Reducipe - Baked Dijon Salmon

Posted on January 25, 2008 by Melissa
Filed Under Food, Reducipes

Reducipe
Pronunciation: ri-doos-uh-pee
Function: noun
1 : a recipe that can help lower your food costs in a variety of ways
     a : by scaling back an expensive recipe to be less pricey but still just as tasty
     b : by turning an already inexpensive meal into something special
     c : by using leftovers in creative ways to stretch their use

Simple yet awesome! We like to try to include salmon in our meal plans when we can. Although it’s considered fatty, salmon is full of the good fats that you need in your diet. This week there was a sale on salmon so I picked up a pound to make this tasty Baked Dijon Salmon.

I tend to buy farmed salmon because it’s always cheaper around here. I know lots of people swear that wild salmon is the only way to go but it’s a budget killer for us. I’d rather get more fish, even if it’s not as high quality, than less fish in our diet. I just make sure to prepare it in delicious ways.

This is a good go-to dish when you want a quick and simple meal that isn’t too heavy. Not only is it is easy it combines spicy, sweet, and savory in a fabulous way. And the buttery golden brown crumbs on top really make it delectable and crowd pleasing. I bet kids would like this as well.

On weeks where I’m able to get fish I always prepare it the night I purchase it or the following night. Fish just doesn’t last in the fridge so plan for it to be one of the first meals following the shopping trip.

Baked Dijon Salmon

1 lb salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
Seasoning salt
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoons honey
1 clove garlic, minced very finely (almost a paste is best)
3 tablespoons cornflake crumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl stir together mustard, garlic paste, and honey. Set aside. In another bowl mix together corn flake crumbs and butter.

Sprinkle some seasoning salt over the salmon then place them in a shallow baking dish, skin side down. Spread the mustard mixture on the fillets, reserving a little of the mustard to serve on the side (if desired). Top with crumb mixture. Bake 10-15 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Serve with lemon wedges and reserved honey mustard. Serves 4.

You can season the fish with any seasoned salt you like but we prefer Emeril’s Bayou Blast. It doesn’t have an overwhelming celery flavor like a lot of spice mixes have. The lemon is really important because it helps cut through the richness of the fish. The brightness really adds that special zing so don’t forget that squeeze of lemon!

Green beans or roasted veggies make a really good match for this dish. If you don’t have cornflakes on hand (I keep some crushed up in a Ziplock baggie) you could always substitute another crunchy crumb like panko. If you want to make it a little healthier lower the amount of butter or substitute olive oil.

Ingredient	Cost	Ingredient	Cost
Salmon	$6.71	Cornflakes	$0.05
Mustard	$0.30	Butter	$0.06
Honey	$0.16	Spices	N/A
Garlic	$0.02	Lemon	$0.17
		Total	$7.47 or $1.87 a serving

Obviously the bulk of the cost is in the fish itself. It’s pretty pricey so buying large amounts and freezing it would help lower that cost. This preparation adds minimal cost and considering how much flavor it adds it’s an even better bargain. Pair this fish with a steamed veggie side and you have a great healthy meal for under $3! Enjoy!

Comments

3 Responses to “Reducipe - Baked Dijon Salmon”

Betsy - MoneyChangesThings on January 25th, 2008 2:38 pm

I love the taste of farmed salmon - actually prefer it to wild. However, it has a lot of negative environmental impacts. Fish farms are highly polluting and the farmed salmon escape and interbreed with wild salmon with adverse results. So you might want to read up on that.
Canned salmon may be a better alternative though I don’t know about that.
I find myself heading closer and closer to being a vegetarian, driven by environmental concerns.
KimdaCook(new comment) on June 12th, 2008 1:09 am

Wow what an unusual way to prepare salmon, to be honest my favorite salmon dish would have to be sushi and sushi mi, but i will really give this recipe a try for something different. Im really love all the recipes that have be posted helps dinner idea’s a lot.
Fast and Healthy Recipes | Wow! You Are Really Lucky....(new comment) on August 25th, 2008 3:56 pm

[...] Penny Closer has sent a heart-healthy Dijon Salmon Recipe to give you those good fats in your [...]