Bourbon Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

Yield:  4 servings

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger or crystallized ginger
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• juice of 1/2 lime

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk to blend.

Salmon:

• 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Put the salmon into a large plastic freezer bag and add half of the marinade. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting. Seal the bag and turn it several times to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour, turning the bag occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large, shallow casserole with aluminum foil. Butter the foil and place the salmon in the casserole, skin side down. Pour the marinade in the bag over the salmon and season with pepper, to taste.

Bake for 8 minutes, remove from the oven, and baste with marinade. Bake for 8 minutes more, then baste again. Bake, in total, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily. Spoon any remaining pan juices over the fish when it is served.

Variation: Glazed Salmon and Greens with Bourbon-Mustard Dressing 

Add 2 teaspoons of Dijon-style mustard to the reserved marinade and whisk to blend. Baste each baked fillet with 1 to 2 teaspoons of marinade. In a large bowl, make a salad of 1 ½ cups of thinly sliced green cabbage; 1 cup of grated carrot; 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced; and 4 to 5 ounces of baby salad greens mix.

Drizzle the remaining marinade on the salad and toss to coat.  Serve the salad and salmon together, garnished with toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds and/or thinly sliced crystallized ginger.

Original recipe courtesy of The Old Farmer's Almanac