Pan Roasted Salmon with Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts

A typical Sunday. Wake up to the jingle of the dog's collar as she scratches her ear. Put on my favorite big pink robe. Take the dogs out in the dark, cold morning in my big pink robe. Start the coffee. Turn on my laptop and surf for a while. Eat some yogurt. Decide to exercise. Actually exercise. Shower. Trip to Costco with My Oldest and My Middle One. Make 10 dozen snickerdoodles with My Oldest. *Make dinner. Go to church. Eat dinner in shifts. Pick up My Oldest from CCD. Help No Thank You Boy learn the value of doing homework without complaining. Have a glass of wine. Watch Austin Powers - International Man of Mystery (New Line Platinum Series)for about the 10th time. Read. Bedtime.

Mixed in with my Sunday activities was experimenting with a new recipe from the latest issue of Cuisine at Home. This magazine is published bi-monthly and is one of my favorites. It usually has unique, but simple recipes and lots of tips and techniques to try.

Last night, I made Roasted Salmon with Barbecue Beurre Blanc and Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts. It is a meal with a fancy name, but is simple to prepare. A beurre blanc is basically a rich, hot butter sauce made with a reduction of usually wine or other alcohol, onions or shallots with butter whisked in at the end. Sounds too complicated? Doctor up a good barbecue sauce such as Sweet Baby Ray's. You can still call it a Barbecue Beurre Blanc and no one will be the wiser. Heat about 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce in a saucepan and whisk in 3 tablespoons of butter a little at a time. Voila! Barbecue Beurre Blanc.

As usual, I did not follow the recipe as written. The first couple pieces of salmon I cooked according to the recipe directions. They ended up, shall I say, nicely blackened, but not in the traditional blackened sense. Ok. They were burnt. A few adjustments were necessary.

This is a good meal to make ahead. Just under cook the salmon slightly. When reheated in the microwave on 70% power for about 2 minutes, it comes out perfect. The brussels sprouts are a favorite with My Oldest and My Middle One; No Thank You Boy said surprisingly, "No thank you."

All and all the meal was enjoyed by my family. Correction. The Husband will be having his for lunch today. We wait anxiously for his review.

Roasted Salmon with Barbecue Beurre Blanc

for the beurre blanc
1/4 cup whiskey
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons butter

for the salmon
about 2 pounds of salmon, cut in 6 ounce fillets and skinned - get it at Costco
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
olive oil

Combine ingredients for the beurre blanc - except the butter - in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to half. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter in small chunks. Set aside.

Combine brown sugar, salt, pepper, cumin, dry mustard, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Rub on top of each salmon fillet. Sear the salmon in a large, nonstick saute pan in a drizzle of olive oil of medium high heat. The sear takes about 1 minute. Watch closely so the rub doesn't burn and smoke up your whole kitchen. Flip the fillets and cook for an additional 3 - 4 minutes or until the salmon is done. The cooking time will depend on how thick your fillets are. My fillets were thin. It may take an additional 2 - 3 minutes if your fillets are thicker. The salmon should be just cooked through.

Remove salmon from pan and serve with a drizzle of the barbecue beurre blanc. Wink. Wink.


Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts



2 containers of brussels sprouts, about 3 cups, trimmed and cut in half
olive oil
salt
pepper
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put brussels sprouts in a large rimmed baking sheet and generously drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast for about 30 minutes, shaking pan half way through the cooking time to redistribute the sprouts.

Remove from oven and place in a large bowl. Add honey and mustard and toss to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.