Mason-Dixon Salmon

Bringing the North and South together we experimented and used toasted Georgia Pecans, Pennsylvania Maple Syrup and a little Pennsylvania rye whiskey to make a sweet crunchy sauce to spoon over pan seared salmon filets - so, Mason-Dixon Salmon was born. Aren't we clever? 

We picked up a nice big jug of Hillegas Maple Syrup when we went to the 72nd annual Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Festival in a little town called Meyersdale in the beautiful Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. We didn't even know that Pennsylvania was a big producer of maple syrup! 

And we had to add a little of our favorite small batch Pennsylvania rye whiskey made right here in Pittsburgh by family run Wigle Whiskey.

Ingredients - 

Salmon filets - 2
Whole Georgia Pecans - toasted then roughly chopped - 2/3 cup 
Pennsylvania Maple Syrup about 1/3 cup
Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey - 1 teaspoon
Squirt of lemon juice

Here's what you do, and it couldn't be simpler - 

In a bowl, combine the maple syrup, chopped pecans, rye whiskey and lemon juice.
Note: you can play with the quantities to make more because you might find yourself sampling to much of this before using it on the salmon! 

Sear the filets in a pan with a little butter and olive oil

Spread the mixture on top of the salmon filets and serve with grilled fresh green beans and wild rice mix.