all those healthy omega 3's and that's good.  So, in order to justify reckless abandon on Thursday, tonight we're having salmon.

For a long time I made a broiled salmon dish that had a mustard glaze on top.  It was delicious but I started feeling like all that mustard was a little heavy.  I began playing with the recipe I was using and came up with my own version of broiled salmon with mustard, which I am sharing with you below.  The addition of lemon juice and lemon zest gives the fish just the right lightness. I like it better than the original.

If 50 is the new 40, can't salmon be the new chicken?

Broiled Salmon with Mustard, Lemon and Herbs

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each, with  or without skin
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
3/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
3/4 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon white wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
salt and pepper

Preheat broiler.  Spray a broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Sprinkle salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place on the broiler pan.  Broil the fish for 5 minutes.  In the meantime, combine the garlic, both mustards, rosemary, thyme, dill, wine, olive oil, lemon juice and zest in a small bowl.  Spoon the mustard mixture over the fish and continue broiling for another 5 minutes, until the top is golden brown and fish is cooked through.