Citrus Glazed Salmon - Something delicious since it's been awhile!

I pulled this recipe out again this week for a treat. The original inspiration came from Alton Brown, but he likes to get too complex for me with a huge salmon fillet. I've simplified it, but there is absolutely no taste sacrificed in this delicious dish! If I were having a dinner party, and the people liked fish, I would have to seriously consider serving this dish.

Citrus Glazed Salmon
1 package frozen wild or farm-raised salmon (I typically pick up 14 oz. - 1 lb for the two of us...skin on or off, it doesn't matter)

1/3 cups brown sugar

Zest from 2 lemons

1.5 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Take the salmon out of its package (if it has skin on it, place the skin side away from you) and place it onto a cutting board. Mix together remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and distribute it evenly on top of the salmon. This will require you to get your hands dirty, to make sure the brown sugar mixture is evenly spread over the salmon.

Let the salmon sit with the mixture on top for 45 minutes at room temperature. I usually make some oven baked Lipton soup mix potatoes while I'm letting the fish marinate in the glaze.

After the salmon has marinated at room temperature and the glaze has become a thick liquid on top of the salmon (it should look kind of like a thinner bbq sauce), turn your broiler on high and move the top rack in your oven to 3 inches from the broiler. Transfer your fish to a foil-lined (cooking spray required) cookie sheet. If you have a Pampered Chef baking stone, this might be a good time to use it, since the sugar will burn under the broiler (it burns less on a stone). This will cause a small amount of smoke as some of the sugar drips down onto the sheet and burns, but don't be alarmed...just turn on the exhaust fan and it will pull it right out. You should broil the fish on high, depending on thickness, 6 - 8 minutes. Pull the fish out of the oven when done and let it sit for 8 minutes. Serve immediately.

In the meantime, I put some broccoli in the microwave to steam and use the juice of the lemons, some butter, and salt to give it some kick when it comes out.

The next day, this recipe is still amazing as leftovers! Shred the salmon and mix it a spinach salad with some craisins and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. You will be just as happy with the leftovers as you were with the original dish!