maple cider glazed salmon with honey butter polenta
I might like polenta more than potatoes. Shhh. Don’t tell the spuds.
I’m not sure if this is universal, but polenta is pretty difficult to find around here. Only Sprouts carries the bags that I’ve seen, though rumor has it Whole Foods is also a supplier. Being in the south you’d think polenta wouldn’t be such a rare commodity – a lot of people eat grits like fucken candy here – but I guess folks prefer white corn to yellow.
Polenta is pretty delightful, though. The grains are heartier than grits and soak up, in this case, the glorious amount of parmesan and hint of honey to form a sweet-cheesy finish that isn’t overly loaded with either profile. Drizzle some of that maple cider reduction overtop…Drool. Yes, I probably got that drool all over myself. And choked on it. Yum.
I love a good sheetpan salmon dinner and this one is more than perfect for chillier fall days. Sticks to the ribs without a load of unnecessary fat or cream (which is fun sometimes, for sure, but not needed here). Weeknight or nah, I’d call this salmon dinner a total winner. That was stupidly cliché. Ignore that.
Don’t Need to be In Brussels for Sprouts
For the salmon marinade, I double up on what I would consider a normal recipe to save some for a reduction at the end, since reusing liquid that housed fish, seafood, or meat is not smart or safe.
Whisk up apple cider, maple syrup, soy sauce, and a touch of cayenne, and pour half over some juicy salmon filets. Flip the fish to coat both sides, wash your hands, and let them sit for awhile. If you’re prepping the day before, cover the dish and set in the fridge up to overnight. Don’t worry, though, 10 minutes is ample if you need food noooooow.
I chose apples and Brussels sprouts as the accoutrement for the main event, so quarter up the former and halve the latter. Toss them in some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and chuck them on a baking sheet for a quick pre-roast.
While those cook up, dump the rest of the cider sauce into a pan and boil it down into a thick glaze, much like balsamic reduction. Keep an eye on it as it thickens so it doesn’t burn down into a glue-like consistency. As soon as the sauce begins to coat the back of a spoon, move it off the heat. It will get denser as it cools.
When the Brussels and apples are done with their first roast, push them to the side and arrange the salmon filets in the center of the pan. Bake until flaky, tender, and to your desired doneness. I usually need only about 12 minutes. If you’re not using parchment on your baking pan, feel free to broil the goods for the last couple minutes for a nice crisp.
Polly Want Polenta
Polenta cooks up real fast. The steps are quite similar to my Hot Honey Shrimp with Cheddar Polenta, except we swap cheddar for parmesan and throw in a nice hit of honey for a light sweetness.
Brown a little butter, simmer some milk and water, then stir around dry polenta until it thickens. This only takes about 5 minutes or so. Push the pan off the heat and finish it off with the cheese and sweetener. Season with salt and pepper, too, to your liking.
Plate the polenta with the apples, sprouts, and salmon, and give each a nice layer of the maple cider reduction. Real rad if you get a forkful of everything in one bite and just gobble that shit down like a savage.
A note about the reduction: if you do overcook it and end up with a tar-like consistency, add a bit more cider to the pan, whisk it around, and bring it to a simmer again. Watch it more closely this time around so you don’t have to keep diluting with more liquid. I definitely have burnt my sauces more than once, and this trick fixes it up quite well.
Have fun, kids!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Oh Sheet(pan):
Sheet Pan Sticky Apricot Salmon and Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Sheet Pan Chipotle Lime Salmon and Potatoes with Jalapeno Avocado Salsa
Sheet Pan Herb Lemon Butter Salmon and Potatoes with Garlic Dill Feta Sauce
Sheet Pan Glazed Coffee Balsamic Salmon and Crispy Brussels Sprouts
maple cider glazed salmon with honey butter polenta
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon, sliced into filets
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp bourbon (optional)
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 honeycrisp apples, quartered with pits removed
- 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts, halved
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup dry yellow polenta
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Whisk together the cider, maple syrup, soy sauce, bourbon (if using), cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour half of the sauce over the salmon filets. Let sit 10 minutes.
- Toss the apples and Brussels sprouts in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Spread onto the baking sheet. Roast 12 minutes.
- Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by half and coats the back of a spoon. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Push the sprouts and apples to one side of the baking sheet. Set the salmon on the baking sheet (discard the marinade the salmon soaked in). Bake an additional 10-15 minutes until desired doneness.
- To make the polenta, melt the butter in a large skillet until slightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Pour in the milk and 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer, then pour in the polenta. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Divide the polenta, salmon, Brussels sprouts, and apples into bowls or plates. Drizzle with the cider reduction. Enjoy that shit!
