Salmon with Zinfandel and Cherries

Ever since the Oldways For the Health of it event this past spring, I have been trying to get more salmon into my diet, not just because it has so many health and beauty benefits, but also because it is pretty tasty and versatile. I am always dreaming up new recipes that involve both wine and seasonal ingredients, and last night’s dinner was the result of those creative thoughts.

My seasonal fruit obsession at the moment is without a doubt ripe, red cherries. Watermelon is a close second, but cherries win out, and they were one of the 3 stars of last nights dinner.

I started the dish by generously coating wild Alaskan sockeye salmon filets with coarse black pepper and crushed red pepper.

I grabbed a bottle of Zichichi Zinfandel, wine that was tasted from the barrel in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma last fall, and that was bottled and arrived at my doorstep in April.

I pitted the cherries with a small knife, a process that was a little tedious and that stained my fingers red, but was totally worth it. I am used to going to work with beet stained hands or the like; I’m not a fancy girl 😉

Then I very slowly simmered the cherries in about 2 cups of Zinfandel. I cooked the mixture on low for a long time, maybe 30 minutes? It reduced down to a lovely sweet mixture with the cherries providing a nice warm juicy pop.

I pan cooked the salmon. The original plan was to oven roast it, but since it was 96 degrees out, I opted NOT to heat the oven up for a long period of time. Once the salmon was done to my liking, I topped it with the hot cherry and Zinfandel sauce.

It was completely amazing. This Zinfandel is juicy with a good hit of dark fruit, but it also has a bit of spice that paired well with the pepper that I used. The salmon was perfectly cooked, and the Zinfandel drizzled over it got all into the little nooks of the salmon, flavoring it throughout. While eating, my husband said “My God this is good.” I think that is the perfect seal of approval 🙂

I am going to the Taste of Cambridge with a bunch of other bloggers tonight, and I am super excited. I will also have a giveaway to announce a little later this week so be sure to check back.

Be Fit Be Full asked this the other day, but I will go ahead and ask it again since I think it’s worth talking about:

What is your favorite summer fruit?