Recipe: Salmon Steaks with Chipotle-Honey Glaze and Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Don't let the ingredient lists in the two recipes put you off; many are the same. As well, make the salsa, except for the grilled pineapple and red pepper, in advance. Grill the pineapple and pepper at the same time you grill the fish. Tent the fish with foil to retain its heat as you finish the salsa. (Note the salmon is delicious without the salsa, as well.)

Yield: 4 servings
Marinating time: 15 minutes
Active time: 50 minutes

Ingredients for salmon

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro, plus extra sprigs for garnish
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh or crystallized ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced (canned) chipotle chiles*
• 4 salmon steaks

*I prefer using the inexpensive canned chipotles in adobo sauce located in the Hispanic section of most area groceries.

Ingredients for salsa

• 4 (3/4-inch thick) slices fresh pineapple
• 1 red bell pepper
• Light oil or cooking oil spray
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced crystallized or fresh ginger
• 1-2 teaspoons canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced

Directions for salmon

1. Clean and oil grill grates. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine honey, cilantro, soy sauce, ginger and chipotles, adjust seasonings to taste.

3. Brush both sides of salmon steaks with honey mixture. Let salmon sit at room temperature 15 minutes, turning once, to absorb marinade flavors. Grill salmon until opaque in center, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, basting once with remaining glaze. Serve topped with Grilled Pineapple Salsa.

Directions for salsa

1. On well-oiled grates, preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill pineapples until grill-marked on both sides. Grill peppers until just blackened, then place in a plastic or paper bag to steam.

2. When peppers are cool enough to handle, remove blackened skin with your fingers. With a knife, remove stem end, membranes and seeds. (If you rinse the pepper, you rinse away flavor.)

3. Chop pineapple and peppers into a large dice, and combine with onion, cilantro, lime juice, sugar, ginger, 2 tablespoons jalapeno and 1 teaspoon chipotle peppers. Season with kosher salt to taste and additional jalapeno and chipotle peppers, as desired.

 This recipe was written by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on June 16, 2011.