My coworkers can’t stop talking about salmon. Specifically, this Hot Honey–Glazed Salmon from senior Test Kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic. Savory and sweet, with a jolt of heat, it harnesses the brutal strength of your broiler for a burnished finish.
This happens like clockwork at Bon Appétit headquarters. Every so often, a recipe becomes the unofficial darling of the staff, popping up left and right in our team’s Slack channels. Staffers make it, post a picture, other staffers ooh and aah. And from there, a domino effect. Same thing happened with senior Test Kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk’s Pasta With No-Cook Cherry Tomato Sauce back in the summer.
Now there’s a new it girl in town. Food director Chris Morocco made the salmon for a family dinner: “Until recently, I never used my broiler. The stakes always felt too dire, with a high probability of dinner vaporizing while I tend to a misbehaving cat.” But Shilpa’s instructions are clear. Even empowering! After following the steps, Chris marveled, “A broiler can bring the intense flavors of seared fish to a dish that is mostly hands-off. What’s more, the mess—and smell—is contained within the oven.”
That hands-off time means the recipe is also great for hosting. Senior commerce editor Olivia Tarantino made it for an overdue catch-up with a friend she hadn’t seen in months. “I wanted to eat at home rather than go out, which meant finding a recipe that was easy enough for me to talk while cooking, but impressive enough to feel like an occasion,” she told me. “Shilpa’s salmon couldn’t have been published at a better time.”
As far as sides, anything goes. I’ve served the salmon with thinly sliced cucumbers, watermelon radishes, and avocado. Associate manager of audience strategy Carly Westerfield plated hers with steamed rice and broccoli. Heck, even the Condé Nast cafeteria hopped on this trend and made it for the masses, served with warm quinoa and green salad.
Shilpa smiled from ear to ear when she learned about the salmon’s newfound fame: “There is no greater honor,” she said. “It’s a very discerning audience, so when they bring it into their homes, I know I achieved something special.”
