Gluten-free Cinnamon and Pecan Crusted Salmon

Gluten-free Cinnamon and Pecan Crusted Salmon

In preparation of our long weekend in Maine, seafood was a necessity tonight. Crispy, crunchy, gluten-free crusted fish. A perfect dish for any sea critter admirer.

It's our last weekend to enjoy the ocean and admire the beautiful sunsets from the porch in Kennebunkport. This is always a sad time of year for me as it officially marks the end of summer.


Spouting Rock Cottage. This is my happy place. My safe haven. My escape from the world. The place where I go to get away from it all. The place that brings peace and calm to my life when things seem to be spinning out of control. There's no place like it on earth.

Spouting Rock Cottage

And sadly, each October this glorious home gets all boarded up and we're locked out for the winter.

Thursday evening, Matt and I are headed up for the last weekend of the season. It will be cold with no heat, but with blankets, tea and a crackling fire nothing could make us happier.

The rocky coast of Maine brings us some of the freshest and succulent seafood in the world. Lobster, striped bass, blue fish, mussels and clams. Caught fresh each morning and served that night for dinner. Tasty, tasty.

Gluten-free Cinnamon and Pecan Crusted Salmon

Sweet, savory, flaky with the perfect crunch. Salmon with a Gluten-free Cinnamon + Pecan crust.

lately, we've been stuck in a salmon comfort zone. We always make the same recipe, combining maple syrup, whole grain mustard, ginger and soy sauce. It's our go-to and it's always amazing.

We needed a change. New flavors, new ideas, a little creativity and texture. I've been craving texture.

Crispy and crunchy.

Still eating Clean, breadcrumbs are not on my list. I needed an alternative. Pecans instantly popped into my mind. A pecan crust, yum! I turned to my trusty cookbook (Google) and began the search. There it was. Fourth from the top. Cinnamon Pecan Crusted Salmon. Hello, dinner.

My take on Jessica's recipe. A little pinch of Paprika in my Gluten-free crust.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound of salmon
• 1/4 cup raw pecans
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a food processor, pulse the pecans until the they are finely chopped and crumbly. Pour them onto a plate and add the cinnamon and paprika. Mix the spices into the pecans with a fork.

In a cast iron pan, I use Le Creuset's 10" fry pan and love it, heat your oil on medium-high heat.

Spread the mustard evenly over the flesh of the salmon. This will give you a nice "sticky" layer to bind with the pecans. Coat the top of the salmon with the crust by placing the filet skin side up in the pecan crumbs. Make sure to crust all sides of the fish (except the skin) to get the full flavor of the crust.

Place the crusted side down in the hot oil. Let it sizzle for 3 minutes, careful not to let it burn. When there's a nice brown coloring to the pecan mixture, flip it over (skin side down) and place the skillet in the oven. Bake it in the center of the warm oven for 8 - 10 minutes depending on the thickness, until the fish flakes easily.

Serve this with a side of roasted broccoli and cauliflower and a small side salad with lemon-mustard vinaigrette (recipes to come soon!).

Salt and Pepper Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

Relish in the sweet smokiness of this fabulous recipe.

Serves 2 (very hungry eaters)