Did you know that wild salmon are originally bred in fresh water, but swim out to the salt water for most of their lives? But then at a point in their lives, they swim back upstream, fighting the deathly currents, defying nature-given gravity, and thrashing their flipper-tails like crazy to get back to fresh water to spawn and eventually die?
The first time I heard this, my first thought was: “Wow, they are freaking strong.” And then my second thought was: “Wow, they are freaking stupid.”
I couldn’t understand it before. So these fishy little friends work their ass off, going against all odds, fighting and sweating and threading through jagged rocks, just to go and give birth to baby salmons and…die?
But perhaps God is emphasizing something. He makes these salmon fishes go through such extremes to breed new life, and gives them the instinctive desire to do so. They work hard— so freaking hard— to get there, and may even lose their lives doing so, but they understand that their time has come, and that it’s for a greater purpose.
And that says the same for us humans. It takes more than a single grunt and push to give birth to a life. No, the woman has to carry the baby inside of her for 9 whole months, all the while enduring all kinds of discomfort and awkwardness and pain. But the result is something much more glorious and beautiful, something worth every trouble and sweat and blood: A new creation, a new life. If we popped out babies as easy as a popcorn machine, we most likely wouldn’t be appreciating and treasuring a human’s life as much.
In the same way, God is also pointing out to us the beauty of sacrifice. Life can’t always be about me, me, me. I might work my ass off for my own glory, comfort and leisure, but self-profiting awards sure don’t share the same raw and poignant significance as the accomplishment of service and dedication to others.
If there’s one thing I learned from salmons, it is to treasure lives, and not just mine.
The other thing I learned from salmons is that they are mighty tasty! Now, I don’t know if this salmon I had for lunch ever got the chance to do some self-sacrifice for spawning, but it sure did some self-sacrifice for my gastronomic pleasure. I’m sure it died in peace in comfort of that knowledge.
Balsamic-Glazed Salmon on Ratatouille
The Ratatouille base: 
for the tomato sauce:
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/4 medium onion, minced
- 4 oz canned tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons chicken broth
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp sugar
for the vegetables:
- 1 big tomato, sliced
- 1/2 zucchini, sliced
- 1 yellow squash, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1/2 eggplant, sliced
- extra-virgin olive oil
- fresh basil leaves, chopped
- salt and pepper
Additional ingredient: handful crumbled goat cheese
For the sauce, just dump everything into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the flavor are absorbed and it is slightly thickened. Fish out the rosemary. Then spread the sauce onto the bottom of a small oven-proof skillet: 
For the vegetables, start layering it over the tomato sauce: 
Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with basil leaves and season with salt and pepper. 
Cover the skillet tightly with foil, and bake in the oven at 300 degree Fahrenheit for about 2 hours. Then uncover, sprinkle with goat cheese, and bake for another 20 minutes or so.
The Salmon:
for the fish:
- about 5oz fresh salmon
- salt and pepper
for the glaze:
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the fish, just season both sides with salt and pepper, then cook in a frying pan over medium heat on both sides until done. Set it aside on a plate.
Then pour all the glaze ingredients into the pan, and cook over high heat. When the mixture starts to boil, lowed the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until thick and reduced.
This is how the ratatouille looks when done: 
Ladle the vegetables with the sauce onto a plating dish. Make it as tidy and pretty as you can! Then lay the cooked salmon on top. Drizzle on the glaze, and sprinkle with a bit more goat cheese. Voila! 
Now, wasn’t that worth it, my dear salmon! Look how pretty you are! 
I was positivel
y swooning with each bite. Holy Salmon! Everything worked so well together: the flavorful vegetables underneath drenched in rich tomato sauce, absorbing all the lovely oils from the salmon. 
And the acidic-sweet, sticky balsamic glaze permeated through the flesh of the warm salmon, cutting the oily fishy odor of the fish… 
The goat cheese was the perfect tangy topping… 
My mouth couldn’t stop watering even while I was eating this. So, so, so good! 
I don’t think this lovely piece of salmon died in vain. Nope, not at all. 
Sorry, one last picture to honor the Great Salmon…
Yes, indeed. We should all be like salmons. But not necessarily as tasty.
By the way, thank you so much for your responses on my last post! All suggestions were really welcome and helpful, and your kind words really touched me. Honestly, the thing I was stressed out most about blogging in college was the fact that I would miss the blogging community too much. And I hate that I might not be able to comment as frequently. But seems like a lot of you won’t be blogging daily either, so it all works out!
And as for what changes my blog will have…Well, it’ll be a fun experiment, but I’m glad the level of “fabulousness” in you guys will never change!! 
Question of the day: Favorite way to enjoy salmon? Oh, and so sorry if you’re a vegetarian…I hope I didn’t ruin your dinner speaking in such…carnivorous terms 
Related posts:
omg, this is exactly my kind of meal. yum yum yum.
i just read your last post – definitely do whatever you need to! i think we all read because we enjoy your words and your creations, no matter whether you have a fully stocked kitchen or a hot plate and a microwave. post whenever and however you want – i’ll keep reading!
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You make it look so easy (but I doubt it is). It looks delish!
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Great post
My favorite way to eat salmon is to marinade it in raspberry vineagrette and pan sear it. To die for! No pun intended…
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Love the salmon and ratatouille recipes, delicious (and insightful as always!)
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Great analogy! And that meal looks DIVINE. Yum. I’m sure it doesn’t help that I am hungry, lol.
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Love those post! Mmm that salmon looks freaking delicious…I’m sure it didn’t die in vain
I love eating salmon when it’s grilled, nothing too crazy, just like yours pretty much! Perfection…
<3 jess
xoxo
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MMM! I must try that dish it looks so tasty!!!!
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What a gorgeous dinner and so healthy too! Your flavor combos are always spot on, the glaze sounds great
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That looks …
AMAZING! INCREDIBLE!
I went into my cafeteria yesterday, and tried the ‘Tandori Roasted Salmon’.
Epic fail.
I wish that I could have eaten that instead.
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that looks AMAZING.
Salmon done right is fantastic. Salmon done wrong is, well, just wrong!
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Aww, I love this post. Your meal creation looks delicious. My favorite way to eat salmon is grilled with a maple glaze, over a bed of spinach. Mmmm
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Oh I just love ratatoullie- So simple, but so satisfying! Makes me want to whip up a big batch of it tonight.
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Salmon is one of my favorite things ever and Ratatouille is right up there too! What an amazing recipe!
You’re right… we should all be more like Salmon… love the connection
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wow! you have majorrr kitchen skills…i nearly licked my computer screen!! yum yum yum
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OMG, I seriously drooled while looking at your salmon with ratatouille. That could have been featured in Gourmet magazine! My favorite way to enjoy salmon is usually in a teriyaki marinade, not nearly as exciting as yours!
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That meal looks AMAZING! I’m totally craving salmon and goat cheese now. I love how salmon goes well with just about anything.
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oh my goodness – you just combined two great meals!! looks amazing.
that is really sad that the salmon die :\
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That sounds and looks delicious!!!
(And I like your salmon story as well)
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Sacrifice with salmon?? Are you kidding me right?;-)
It’s a delight with the balsamic-glazed and those veggies is beyond wonderful!
Cheers,
Gera
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Thanks for such a yummy recipe! I love salmon and eggplant so that’s such a perfect recipe!
My favorite way is blackened with cayenne pepper and black pepper!
http://ajangel25.wordpress.com
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Salmon was my favorite when I used to eat it. Very lovely dish, I must say!
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My favorite way to eat salmon is definitely smoked! I love lox on bagels or with scrambled eggs.
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Really awesome, thought provoking post Sophia! I like salmon period, but it’s also really good as a broiled fillet.
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How mouth-watering this is! I love the glaze in all it’s sweet and savory glory. I haven’t eaten salmon in a while – the last one I ate was ‘old’ or something – it wasn’t right and now I don’t want to eat it anymore.
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Oooh so Mediterranean!!! Tell me something – how do you take SUCH good pictures and come up with SUCH amazing recipes??? HOW??!?! You’re amazing!
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What a gorgeous dish. I love salmon! I like to grill it on a cedar plank…it gives it such a nice smoky flavor. YUM!
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I love salmon with a maple glaze or with a salmon glaze. But i also love smoked salmon in eggs or on bagels.
Your dish looks fabulous! I lvoe ratatouille.
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That is just freakin good…the goat cheese is calling me…Hubby and I are going salmon fishing in October, when they start to swim back to spawn, and I feel a bit guilty keeping them from their goal, but I have my own agenda…this dish!
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Those veggies look so amazing! I love salmon too but never cook it very well. I will have to try your recipe. In Galway, Ireland where I used to live, they have a salmon run every year on the river. I always missed it, but apparently its so packed with salmon that the river looks like its solid.
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What a beautiful and delicious way to enjoy salmon! I haven’t seen anything quite like this with the baked veggies. I love the maple syrup in the balsamic glaze as well. I always enjoy salmon and tend to do more of an Asian style glaze with soy sauce and sesame oil. This is something different I will definitely have to try.
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Aw what a cute post about salmon! that recipe looks fabulous too! Good luck with your new changes -school and such. I am a full-time graduate student, I am now working this semester, blogging, and trying to plan my wedding! So it can certainly be tough but I have found that blogging gives me so much in return that I usually can find the time to blog!
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Salmon with a balsamic glaze is one of the best ways of eating it! Especially combined with that ratatouille…mmmm.
I think you are right about us all having a larger purpose. We shouldn’t question the things that happen, we should just try our best to learn from them and make the best of every situation so that we can contribute as much as we can to the world.
My favorite salmon recipe is one that I made with lemon and capers a LONG time ago. It’s on the blog somewhere. It was just one of the best things I have ever eaten.
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That looks amazing. I’ve never had ratatouille before. I’ll have to try that one of these days when my hubs is out of town. He won’t eat most vegetables.
I’ll also have to pick up an oven proof skillet. This dish looks too perfect. It’s like something you’d order at a restaurant. Good job, girl!!
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I’ve never tried salmon, the smell I can’t stand.. but this look soooooo good!!! This I would try.. delicious!!
~C.
http://www.operationmuffintop.wordpress.com
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Well, I may be a vegetarian but I definitely remember salmon being amazing! Your dish looks delicious
I think my fav salmon of all time was Almond-Crusted with a lemon-coconut sauce.
And I’m sure you’re right. I’m new to blogging but I can imagine the whole community will get a lot slower once college starts!
Besides, I can imagine blogging about college eats will be a totally new and fun adventure for your blog
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ooh, this looks fantastic! my fav way is stuffed with goat cheese and sauteed spinach… covered in frank’s red hot
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I wish I loved slamon – it looks so good!! Great job Sophia!
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Yummy!! I love how it’s chock full of fresh vegetables.
BTW, are you a philosophy major? If not, maybe you should consider it! You have a very philosophical mind and write very well.
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I love the being pregnancy analogy! And salmon on top of rata., I would have never thought of it. Bravo
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My favorite way to prepare salmon is to layer paper thin slices of potato on top, with a little butter ofcourse..I like it nice and crispy!!!!Figtreeapps
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Yum! Ratatouille is one of my favorite summer dishes.
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This looks amazing! Makes me want to run to the store and get the ingredients to try it tonight!
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Thanks for the great recipe!
And for yr vegetarian readers out there, they jz hv to omit the salmon and stil hv a fanta- bulous dish!
Hehe..poor salmon. Nvr md, i’m sure he/she’s looking dwn frm fishy heaven and saying “my, i’m featured!”
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