If you haven't been to Brown Sugar Kitchen in the industrial side of Oakland, you don't know what you've been missing all of your life. I've been several times, for brunch, and always seem to gravitate toward the fried chicken with cornmeal waffles and apple cider syrup. Since I've declared this a frying-free zone, especially in this heat, because I can't stand the lingering smell, I wasn't going to try that at home. I am always looking for ways to add fish into our meal planning and the bourbon glazed salmon seemed like a good runner-up.
Ingredients:
Salmon:
¼ c. honey
1 ½ TB bourbon
2 TB chili powder
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground pepper
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp lime zest
Juice of ½ lime
Four 6oz skin on salmon fillets
Sweet Potatoes:
2 LB orange fleshed sweet potatoes (aka yams) - peeled and quartered
6 TB pure maple syrup [NY State preferred]
¼ c. heavy cream
4 TB butter, melted
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
Preheat oven to 425F
In an ovenproof baking dish, spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer. Add just enough water to come ¼ inch up the sides of the potatoes and cover with aluminium foil. Bake until the potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. [Note: the book smokes the potatoes for 13 minutes after this step...I don’t try to pretend to know how to smoke so I added additional interest by browning the butter instead]
Using a food processor, combine the sweet potatoes, maple syrup, cream, [browned] melted butter, cayenne, and salt/pepper and process until smooth. You can also do this by hand, but I was feeling lazy.
Preheat the broiler and move the rack to 6 inches under the heating element (I did mine in the middle rack setting). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and put the salmon fillets on it, skin side down.
Combine all other ingredients for the glaze. Pour over the salmon, trying to coat all 3 exposed sides. Broil, without turning, until the glaze is bubbling and salmon is no longer opaque in the center, about 8 minutes. Serve immediately.
This salmon had a beautiful crust and was tender inside. The mashed sweet potatoes had a really layered flavor with the browned butter and maple syrup. Both of us agreed that while this was delicious, there should be a sauce of some kind - maybe a butter, bourbon, brown sugar reduction? You know I'll never say no to saucy goodness!
Salmon - Great
Sweet Potatoes - Great
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