Baked Salmon With Balsamic Reduction

One of my favourite foods is Salmon.  It’s a tasty fish that doesn’t leave or have that “fishy” taste, know what I mean?  This is a great recipe, very easy to prepare and tastes very good.  I usually make this with steamed vegetables on the side like cauliflower, broccoli and asparagus.

Though you shouldn’t if you want a little more taste, you could make a nice fat-friendly sauce as well to drizzle over the fish or simply opt for some butter/margarine (not too much or look for the low fat varieties) on the veggies with pepper.

• 4 salmon fillets
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Evenly season salmon, both sides, with salt and pepper and put in baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Salmon should be solid color throughout.

As fish is cooking, take out a small saucepan and pour balsamic vinegar in. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently until liquid reduces by about a third.  This should take about 10 minutes.  The more it reduces, the thicker and sweeter it will get.

Remove the saucepan from the heat when it is reduced and add the oil, whisking as you add, then add the lime juice, and continue whisking until color gets lighter.  Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

Spoon the balsamic reduction sauce over the salmon when it comes out of the oven.  Serve salmon while still warm.

This is a great way to get a sweet and savory glaze for salmon without adding any brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, or other sugary ingredient.  Use a good balsamic vinegar and be sure to check the label.  Most good ones will have very limited sugars and carbs.

Salmon is considered a powerhouse of nutrients.  The trick in most diets is finding ways to serve salmon with sauces and glazes that fit a healthy diet.

Benefits of Salmon

Healthy Diet

Fish is a low-fat high quality protein. Fish is filled with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). Fish is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium. See how to properly cook fish and try our healthy fish recipes.

Healthy Heart and Brain

Eating fish is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients keep our heart and brain healthy. Two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Our bodies don’t produce omega-3 fatty acids so we must get them through the food we eat. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in every kind of fish, but are especially high in fatty fish. Some good choices are salmon, trout, sardines, herring, canned mackerel, canned light tuna, and oysters.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• Help maintain a healthy heart by lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of sudden death, heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes.
• Aid healthy brain function and infant development of vision and nerves during pregnancy.
• May decrease the risk of depression, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and diabetes.
• May prevent inflammation and reduce the risk of arthritis.

Additional Resources

• http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/ktb_recipebk/ktb_recipebk.pdf
• http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2006-releases/press10172006.html
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/omega-3/HB00087

More Fish Recipes

• http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/oehas/fish/fishrecipes.htm

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