Several years ago Ed and I traveled to Ireland, a most wonderful and almost magical place with interesting things to see, friendly people and the most gorgeous green countryside that makes it truly the emerald isle. It rains practically every day, but only for an hour or so and then the sun comes out and everything is beautiful.
I’ve heard people complain about Irish food. My friends who are Jewish and Italian and Polish are always talking about their grandmother’s this and their mother’s that recipe. There’s always more than a tinge of pride as they mention the matzo balls or marinara sauce or pierogies. But when I mentioned the delicious food in Ireland to an Irish friend she said “Impossible. There’s no such thing as Irish cuisine.”
I beg to differ.
In Ireland we had the most wonderful, fresh-from-the-water salmon. It was so good we ate it practically every day. And the potato dishes are awesome. Also the breads, the salads and desserts.
So, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day coming up in a few days, here’s a really simple recipe for Broiled Salmon. To paraphrase an old Levy’s Jewish Rye Bread ad, you don’t have to be Irish to love it. In fact, this recipe, with its matzo meal crust, is perfect for Passover.
Broiled Salmon with Horseradish Crust
6 salmon filets, 5-6 ounces each
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh horseradish (or use bottled white horseradish, press out the juice)
3-4 chopped scallions (or 3 tablespoons chopped chives)
2 tablespoons matzo meal (or bread crumbs)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat the oven broiler. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and put the filets on top. Mix the vegetable oil, horseradish and scallions and brush the salmon with this mixture. Sprinkle with the matzo meal. Broil the salmon for about 8 minutes or until the fish is nearly cooked through and the crust is lightly golden brown. NOTE: If you prefer, you can roast the salmon in a preheated 475 degree oven for about 18 minutes. Makes 6 servings