Soy-Orange Glazed Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

It's rare that we cook something during the summer that we can't grill. The very idea of turning on an oven during the summer just seems blasphemous. The only problem with that is that my aunt has a very strict rule against eating seafood (except shrimp...sometimes) outside, because fish tends to attract bugs. And no one wants bugs around when they're trying to eat their dinner.

However, with temperatures soaring near the 95 degree mark, the idea of eating outside just sounds...icky. Can you imagine? We would all be as cooked as the food is! 

Eating inside opens up a whole new realm of food possibilities, every single one of them revolving around some type of seafood! And you all know that I will take any opportunity possible to get my family to eat seafood...and, with not being able to eat outside, my aunt was more than happy to jump on the bandwagon. 

I decided that I would stick with salmon, as most people (my family included) like salmon, where as some other fish or shellfish get mixed reviews. Since my dad was at the table, I obviously couldn't serve just plain salmon...he would be bored with it. A sweet and spicy salsa seemed like the perfect combination--and a great excuse to get some pineapple, which, for some reason, I have not eaten very much of this summer. A glaze for the salmon was needed so we could stick that puppy on the grill and have it stay moist, and suddenly a seafood meal was put together. Add a couple of sides to create a quick and wonderful meal, cooked outside, as it should be during the summer, and served around the dining room table.

Soy-Orange Glazed Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

4-6 oz of skin-on salmon per person (I got the pieces pre-cut to simplify the process)
Low sodium soy sauce
1 small container of orange juice
2 navel oranges
One pineapple (or a medium container of precut pineapple)
Handful of cilantro
1 habanero (or jalapeno) pepper, seeds removed
2 limes

Directions

1. Rinse the salmon and pat dry with a paper towel. Place in plastic ziplock bag. Pour soy sauce and orange juice into the bag, until the liquid covers the fish. Slice your navel oranges into 1 inch thick pieces and place on the center side (not the skin side). Place the marinating salmon into the fridge for about 30 minutes.

2. Make your salsa--dice your pineapple and pepper into very small pieces and combine in a bowl. Mince the cilantro and add. Cut the lime in half, juice both sides, and zest a small section. Toss all together and place in the fridge as well, so the flavors have time to combine.

3. Remove your salmon from the fridge and grill. Because I had requested individual pieces, my dad use a grill pan covered in foil. If you have a big fillet you can place directly on the grill. Pour some marinade over the salmon and place the oranges on top. Cook to desired doneness--fish should flake easily with a fork. Once done, place the oranges directly on the grill for about one minute.

4. To serve, place the grilled orange on the plate, then the cooked salmon and top with salsa.

The finished plate! We served the salmon with grilled asparagus and jasmine rice--if you are a fan of jasmine rice, I highly highly recommend Rice Select's Jasmati Rice. You can find it at any major grocery store.