Scrumptious California Salmon

From Healthy Cooking (June/July 2001), page 17.

Prep: 35 min. / Bake: 10 min.

Serves 4.

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. minced shallot

1 cup orange juice

3 Tbs. honey

1 Tbs. ground ancho chili pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 salmon filet (1 lb.)

2 tsp. canola oil

2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro

In a small saucepan coated with cooking spray, saute garlic and shallot until tender.  Add orange juice and vinegar.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until reduced to about 1/4 cup.  Stir in honey, chili pepper, salt, and pepper.

In a large ovenproof skillet, brown salmon in oil on both sides.  Brush with 1/4 cup sauce.  Bake, uncovered, at 400F for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Brush with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cilantro.

Notes:

- Reduce the garlic if you feel so inclined.  Honestly, I rarely use more than 2 cloves in anything.
- Garlic presses are wonderful.  But no matter how tempting it may be to use it for the shallots (they look kind of like garlic, after all), don't do it.  It doesn't work.  Trust me--I tried it.  Oh, and I didn't measure the shallot; I used all of a small section.

- A little teaching moment here (you may know this already): The difference between "3 garlic cloves, minced" and "1 tsp. minced shallot" is that you measure the garlic before you mince it, and you mince the shallot before you measure it.  The same goes for things like "3 cups pasta, cooked" vs "3 cups cooked pasta," "2 Tbs. almonds, chopped" vs "2 Tbs. chopped almonds," and "1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced" and "1/4 cup sliced fresh basil."

- I don't have an ovenproof skillet, so I browned the salmon in a frying pan and then transferred it to a baking dish.

- Before brushing the salmon, divide the sauce into two small bowls: one for pre-baking brushing and the other for after-baking brushing.  Don't use the sauce in the first bowl after the salmon is cooked.

Nutrition Facts:

3 oz. cooked salmon = 317 calories, 15 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 67 mg cholesterol, 217 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 23 g protein.

Amounts may vary depending on the brands you use.