Pan-Seared Alaska Salmon

A breaching humpback whale.

A harbor seal.

Once a week from now until the end of the summer I get to spend a day out on a tour boat in the fjords taking photos of wildlife and scenery. It's okay to be jealous. I have to admit one of my favorite parts is talking with tourists and seeing their faces when I tell them this is my job.

I'm able to do this every week because of Dr. Anne Hoover-Miller and the Alaska SeaLife Center. Dr. Hoover-Miller does research on harbor seal and I help with counts and taking photos. She uses the photos with the boats GPS to track the seals.

It's a pretty great tour through the Kenai Fjords Tours. The captain has been doing for almost 20 years and he stays in radio with other boats to find out where the whales are. It's pretty cool seeing the whales though waiting for them reminds me a lot of that scene from Jurassic Park where they are testing out the tour and they aren't seeing any dinosaurs. There is a lot of waiting, but it's worth it.

I've gone out twice so far and have seen humpbacks, orcas, a grey whale, harbor seals, sea lions, and more birds than I can name including eagles and puffins. I couldn't have asked for a better trip my first time out. It was sunny and warm. The seas were calm allowing the boat to go to areas and coves it normally can't get to.

That little white thing is a mountain goat.

A sea otter.

Mist moving in over an island.

Cataract Cove has multiple waterfalls streaming down the mountain side from the melting snow.

Pan-Seared Alaska Salmon with Orange Vinaigrette

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INGREDIENTS 4 Alaska salmon fillets or steaks, 6 to 8-ounces each 1 cup orange juice 1-1/2 tablespoons red onion, minced 1-1/2 tablespoons lime juice 1 teaspoon Honey-Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing 4 teaspoons fresh cilantro, chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste SAUCE - Cook orange juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it is reduced to the consistency of syrup, (makes about 1/4 cup); let cool slightly. Place onion, lime juice, mustard and chili powder in a blender; add cooled syrup. Blend 30 seconds. Then, with blender running, slowly drizzle in the salad dressing so that the mixture emulsifies. SALMON - Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly season the salmon fillets or steaks with salt and pepper. Heat an oven-proof sauté pan 2 minutes; then add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear the salmon steaks/fillets on 1 side for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over and place the entire pan into the oven. Bake 4 to 8 minutes, or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. To serve, make a 1-ounce pool of the Orange Vinaigrette Sauce in the center of 4 plates. Top with the salmon fillets/steaks and garnish with 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro. Makes 4 servings