Silan-glazed salmon is ready after 12 minutes in a hot oven, a quick starter for the holiday eve.

Why 12 minutes and not more

The short time only works in a properly preheated oven, 425°F (220°C) or higher, since the fillets start cooking from the first minute instead of warming up gradually with the oven. Brush the salmon fillets with a mix of silan (date syrup), olive oil and a little mustard, and set them on a lined baking sheet. The fish is done when the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork, while still moist in the center. An oven that isn't hot enough stretches the actual time, and the fish comes out dry while the recipe still reads 12 minutes.

Space the fillets a little apart on the sheet, so the heat reaches each one evenly instead of favoring the one in the middle.

Why this fits the holiday eve

Holiday eve leaves only a few hours in the kitchen, and this recipe needs minimal time and cleanup, exactly what's needed when the table is already full of other dishes. The silan gives a caramelized layer without white sugar. Serve hot straight from the oven as a starter, before the main dishes reach the table.

The silan mixture can be made ahead and kept in the fridge in a sealed container, so when it's time to bake there's nothing left to do but pull it out, brush, and put it in the oven, with no extra prep in the middle of everything else for the holiday.

Pick fillets of even thickness, about an inch, since a thin fillet dries out before the outside has time to caramelize, and a too-thick one won't finish cooking within the 12 minutes.

The recipe

Silan-Glazed Salmon, 12 Minutes in the Oven

Salmon fillets brushed with silan and baked 12 minutes in a very hot oven, until opaque and still moist.

  • Servings 4 servings
  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 12 min
  • Total 22 min
Silan-Glazed Salmon, 12 Minutes in the Oven

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), top and bottom heat.

  2. Mix the silan, olive oil and mustard in a small bowl.

  3. Place the salmon fillets on a lined baking sheet, spaced a little apart, and season with salt and pepper.

  4. Brush the silan mixture generously over the fillets.

  5. Bake for exactly 12 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, still moist in the center.

  6. Scatter with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my oven doesn't reach 425°F?
Preheat at least 15 minutes and add a minute or two to the bake time, judging by how the flesh looks rather than the clock alone.

Can the glaze be made ahead?
Yes, the silan mixture keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for a day or two.