I’m slowly easing my way into the world of fish.  I think I may  have an aversion to the underwater grub due to fish sticks as a kid.  I didn’t like the texture or the smell. Yuck.

I’ve come a long way from fish sticks days (and really, do people still eat fish sticks??) and have come to really enjoy sea bass, tilapia, and now…..SALMON.

I’ve been warned plenty of times that salmon is one of the “fishier” fishes.  I know people that love the pink seafood and plenty of people who turn their noses up at it.  My dad is a salmon-lover and I approve because of the heart-healthy omega-3 that it contains, so I broke down and bought some salmon to grill for him and myself.

How I Prepared the Salmon

Salt and Pepper is always a must.  So I liberally sprinkled the flesh with the classic duo before I doused it in the marinade.

*Note: The butcher told me you cannot remove the scales from the skin, but that the skin will just peel away once it’s cooked.  He was so right.  We had no issued with this.  The flesh literally fell off of the scaly-skin.

I combined soy sauce, honey, minced ginger, some cut scallions, and garlic to marinade the fish.  I reserved about 6 tablespoons of the marinade to pour over the fish after it was cooked.  I would say I used:

• 1/3-1/2 cup soy sauce (get the good dark kind from the Asian market! So much better than store-bought)
• 2-3 Tbsp. Honey (I used avocado honey–soo yummy)
• 1 Tbsp. freshly minced ginger (this may be more than I added.  Ginger is strong so adjust to your taste)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-4 scallions, sliced (the number of scallions you use depends on your love for oniony-ness.  I used a lot cause it looks pretty, too!)

Whisk all that ^^^^ together until the honey has dissolved.  And remember to save some for putting on top of the fish!!

My dad grilled the fish on medium heat for about 8 minutes.  I glazed them with the left over marinade and then sprinkled on some toasted sesame seeds.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite time for bon apetit because the middle of the filets were still raw!  However, the oven happened to be on so I stuck them in a 400 degree oven to finish cooking.  Five minutes or so later, the fish was flaky and ready to eat.

The Verdict:  Surprise surprise!  I loved it!  Yes, it is one of the “fishier” fish I’ve eaten, but not in a bad way.  The taste is very unique but not off-putting.  I loved how the flaky meat just pulled away from the skin without any effort.  And the glaze totally made the dish!  I would use the glaze on grilled chicken, too.  It was sweet, tangy, and the sesame seeds gave a nice crunch.  I will make this again (and my heart shall thank me for it!)