Accidental Enhancements

I remember standing in front of the icy, glass seafood cases at a local fishmonger eying a tiny signpost that read "Wild Alaskan Sockeye" and considering that a only few blocks away a grocer had fresh salmon for nearly half the price of this particular sockeye. I bought it anyway, thinking that the higher price must correlate with a higher quality, and, after investigation, I'm still unsure if it does. In addition to diminished flavor, critics of farm raised salmon complain of higher levels of PCBs and lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids, citing these as evidence that you just don't want to be eating farm raised fish to begin with. While between the two varieties the difference in flavor is apparent -- probably from the higher fat content of the farm raised fish -- it's not enough to prohibit me from buying farm raised salmon when it's the only type available.

On the other hand, when it's available for a few weeks each summer, Copper River salmon is really terrific. Even places like Costco have it available with reliable labels:


Although I've enjoyed it only once, the flavor from this fish was big. I learned that the Copper River is a 300 mile-long and violently flowing river from which salmon are harvested, and the vigor with which these fish traverse the water translates to a more developed meat. And when there's good salmon to be consumed, there must be A Good Recipe around, too. The one I use is a slightly altered version of Alton Brown's Broiled Sockeye Salmon with Citrus Glaze. Interestingly, only now as I ready the recipe for linking do I realize I've been preparing it incorrectly.

AB uses dark brown sugar and lemon zest, which, the first time I made it, immediatley filled the kitchen with a sweet aroma. I knew it was working. When it was done, the fish developed a juicy tenderness beneath a sweet, crystallized glaze. I cut into it and took a bite, which melted on my tongue. Again, AB's recipe delivered.

About a month later I wanted to make it again. Looking back, I thought I accurately remembered the recipe -- at the time I was confident of my memory -- when I made it using lemon zest and orange zest, and about three times as much, by proportion, of the latter. I overlooked this accident and enjoyed the orange flavor that had seeped down into the meat of the fish and caramelized on its top. I prepared it twice more in this manner, each time thinking AB had been right-on with his combination of orange and lemon. Oops.

I'll provide it here with my accidental addition in parentheses. If you adventurously choose to include the orange zest, I'd recommend also increasing the sugar to 1/2 cup.

Photo: Food Network

Alton Brown's Broiled Sockeye Salmon With Citrus Glaze

Ingredients:

1 side, skin-on, sockeye salmon, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, pin bones removed
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest
(or 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 3 tablespoons orange zest)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Position a rack in the oven 3 inches from the broiler. Line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil and place the salmon on the pan.

Place the sugar, zest, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a small food processor and process for 1 minute or until well combined. Evenly spread the mixture onto the salmon and allow to sit for 45 minutes, at room temperature.

Turn the oven on to the high broiler setting for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, place the salmon into the oven and broil for 6 to 8 minutes or until the thickest part of the fish reaches an internal temperature of 131 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the salmon from the oven and allow to rest, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.