Maple Pecan-Crusted Salmon
Turns out maple syrup isn’t just for pancakes! Maple syrup, brown sugar, and toasted pecans team up with fresh salmon for this exquisite yet easy dish. It’s “melt in your” mouth delish! Bake it in the oven or on the barbecue for an outdoor gathering this summer.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon filets
- 1 cup pecan halves roasted
- 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Toast pecans in a moderate oven, 250-300 F for about five minutes or until they start to release their oils.Remove from the oven and cool completely.Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse just until coarsely chopped.Add butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup and pulse until the mixture comes together, being careful not to make a paste.You want to maintain some texture to the pecans.
- Preheat oven to 425 F.Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or spray a cast-iron skillet with cooking spray.I really love using my cast iron, but if you don’t want to clean up fish skin, then by all means use the foil-lined tray!
- Place salmon filets, skin side down, on the baking sheet or skillet, and evenly spread toasted pecan mixture over the tops of each filet.Bake salmon for approximately 5-7 minutes, or until cooked to the desired doneness, and the pecan crust is nicely browned.
- I love to serve this fish with some kind of rice pilaf and a sweet and savory salad such as Watermelon Arugula and Feta (featured on this site) or butter lettuce with pear, avocado, dried cranberries, and raspberry vinaigrette.