Rosemary & Lime Marinated Salmon

Don't those little morsels look tasty? They were, you know. So easy and so delicious. What I love about this recipe is that it makes for exceptionally moist and flavorful bites of fish. While I really enjoy skewering them and grilling them on the barbie, since I am currently sans BBQ still, I had to settle for the broiler in my oven. I'm sorry, did I say "settle"? That was a poor word choice because there is no settling about this recipe.

See those wonderfully golden tops? That's where it's all at. Mr. Maillard was a pretty smart cookie to recognize that magic happens when certain foods brown. Named after him, the Maillard Reaction occurs when amino acids in the food react with certain types of sugars. The end result is that a wide variety of new flavors are produced. And all of those flavors are formed here! Yowsa. Be sure to cook the salmon with enough heat and long enough to develop this wonderful color; it makes all the difference in the world. If you are geeky like me and want to know more about the Maillard Reaction, I enjoyed this site.

If you're a little worried about the lime thing, don't be. Despite there being a fair amount of lime juice in this marinade, the salmon does not taste limey (huh, is that a word?). Somehow, the lime, garlic, and rosemary meld together into a wonderful new taste that is all their own. It's scrumptious; trust me.

Lastly, this recipe is really easy to modify for whatever number of people you are trying to feed. As long as your proportions for the marinade are in the ball park and there is enough marinade to coat the salmon chunks, all will be well.

Rosemary & Lime Marinated Salmon
Yield: serves 4-6

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
the juice of one lime
1 TBS minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs of skinned, boned salmon, cut into one inch chunks

Mix all ingredients except the salmon in a bowl. Add the salmon and toss to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about two hours, stirring occasionally.

Turn on the broiler in your oven. Place the rack in the middle of the oven. Line a pan with foil and place the salmon pieces on the pan, spreading them out so that no pieces are touching. Broil until the tops turn a lovely golden color, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve drizzled with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil.

To grill the salmon: If you are going to grill the salmon, soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes before skewering to prevent them from burning. Skewer the salmon pieces loosely onto the sticks and then grill over high heat until the salmon is nice and golden and cooked through.