Ginger Lime Salmon with Pan Glaze - AIP elimination compliant

15 minutes is not a lot to ask on a night when AIP elimination already feels like enough work on its own. This one moves fast because it has to: a hot pan, a quick glaze, and dinner ready before you can talk yourself out of cooking anything at all.

Omega-3 fats from cold-water salmon are tied to keeping an overactive inflammatory response from running quite so hot, one of the background jobs your immune system is doing all day whether you notice or not. There is also a strong amount of selenium here, a mineral your thyroid needs to convert one hormone into its working form, worth knowing if Hashimoto's is part of what you are managing.

Let the glaze cook down to a shine before you plate it. A little color and a squeeze of lime make this feel like a real meal, and the day deserves that.

Ingredients

• 2 wild salmon fillets, about 4-6 ounces each
• Salt, to taste
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons honey

Note: honey is permitted on some AIP elimination frameworks but considered a reintroduction by others. Check with your practitioner if you are in strict Phase 1 elimination.

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Red Boat fish sauce (or another clean-label fish sauce with no added sugars or fillers)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• Lime wedges, for serving

Method

Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel and season lightly on both sides with salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the minced ginger, minced garlic, honey, lime juice, fish sauce, and water until combined.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon coconut oil and let it melt and spread. Place the salmon fillets skin-side up in the pan. Sear without moving for about 3-4 minutes, until the flesh has turned opaque about halfway up the fillet.

Flip the fillets and pour the ginger-lime mixture into the pan around the fish. The liquid will bubble immediately. Let it cook and reduce, spooning the sauce over the fish occasionally, for 3-4 minutes more, until the sauce has thickened to a glaze and the salmon is just cooked through - still slightly translucent at the very center is fine.

Transfer the salmon to plates and spoon the remaining glaze over the top. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Cooking Method Variations

Air fryer variation

Season the salmon fillets with salt and a light brush of coconut oil. Air fry skin-side down at 400 F for 7-9 minutes, until just opaque and the skin is slightly crisped. While the salmon cooks, combine the ginger, garlic, honey, lime juice, fish sauce, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and reduce for 3-4 minutes until slightly syrupy. Spoon the glaze over the finished fillets before serving.

Note: air fryer timing is a standard salmon estimate and may vary with the thickness of the fillet and the model of fryer.

*Adapted from gutsybynature.com*