Joan Crawford and Broiled Salmon

"You'll wear a hat with a red rose on it."  
"Must I?"
"It's how he will identify you.  You will say your name is Mrs. Rose."

These were Joan Crawford's instructions in the 1943 movie "Above Suspicion".  Turner Classic Movies had a theme of 'how to fool the Nazis' the other day.  This is a pretty lighthearted movie despite the theme. She and Fred McMurray play newlyweds with a mission to accomplish while on their honeymoon.

The hat with the red rose played a big part in the plot.  And it is a perfect hat for Miss Crawford, even though she seemed a bit reluctant.  Big red rose, too obvious?"  That 1940's cocktail style hat with a little veil and of course a big red rose.  In another scene she also dresses as a Swiss maiden.  That is not so in character with her image.  She fools the Nazis with that get-up, but not the one at the end where she is made up as an old woman.  

The movie had enough going on to watch all of it and I have become more of a fan of Joan Crawford's recently.  Two years after she made this movie she won the Oscar for "Mildred Pierce".

I was pondering the thought of a red rose and rosy pink salmon popped into my head.  And one of my favorite ways of cooking it, under the broiler with a maple syrup-mustard sauce.

Broiled Salmon


serves 2 people


1 salmon fillet, with skin, about 3/4 lb., remove any pin bones and cut into 2" wide sections
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tbs. whole grain mustard
1 tbs. maple syrup
juice and zest of 1 small lemon
1/2 tsp. salt


Brush some olive oil onto a baking sheet.  Lay the salmon sections on the sheet skin side down.  Broil for 4 minutes.  Remove from the broiler to add the topping.

Mix together the rest of the ingredients to make a paste.  Spread the paste on the salmon sections and put back under the broiler for another 4-5 minutes until the salmon looks done.

Carefully remove the salmon meat from the skin in one piece and put on a platter.  To make salmon chips with the skin, loosen the skin from the baking sheet with a spatula and put back under the broiler to crisp, turning it after the first side looks golden.  This technique works pretty well if you have oiled the sheet in the beginning so the skin doesn't stick.  They are delicious!

A red rose and rosy red broiled salmon, both memorable.

To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.