Sweet Maple Salmon

By Tobin Larson (aka BoyChick)

When Ultra first took me to her favorite restaurant, the Brazilian-themed Bossa Nova in West Hollywood, she told me to get the salmon, it's the thing that she always ordered. Well, I'm from the school of thought - and I may be the only student in the school - that when two people go out to eat they should never both get the same thing. You have to have the same dish when you stay home for dinner, so don't do it when you're out.

So I got the grilled shrimp. It was delicious. Then I tasted her salmon.

We've been back dozens of times and we've both always gotten the salmon!

I've been experimenting in the kitchen for some time, trying to recreate the Bossa Nova dish. This isn't it exactly, but it is really good. In fact, since I came up with this version it has been requested, weekly!

Ingredients 

Chili powder 
Paprika
Cumin
Brown sugar 
2 Salmon fillets
Maple syrup

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler

2. Rinse the salmon under running water and pat dry with paper towels 

3. In a small bowl combine: 

• 1 teaspoon each of the chili powder and paprika
• ¼ teaspoon of cumin
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

4. Grind it all together then using your fingertips rub it over the skin-free side of the salmon fillets

5. Place the fillets skin-side down onto an oiled broiler pan and put them in the oven

6. Broil for 7 to 9 minutes, then remove from the oven 

7. Drizzle each fillet with ½ tablespoon of maple syrup 

8. Broil for 1 more minute

9. Remove from the oven. While the fillets are still on the broiler pan slide the spatula between the skin and the flesh of the fish and separate them placing the now skinless fillet on individual plates.

Serve with a salad and you've got a meal!