Elevate Your Dinner: Gourmet Grilled Salmon with Hazelnut Butter
Transform your weeknight meal into an extraordinary culinary experience with this incredibly flavorful Grilled Salmon featuring a rich Hazelnut Butter. This recipe is surprisingly quick and easy to prepare, yet it delivers a sophisticated taste that will leave your guests impressed and craving more. Get ready for rave reviews every time you serve this delightful dish!
The Joy of Simple, Flavorful Cooking
There’s a special kind of satisfaction that comes from dusting off an old cookbook, discovering a forgotten gem, and transforming it into a new family favorite. Recently, I embarked on just such a culinary adventure with my copy of Betty Crocker’s Quick and Easy Cookbook. For too long, this book, a thoughtful wedding gift, had sat on my shelf, its pages untouched. As someone constantly seeking delicious yet unfussy recipes – especially on busy weeknights (and let’s be honest, Rachael Ray’s “30-minute meals” often take me double that!) – I knew it was time to explore its potential.
Flipping through its well-loved pages, one recipe immediately caught my eye: Grilled Salmon with Hazelnut Butter. It promised speed and ease, two qualities I highly value in weeknight cooking. Even when my husband, Josh, declared his preference for a frozen pizza that evening, a rare occurrence when I’d usually skip cooking for just myself, something about this salmon recipe beckoned. I had already defrosted some beautiful salmon fillets, making the decision even easier. And oh, how glad I am that I went for it!
Why This Recipe Shines: A Fusion of Health and Flavor
This Grilled Salmon with Hazelnut Butter is more than just a meal; it’s a testament to how simple, quality ingredients can combine to create something truly spectacular. Salmon, a powerhouse of omega-3 fatty acids, is celebrated for its health benefits, from supporting heart health to boosting brain function. Its rich, flaky texture and distinctive flavor make it a beloved choice for seafood lovers. When paired with the earthy, nutty notes of toasted hazelnuts and the bright zest of lemon, salmon truly sings.
The hazelnut butter isn’t just a topping; it’s a flavor enhancer that adds a gourmet touch without any extra effort. The warmth of the toasted hazelnuts provides a delightful crunch and depth, perfectly complementing the buttery tenderness of the salmon. This dish proves that healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland or complicated; it can be vibrant, satisfying, and utterly delicious.
Mastering the Salmon: Grilling vs. Broiling
While the recipe title specifies “grilled,” I often find myself opting for the convenience of my oven’s broiler, especially when outdoor grilling isn’t feasible or desired. Both methods yield fantastic results, cooking the salmon quickly and efficiently to a perfect, flaky finish. The key is understanding how each method works and choosing what suits your needs best.
Grilling for Smoky Perfection
Grilling imparts a unique smoky char and beautiful grill marks that enhance the salmon’s natural flavors. When grilling, ensure your grill grates are clean and well-oiled to prevent sticking. High heat for a short period is crucial for achieving that crispy exterior while keeping the inside moist. A good rule of thumb is to cook salmon for about 4-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until it flakes easily with a fork.
Broiling for Indoor Convenience
Broiling offers a similar direct, high-heat cooking method to grilling, but it’s done indoors under your oven’s broiler element. This is my go-to when I want a quick, fuss-free meal without firing up the outdoor grill. Preheat your broiler and place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet lined with foil (for easy cleanup!) a few inches from the heat source. Broiling times are very similar to grilling, typically 4-6 minutes per side, ensuring the fish cooks through beautifully. The result is a wonderfully caramelized top and tender, juicy salmon within.
Whether you choose to grill or broil, the objective remains the same: perfectly cooked salmon that’s tender, moist, and ready to absorb the incredible flavors of the hazelnut butter.
The Star Ingredient: Hazelnut Butter
The hazelnut butter is truly what elevates this salmon from simple to sublime. It’s an incredibly simple concoction, yet its impact on the overall dish is profound. Made with softened butter, finely chopped toasted hazelnuts, fresh parsley, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice, it’s a burst of flavor in every bite. While the original recipe suggests specific measurements, I often find myself playing a bit fast and loose with the quantities, especially with the lemon juice. I adore the bright, zesty kick lemon adds to fish, so I typically add more than a single tablespoon, letting my palate guide me. This willingness to adapt and personalize is part of the joy of home cooking!
The key to perfect hazelnut butter lies in toasting the hazelnuts beforehand. This step brings out their inherent sweetness and nutty aroma, intensifying the flavor profile. You can toast them briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat, in the microwave, or spread on a baking sheet in a preheated oven until fragrant and lightly browned. Once cooled and chopped, they provide a delightful textural contrast – a gentle crunch against the soft, flaky salmon.
Sourcing Your Salmon and Side Dishes
Good quality salmon is fundamental to this recipe’s success. For me, that often means relying on the excellent frozen salmon fillets available at Costco. While I dream of access to truly fresh, local seafood – perhaps one day when I make my move to Seattle! – these frozen options are a fantastic, convenient alternative that consistently deliver. Thawing them properly in the refrigerator overnight ensures they’re ready to cook when you are.
To complete this meal, a simple side dish is all you need. I love serving this salmon with fresh asparagus, which I quickly blanch in boiling water until crisp-tender. A little extra hazelnut butter drizzled over the asparagus makes for a cohesive and utterly delicious plate. Other fantastic options include a light green salad, quinoa, couscous, or roasted baby potatoes. The beauty of this dish is its versatility; it pairs well with a variety of seasonal vegetables and grains.
Grilled Salmon with Hazelnut Butter
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Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped hazelnuts
- 3 tablespoon butter softened
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare Hazelnut Butter: Begin by toasting your hazelnuts. You can do this quickly in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until fragrant, or spread them on a baking sheet and toast in a preheated oven (around 350°F / 175°C) for 5-7 minutes. Once toasted and slightly cooled, finely chop them. In a small bowl, combine the chopped hazelnuts with softened butter, fresh parsley, and lemon juice. Mix well until everything is thoroughly incorporated. Set aside.
- Prepare and Cook Salmon: Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. If grilling, preheat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Place the salmon fillets on the grill and cook for approximately 4 minutes. Carefully turn the fish over. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the prepared hazelnut butter evenly over the top of each fillet. Cover the grill (or if broiling, continue under the broiler) and cook for an additional 4 to 6 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. The cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your salmon.
- Serve: Once cooked, transfer the salmon to serving plates. Garnish with a little extra fresh parsley or a lemon wedge if desired. Serve immediately with your chosen side dishes, such as blanched asparagus or a fresh salad.
Recipe Notes:
This recipe is wonderfully adaptable; feel free to adjust the amount of lemon juice to your taste.
Adapted from BETTY CROCKER’S QUICK AND EASY COOKBOOK.
This meal quickly became a recommended favorite in my household. The hazelnut butter manages to enhance the wonderful taste of the salmon without overpowering it, while the nuts add a delightful, unexpected crunch. It’s truly a simple, fast, and incredibly satisfying meal that tastes like it took hours to prepare.
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