Salmon with Pomegranate Glaze

As keen as I am about trying different foods, I have never had a pomegranate. So I bought one this week. And stared at it for days, having no idea what to do with it. I originally intended to just crack it open and nibble on the seeds, or maybe toss them into a salad, but that seemed too mundane. Last night I was planning to grill salmon fillets for dinner and an idea was born. Pomegranate glaze!

I winged it, adding a little of this and a little of that, tasting as I went along. Once I had the balance of flavors to my liking, I let the glaze reduce a bit, then drizzled it over the salmon during the plating. Fresh, slightly tart and delicious, the pomegranate glaze was a perfect match for the salmon.

Pomegranate molasses (or pomegranate juice)
Shallot, peeled and minced
Dijon mustard
Balsamic vinegar
Soy sauce
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Pat of butter
Marmalade
Dry vermouth
Seeds from ½ to 1 pomegranate
2-4 salmon fillets
Sea salt
Olive oil

Brush the fish with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Let sit for about 20 minutes while you prepare the glaze.

In a non-reactive saucepan, start with a healthy splash of the molasses or about 1/2 cup of  juice. Add shallot, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce to taste and cook over medium heat. (I used a heaping tablespoon or free poured in fairly equal proportions).

While the glaze is reducing, get a cast iron skillet pretty hot and place fish skin side down (without moving) and let sear for about 1-2 minutes. Turn the fish over and while it’s cooking on the other side, carefully peel away and discard skin. Let cook for about 4-5 minutes or until a nice golden brown color. Flip the fish over one last time and let sear on the side you removed the skin from. (If you grill the salmon, leave the skin on until ready to serve). Cooking times vary depending on how thick your cut of fish is, and how done you prefer your fish. Remove to a plate and let rest.

Add a pat of butter to the glaze and stir until just melted. Pour in a splash of dry vermouth and a generous spoonful of marmalade to mellow the glaze’s tartness. Cut a pomegranate in half and carefully spoon the seeds into the glaze without spilling the juices. Heat another minute or two. Drizzle glaze over fish, garnish with fresh sprigs of parsley and serve. For this meal, I served an heirloom tomato pie and grilled onions, leeks and mushrooms as the sides.

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