These Maple Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Skewers with Beets and Greens are both sweet and earthy.
Ingredients
- 1 pound golden beets, with fresh greens intact (about five 2 ½‑inch beets weighed without their greens)
- 3 clove garlic (peeled)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup water
- olive oil (as needed)
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper (as needed)
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 bunch green onions (about 6 ounces), both white and green parts cut into 2‑inch pieces
- 4–5 tablespoon maple syrup (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ pound skinless king, coho or sockeye salmon (pin bones removed, cut into twelve to sixteen 1 ½‑inch pieces)
- 12–16 slice bacon
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Wash the beets and their greens well then remove the greens and stems; set them aside.
Arrange the beets on a roasting pan large enough to hold them in a single layer and add the garlic cloves, thyme, bay leaf, and water. Drizzle the mixture with ¼ cup olive oil and season generously with salt and black pepper. Cover tightly with foil and bake up to 1 hour, or until the beets are tender (start checking at 40 minutes); transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool somewhat; discard the liquid and aromatics.
While still somewhat warm peel and trim the beets and slice them into ½‑inch thick rounds. Then cut the rounds into ½‑inch dice. Drizzle beets with white wine vinegar and a little olive oil, tossing to coat. Set aside.
Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet with a lid set over medium heat.
Slice the beet greens and stems crosswise into 1‑inch ribbons. Add them, along with the green onions, to the large skillet with the warmed oil. Lower the heat and cover the skillet. Cook stirring occasionally until the beet stems are tender, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size and age of the greens.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons maple syrup, diced beets, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, heat a grill or stovetop grill pan to medium heat. Soak four 8 to 10-inch bamboo skewers in water.
In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil with salmon. Toss to coat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and black pepper. Working with one piece at a time, wrap one bacon slice once or twice around each piece of salmon. Thread bacon-wrapped salmon pieces one at a time onto a skewer. Take care to secure the bacon in place with the skewer. Continue threading the bacon-wrapped salmon pieces 3 or 4 to a skewer leaving a small gap between reach piece.
Brush grill grate with olive oil. Brush each kabob with some of the remaining maple syrup on both sides. Place kebabs on grate and grill until the bacon crisps on the bottom. Brush more maple syrup on top, and then flip the kabobs over. Brush the other side with maple syrup and continue grilling until an instant-read thermometer reads 120–125°F for medium rare.
Serve immediately with warm beet greens.
