Glazed Wild Salmon with Black Bean & Avocado Brown Rice

I was never a fan of salmon (or fish in general) growing up. I've come to the conclusion that the reason behind this was the fact that I was making very, very bad choices. Wild Salmon is now my favorite fish and coincidentally the best choice I've ever made! Great flavor, fresh taste - overall delicious. I encourage you to try this recipe even if you're unsure about Wild Salmon. You may just surprise yourself - I know I did. The spicy glaze on the wild salmon, along with the rice, bean and avocado add a Spanish-vibe to this meal. Fun fact - my favorite cuisine!

Ingredients:

Wild Salmon
4 - 6 oz. wild salmon filets
1/2 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper, to season
3-4 tablespoons pepper jelly*

Rice
2 cups brown rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 can black beans
2 avocados, ripe
2 teaspoons cumin
Salt & pepper, to taste

Cooking Instructions:

Time to season the wild salmon! For this recipe, we are going to lightly season the wild salmon with extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper. You can definitely season the fish to your liking - experimentation is key. I chose this method so that you can still manage to taste the flavor of the actual fish after the glaze has been added into the mix. At this point, you just want to set the lightly seasoned wild salmon aside to marinate. We will get back to the jelly glaze later.

In a medium sauce pot, add the water and unsalted butter and bring to a boil. Let water come to a boil and butter melt, then add your rice. I choose to use minute rice because of the quick cooking method of only 10 minutes. If you'd like to use regular rice, it will take about 30 minutes. The choice is yours! Mix the rice into the water and let the rice boil for about 5 minutes. Cover the rice, take it off the stove and let it sit until all of the water is absorbed.

In the meantime, open your can of beans and let them strain in a colander for a few minutes. Slice the avocados in half long-ways removing the pit. Make 4-5 slices into each avocado half, then slice again diagonally. See the image to the right for an example. Remove the cut avocado flesh using an everyday tablespoon.

Sliced avocado example.

The rice should be ready at this point. Add black beans and cumin to the rice. Mix together and cool on medium-low, until the beans are warm (should take 5-8 minutes). Once they're warm, add the avocado to the mix and season (to taste) with salt and pepper. Keep on low heat until ready to serve.

On to the salmon! Heat up a medium-large saute pan on medium-high. Make sure the pan is hot before you put the salmon on it. You was to hear the fish (or anything you're cooking) sizzle as it hits the pan. Place the salmon skin-side-up on the pan. Let it cook for about 3 minutes before flipping it over onto the skin. When you flip the fish over, brush the salmon meat generously with pepper jelly. Cover the salmon so that the heat cooks the inside and the jelly spreads nicely throughout the fish. You can turn the heat to medium-low at this point and cook for 5-8 minutes. Wah-la!

This recipe serves four people. 


Finding Pepper Jelly
Pepper Jelly adds an amazing, sweet & spicy flavor to this meal. I used Sunchowder's Emporia Jalapeno, Apricot & Wildflower Honey Jam, a local handcrafted jam, chutney and pickle maker in Central Florida. You can purchase their products online at the link provided. I like to discover new pepper jellies at local farmer's markets. A few weeks ago, I picked up a Mango Habanero Jelly from Scotty's Produce from Barefoot Creek at the Downtown Farmer's Curb Market in Lakeland that operates every Saturday from 8am-2pm, except in August. Each of these pepper jellies/jams has great flavor that could be used on chicken, pork or (obviously) fish. You can also put the jelly over cream cheese or boursin cheese and pair it with crackers or pretzels for a party treat. Pepper jelly = a party in your mouth. Discover it now!