Barbecue Roasted Salmon

I have always despised salmon.  It's just so... fishy.  I'm a white fish person.  Or shrimp or scallops.  Or king crab (omglovemesomecrablegs).  

Growing up my mom would occasionally make salmon and would always call from the store asking what kind of fillet she should pick up for me.  "Just grab a piece of tilapia" I would usually say. 

Then, one night, for some reason, I decided to give this recipe of hers a try.  I have no idea what encouraged me to even think that my tastes would change but this became the only salmon recipe I would ever eat.  The flavor was just so amped up, it took away the feeling that I was sticking salmon in my mouth.  But the weird part is, it still tasted like salmon.  But it didn't.  It was like some kind of riddle!  I can't explain it.  It tasted like good salmon. 

So when Nathan decided to purchase some salmon at the store on the notion that "we need to eat it because it's healthy!", I tossed it in the freezer and let it sit there while I debated letting it remain there for eternity or actually doing something with it.  And then I remembered this recipe.  I called my mom, got the recipe, and edible salmon was made.  Edible salmon that doesn't taste like salmon but it does at the same time...(that's just the best way to describe this stuff).

Barbecue Roasted Salmon

Serves 2

1/4 cup pineapple or orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Lemon slices (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Remove fish from bag; discard marinade. Combine sugar and next 5 ingredients (sugar through cinnamon) in a bowl. Rub over fish; place in an shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with lemon slices, if desired.

Adapted from Cooking Light.