As you know, Jason and I could not spend Valentine’s Day together but I had the honor of spending Valentine’s Day with my best friend from high school, Danica. Her boyfriend is also going to school up north so instead of spending Valentine’s Day alone and being bitter that our boyfriends aren’t with us, we decided to have dinner together.

I wanted to make some sort of salmon dish for the special night, and as I was browsing through various salmon recipes, this particular one caught my eye because of the balsamic glaze. I am absolutely obsessed with anything balsamic so I just had to give this a try. It was a quick and simple yet it created such a sophisticated and beautiful dinner in 20 minutes. All that had to be done was to pan sear the salmon for 2-3 minutes and then finish it off in the oven for about 6-10 minutes. While the salmon is cooking, you can make the glaze which consists of balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, and garlic, and that simmers for about 10-12 minutes until it gets nice and thick. And guess what. That’s it. Now how simple was that?

Not only was it such an easy dish but it tasted amazing. The salmon flaked off so easily and the balsamic glaze was tangy yet a little bit sweet from the maple syrup – a perfect combination. I’ll be sure to make this again and again, especially when I want an elegant dish in the middle of the week.

Salmon with Balsamic Glaze (adapted from My German Kitchen…in the Rockies)

Yields 4 servings

  • 4 salmon steaks, at room temperature (I couldn’t find salmon steaks so I used salmon fillets)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Brown rice, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet (or another oven-proof skillet) over medium high heat. Add the salmon, skin-side up, and pan sear until one side is golden, about 2-3 minutes.

Gently flip the salmon and place the skillet into the oven.

Roast for 6-10 minutes, or until the salmon is tender and flaky. (Be careful not to overcook the salmon.)

While the salmon is cooking, add the vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon and garlic in small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10-12 minutes.

Place the salmon on a plate, drizzled with glaze.

Serve immediately with brown rice, if desired.

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