The Best Salmon Fillets

Lucky me to live on the west coast of Canada, where I have access to fresh wild salmon!

For this recipe, you'll want to choose fillets of wild sockeye. The thing to remember here is often seen on local bumper stickers: "Wild Salmon Don't Do Drugs." We eat only wild, not farmed salmon.

If sockeye is not in season and fresh, then choose either Chinook (king) or coho fillets. Pink salmon just doesn't have the flavor or texture. I prefer fillets to salmon steaks - they're often large enough so one fillet can feed two, or even four, depending on the catch.

This glaze can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

• 2 large garlic cloves, sliced paper thin
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (the real stuff)
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt

Cook the garlic in the oil over medium heat just until it's soft, not brown. Add the honey or syrup, mustard, vinegar and salt. Stir well to combine and allow to simmer, uncovered, until the mixture thickens slightly. This should take about 3 minutes.

The glaze recipe is sufficient for about 6 - 5 ounce fillets, but I like lots of it, so usually find it's just enough for four fillets.

Preheat the oven to 475F. Arrange salmon fillets on a cookie sheet that has been lined with foil and lightly oiled. Arrange the fillets on the sheet and brush them well with the warm glaze.

Bake until the fillets are sizzling and browned, which will take 10 to 14 minutes, depending on the thickness. Brush on the remaining glaze, season with pepper, and garnish with fresh basil and parsley. Serve piping hot.