Chipotle Salmon & Gouda Grits

Every now and then, I love to plan a Fancy Friday Night In. I reach for recipes I wouldn't ordinarily cook during the week... which usually translates to something a bit more rich and perhaps a tad more involved. Something to make the evening feel special.

Chipotle Salmon & Gouda Grits was just the ticket this past weekend!

I combined spicy chipotle adobo sauce, sweet honey, and the zest of a lime to make a smoky, thick glaze for the salmon. The sauce was painted all over a couple of beautiful salmon fillets and roasted until every so slightly crisp on the outside and flaky and moist on the inside.

As an unctuous foil to the spicy salmon, I served Gouda Grits. And let's face it... grits are just an excuse to eat cheese. I cooked the grits in a combination of chicken stock and milk rather than water - this really helps boost the flavor of your grits. The grits are seasoned with paprika and garlic powder. And while I skipped the butter in this recipe, I couldn't resist adding cheese. Creamy, smoked gouda to be exact! The smokiness from the paprika and the gouda in these grits pairs so nicely with the Chipotle Salmon.

Serve the salmon and grits with a bright green vegetable, and you've got yourself a restaurant quality meal right at home!

Chipotle Salmon & Gouda Grits

Ingredients

For the Gouda Grits

· 1 ½ cup chicken stock

· 1 cup whole milk

· ½ tsp paprika

· ½ tsp garlic powder

· ¼ tsp salt

· ¼ tsp pepper

· ½ cup grits

· ½ cup shredded smoked gouda

For the Chipotle Salmon

· 1 tbsp diced chipotles in adobo

· 1 tbsp honey

· Zest of 1 lime

· ¼ tsp salt

· ¼ tsp pepper

· 2 6-8oz salmon fillets

Preheat oven to 425F.

For the grits… in a small pot, combine the stock, milk, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Whisk in the grits. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 25 minutes whisking occasionally. Once the grits are cooked, stir in the cheese. Allow the cheese to melt.

For the salmon… while the grits cook… in a small bowl, combine the chipotles, honey, lime zest, salt and pepper. Place the salmon fillets on a greased baking sheet. Spoon the chipotle mixture over the top of each piece of salmon. Bake for about 20 minutes.

Serve the warm salmon over a puddle of hot grits.

Serves 2

GF Friendly Gluten Free Friendly!