Maple Teriyaki Salmon

I have made this so many times over the past many years. In fact, my first time to make salmon involved some maple and soy sauce. It was good…but not as good as I made it now. I had actually forgotten all about the magic of maple soy with salmon until  my mother made some outstanding salmon with soy sauce with onions, peppers, and mushrooms. After devouring her salmon, I remembered my first few experiments in Memphis with salmon. We had it maybe 3 times in 5 years and all three times, I would mix a little soy sauce with some fake maple pancake syrup. It sounds nasty, but on salmon, it was a perfect combination.

This time around, I did it right. I used real maple syrup which has no extra sugar or high fructose corn syrup. My batch is a thinner consistency that Aunt Jemima. And instead of straight soy, I made my own low sugar Teriyaki. The bottled stuff is okay for a quick few drops, but it is loaded with MSG and HFCS and other stuff I’m too lazy to look up.

Maple Teriyaki Salmon

What you need to have ready: medium skillet, baking pan for salmon, small bowl for sauce mixing, small saucepan if making Teriyaki sauce.

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1/2 cup of sliced onions
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 4 Tablespoons Teriyaki Sauce (below)
• 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup.

Preheat oven to 400*

1.. In a medium skillet, heat oil and quick cook the onions and mushrooms. Set aside and keep warm.

2. In a sprayed/oiled baking pan, lay fillets skin side down. Salt and pepper as needed. Top with 4 tablespoons of Teriyaki Sauce MIXED with 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup. (Do NOT touch raw salmon with spoon or put spoon back in sauce. You will baste the salmon  at the end after cooking)

3. Bake at 400* approximately 20 minutes until the inside reaches 145*.

4. Top with onions and mushrooms and additional sauce. (BEWARE of cross contamination if you touched raw salmon with spoon from first baste!!)

Teriyaki Sauce

• 1 cup of soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chinese rice wine (in ethnic food section, not wine section)
• 1 Tablespoon molasses
• 3 Tablespoons thinly sliced scalions
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• Optional: honey or orange juice for extra sweetness if you get too much heat from red pepper. For a smoky flavor, add half of a chipotle pepper in adobo.

1. Mix well over  medium high heat. Store in glass jar in fridge. Perfect marinade for poultry and fish.