Grilled Salmon with Ginger-Soy Sauce

So I'm not sure what type of salmon is best to buy at the store.  Frozen? Fresh? In fact, the other day when I decided I wanted to make this for dinner, I almost backed out because I've never bought or grilled raw fish before.

Well, I'm SURE that I could have found a more inexpensive way to do it; I decided to buy some fresh fish at Sprouts Farmers' Market; it cost me $27 for only 4 filets!!! Ridiculous? Yes.  I'm not sure why I still bought it after the butcher weighed it and told me the price. It must have been the extremely alluring, just-slaughtered fishy smell that emanated from the round white packet I then held in my hand.  Riiiiight. Ya live and ya learn.

I told myself.. this salmon better be dang good.  And you know what? It was! Not too many difficult steps at all; in fact really all there is to it is just grilling the fish with a little olive oil, then putting some of the ginger-soy butter on top.  Now I don't think I'm gonna go spend a whole t-shirt's worth of money on fish again, but I definitely don't regret this learning experience.  :)

Grilled Salmon with Ginger-Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

1/2 Tbsp. minced chives

1/2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

4 salmon filets (4-6 oz. each)

salt and black pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Mix the butter, chives, ginger, lemon juice, and soy sauce.  Set aside. 

Preheat a grill or grill pan.  Season the salmon with salt and pepper and rub with the oil.  Wipe the grill grates clean and rub with a paper towel dipped in oil.  Add the salmon skin side down and cook 4-5 minutes, until skin is lightly charred and crisp.

Flip the fish and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the flesh side, until the flesh flakes with gentle pressure from your finger but is still slightly translucent in the middle. (Unless, if you want yours completely cooked rather than medium, leave it on for another 2-3 minutes)

Serve the salmon with a generous spoonful of the flavored butter, which should begin to melt on contact.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition: 390 calories, 26g fat (7g saturated), 710mg sodium