Brown sugar salmon with asparagus strawberry topping

Here's a dinner combo bursting with fresh flavors that comes together in 20 minutes.

I’m not sure if it’s the quality of TV I’ve been watching, or if it’s something entirely different, but I have been CRACKING UP — out loud — alone in my apartment and I’m very aware of it. At first I didn’t notice much, but then I started realizing: Did I used to do this? Did I crack up when I was living with other people? I guess I must have — I don’t remember being conscious about it and suppressing my laughter — but I’m much more aware of it now. I’m still figuring this out, but I’m definitely laughing big ol’ belly laughs a LOT. It actually feels really good!

The two shows I’ve been watching lately are: "Friends" and "Broad City." I finished watching alllll 10 seasons of Friends (most of which I’ve seen before) last weekend, after working through them on Netflix at an alarming rate. It’s the perfect show for watching in the background, though — which I almost never do, since I feel the need to pay attention to everything usually. But "Friends" was perfect for packing, unpacking, cooking, cleaning, etc. And, now that I’m actually the same age the characters are, it is way more applicable/relatable/hilarious.

"Broad City" is an entirely different beast. It took me a few episodes to get into it, and I would not recommend it to everyone but is it hilarious! And completely inappropriate. I’m (close to) the age of their main characters, and while my life looks little-to-nothing like theirs: I can relate to many of the smaller quirks. This clip gets me every. single. time. And I won’t go into details on how much I can relate to it.

Sad news, though: I finished Broad City, too!! So now I’m bingeing on Podcasts. I cancelled my newspaper subscription a while back, so I’m lacking on my news knowledge: which I miss! So, now I’m listening to all the newsy podcasts, as well as storytelling, traveling, food, comedy, yoga/meditation, random stuff. They’re my new favorite thing to do while cooking!

Should we talk about salmon? Broiling salmon is my absolute favorite way to cook it. It’s so fast — like 5 minutes fast — and the brown sugar melts and caramelizes and you end up with one delicious slice o’ fish! If you have a really thick filet, make sure you lower the rack and cook it for longer  otherwise you’ll have a burnt top and raw inside piece of fish. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

As for the topping, I don’t know what inspired me to do this combo, but I really really loved it. I LOVE asparagus, but combined with sweet red strawberries: YEESSSS! Highly recommended! I served this alongside some wild rice, and had a lovely meal! Then had raspberry rhubarb crisp for dessert. WINNING!

Brown Sugar Salmon with Asparagus Strawberry Topping
Serves: 4-6

2 cups chopped asparagus (1-inch segments)
2 cups chopped strawberries
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder (or paprika, for less spice)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2-3 lbs. salmon filet, fresh
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1. Cook the asparagus in a saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until just softening. Remove from heat. Toss with the strawberries and lemon juice, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside

2. Combine the brown sugar, salt, chili powder, and black pepper. Stir to combine, the spread gently onto the surface of the salmon filet, which should be on a foil-lined baking sheet.

3. Broil the salmon, on the highest rack, for 5-6 minutes. If your filet is thicker than 1-inch, lower the rack and broil for 8-9 minutes instead.

4.Serve the salmon immediately, topped with the asparagus/strawberry topping, and the Greek yogurt diluted with a few tablespoons of water.

Related post on The Kitchen Paper: Chile-lime salmon tacos with pineapple-basil salsa