Feel the Heat: Taking Your Alaska Seafood Down to the Broiler

As the saying goes, "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen." Cooking with direct flame can intimidate a lot of people, even experienced cooks, and inside the kitchen few destinations unnerve cooks as much as the broiler. There's just something about it that people can't overcome-it's not quite as simple as the oven, and hence it largely gets overlooked. Yet in reality the broiler can yield some of the most fantastic dishes, especially when a talented hand is behind the cooking. To give the broiler a bit more use, here we'll look at the process of broiling wild Alaska seafood-definitely one of the most convincing methods for putting together an irresistible, unforgettable Alaska seafood dinner.



Remember that the broiler gets hot (real hot!) and that without care exteriors will burn before the inside of a given fillet or steak is done. Hence, when sending seafood (as well as just about any kind of food, meats in general) to the broiler try to go with cuts that are not too thick-shoot for between 1 and 1½ inches. Also, try not to send excessively sugary sauces into the broiler for extended periods as they will caramelize and burn before your dish is ready; if you want to incorporate them when broiling wild Alaska seafood, consider glazing near the end for just the last 2 minutes or so. Let's take a look at just such an example:



Pour a little bit of oil (vegetable or a bit of olive oil, or a little of both) into a broiler pan to prevent sticking. Then, place a few wild Alaska salmon fillets that have previously been marinated in a mixture of white wine, lemon juice and herbs into the pan and sprinkle them down with a bit of salt and pepper (the amount of fillets will depend on the size of your pan; try to give them some room so that they cook quickly). Send them to the broiler with a medium flame, leaving a distance of about 2½ or 3 inches between the flame and the fillets themselves. Let them go cooking along for about 3 or 4 minutes and remove, apply with a basting brush a mixture of teriyaki sauce and maple syrup (add ginger powder and chili powder or paste to kick it up a notch) in a generous amount and then return to the broiler for another two minutes with the flame on high this time. After this they should be done, and you should be that much more adept at broiling wild Alaska seafood!



Looking for wonderful Alaskan Seafood recipes? Check out great meals to make for your family at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.