Salmon w/ Caramelized Leeks

For those of you who enjoyed my previous post, I did promise to share my salmon recipe at some point, so here you go!

Note: I like to use 2-3 smaller fillets because they cook faster and I like it when the edges of each piece get all brown and crispy, but you can also use one whole fillet, just adjust the cooking time accordingly (add more time for larger pieces).

Salmon w/ Caramelized Leeks

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 leeks, white part only
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 Tbsp honey (agave or brown sugar work too)
1 lb salmon
salt and pepper
1 lemon

Directions:

1. Slice leeks lengthwise, rinse well to remove any grit, pat dry, and chop.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan and saute leeks and shallots until soft and browned. Add honey and stir to melt.
3. Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Add to pan skin side up and spread the leek mixture over the fish so it can soak up the flavor while it cooks. Cook 4-5 minutes or until fish browns and looks pink about half-way through (red = not cooked, pink = cooked).
   
4. Scrape leek mixture off of fish and flip each fillet, then spread leek mixture on other side. Squeeze lemon over top of fish. Cook 3-4 more minutes or until fish is flaky and pink all the way through.

The cost:
leeks: 1.98
shallot: .98
salmon: 5.99
lemon: .39

Grand total: $9.34; serves 3-4 over rice with a side of steamed veggies