Week #47: Washington - Apple Cider Glazed Salmon & Apple Pizza

State: Washington

Washington is a coastal state, which focuses on seafood and produce.  When I think of the state of Washington, I think of apples and salmon.  So I found a recipe for an apple cider glazed salmon.  I definitely had to try this out and embrace the cooking of the West Coast.  I hope you enjoy this pizza, because it was excellent!  

Ingredients:

Apple Cider Glazed Salmon:

1 cup unfiltered apple cider

1 tbsp. honey

1 salmon fillets (1/2 lb.)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pizza crust
2 Green onion strands - diced

1 Washington apple – diced

¼ cup of Mozzarella

Glaze:

In a small pan and on medium heat, bring apple cider and honey to a boil.  The mixture reduces by about half, leaving you with a little more than 1/4 cup of glaze. Let the glaze cool down for a minute. 

Meat:

Arrange the salmon fillet skin-side down in medium in width bowl in a rimmed dish large enough to fit the fillet. Pour half of the honey cider glaze over the salmon and let it sit for 5 minutes. Leave the other half or 1/4 for the pizza crust.  Turn over the salmon, coating the other side and allow filet to sit for another 5 minutes in the glaze.  Heat olive oil in a medium skillet on medium-high.   Sprinkle the flesh side of the salmon fillet with salt and pepper.  Place the fillet flesh side down in the hot pan.  Cook for 2 minutes on medium high heat and while cooking, brush the sides of the fillet with some of the glaze.

Turn the salmon fillet over and brush with the remaining honey cider glaze.  Lower the heat to medium and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the salmon is just barely cooked through.  Remove the pan from heat.  With any remaining juices, collect with a spoon and pour over top of the fish fillet.  Set aside for later. 

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 450.  Cook crust for 10 minutes or until slightly browned.  Turn down heat to 400 degrees.   Coat the base of the pizza crust with the saved apple cider glaze.  Next with a fork, flake apart the fish into smaller pieces.  Sprinkle fish across the base of the pizza.  Add diced apple and green onion.  Make sure to spread out, so each slice will have equal amounts.  Add cheese and place pizza into the oven for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  Remove from heat and set aside for pizza to cool.

Pairing:

For this beer, I would recommend an IPA or something citrusy.  With seafood, a good pale ale or IPA can go a long way.  Cheers!

Learning Moments:

Before this challenge, I have never used salmon on pizzas and never made an apple cider glaze before.  This challenge is definitely opening up my cooking styles and will help me for whatever challenge lies ahead in the kitchen.  I will be ready to throw it down in the kitchen!   Enjoy!