Pecan Crusted Salmon

The Salmon Collection — Day 3

“Salmon is good by itself but add brown sugar and pecans and it’s really, really good,” Amy Klaphake told me when I called her about this recipe. “It melts in your mouth and it’s so easy to make.”

I tried it a few days ago and couldn’t agree more with everything Amy said. CJK

Pecan Crusted Salmon

(Amy Klaphake)

4 (about 6 oz.) salmon fillets

2 cups milk

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp. seasoned salt

2 tsp. pepper

3 tbsp. oil

Place salmon fillets in a large resealable plastic bag; add the milk. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes; drain.

Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, combine the pecans, flour, brown sugar, seasoned salt and pepper. Coat fillets with pecan mixture, gently pressing into the fish. In a large skillet, brown the salmon in oil over medium-high heat. Transfer to a 15x10x1-inch baking pan coated with no-stick cooking spray. Bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Yield: 4 servings

A note from Amy: I usually don’t soak the fish in as much milk or for as long as the recipe calls for. I put it upside down (skin side up) in a glass pan, pour in a little milk, let it soak for about 10 minutes and then pour it off.

I’ve found that the pecan crust mixture makes a lot so I usually freeze half of it and it’s ready to go when I want to make the recipe again.

The first time I made it I browned the fish as directed but since then I’ve skipped that step and put it straight into the oven after I’ve dipped it in the crust mixture. I’ve also put it in a greased aluminum pan and placed it on the grill. It’s turns out great that way as well.

A note from Carol: Amy and I compared notes after I tried this recipe so I did things a little differently. I, too, felt that there was an abundance of the pecan mixture and so I peeled the skin off and covered both sides of the fish with it. (Next time I likely would make half the amount of this crust mixture.)

I followed the recipe and browned the fish — on both sides — since there was crust mixture on both. I made it in an ovenproof skillet and then put that pan directly in the oven rather than using another baking dish.

Amy and her husband, Ron, and their sons, Sammy (4) and Luke (18 mos.) are members of Our Lady of Angels Parish in Sauk Centre.

Amy found the recipe a few years ago in a “Taste of Home” cookbook and has shared it several times since then including in the “Fruit of the Spirit” cookbook, published by St. Donatus Parish in Brooten, where she grew up. To order the cookbook, contact the St. Donatus Parish office at stdonatus@tds.net or 320-346-2431. They are on sale for $15 each. (Shipping and handling is $5 for one book or $7 for two.)