Baked Maple Balsamic Salmon with Zucchini Lemon Salad and Moroccan Rice

Serves 4

Note–Moroccan spices are so versatile. They’re a perfect complement to the sweetness of the fish and the maple flavor and will really make the zucchini salad POP. They’re usually available at most grocery stores. However I always recommend that you go for the best ingredients to truly understand and appreciate how all these flavors are meant to work together. That said, make a beeline for a high end grocery store for best success.Or, here is a link to the spices used, courtesy Epicurious.com Enjoy!

Baked Maple Balsamic Salmon

Ingredients:

Four 6oz. salmon filets , fairly square in shape, skin on or off, patted dry
2 T light olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
¼ C good balsamic vinegar
¼ C maple syrup (the fake makes a better dish bu
t you can use real syrup)
1 t kosher salt
½ t black cracked pepper

Method:

• In a shallow baking dish place the salmon filets that have been rubbed with the oil,about a half inch apart. Make sure the pan is not too big. They should fit but not be drowned in a large dish! Sprinkle with the garlic and rub the garlic in to the flesh a little. Whisk the maple and balsamic together well and pour over the salmon.Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is opaque a little more than halfway through. Remove and immediately cover with foil letting them sit for about 5 minutes. They will continue to cook and finish beautifully. Don’t peek! Leave the foil on to keep them warm.

Marinated Zucchini and Lemon Salad

Ingredients:

1 large yellow squash cut into large long cubes, about the size of huge steak fries
1 ½ large zucchini squash cut the same way. You should end up with about 3
½ C of squash
2/3 C white wine vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 t fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 T light olive oil
2 t finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 t +/- hot chili flakes
½ t ground coriander powder
½ t kosher salt
¼ t black pepper

Method:

• Toss all ingredients no more than 5 hours prior to dinner and no less than 1 for best flavor.Best to let marinate in a squatty shallow bowl so all the ingredients can be immerses at one point or another in the vinaigrette to slightly pickle and soften the vegetables.Stir often.

Moroccan Rice

Ingredients:

1 C good quality jasmine rice
2 C water
1 t kosher salt
½ t white pepper (black is fine, too. It’s just a little stronger.)
2 t Moroccan seasoning blend
2 T unsalted butter
1 t lemon juice
1 T heavy cream

Method:

• Bring 2 C of water to boil. Add the rice, and spices, stir and then cover and turn heat to VERY low. I pull my pan half way off the burner so it never boils over. Set your timer for 20 minutes exactly. When rice is ready stir in the butter and cream and salt and pepper. Then add the lemon juice.