Salmon: Let me count the ways

So many ways to cook salmon; so little time.  Not really.  Salmon is a quick fix for busy schedules.  Depending on how you favor your salmon.  Some prefer rare.  Others, like myself, want it flakey and moist but done (I leave eating raw or rare fish to my California sushi-loving relatives.).  Cooking time for a 4- to 6-ounce salmon filet is 10 minutes for rare, 15 minutes for medium and 20-25 minutes for well done, which is my preference.

In addition to quick and easy, salmon also responds well to today’s push for healthy eating.  Attempting to respond to the advice to add more fish to my diet, salmon has become one of my favorite health-conscience alternatives to meat.  Not, however, the dry salmon patties my mother used to mix from canned salmon.  There are many tantalizing ways to prepare fresh salmon, which is readily found, single-wrapped for the single cook, in your grocer’s freezer.

You can also purchase unfrozen fresh salmon from most super markets these days, but I prefer wild salmon, which is often specified on the package when you purchase it frozen.  Just make sure you are getting fresh salmon that has not been tampered with.  By that I mean, watch out for pre-seasoned filets unless that is what you want.

One simple and easy way to fix salmon is to lightly salt and pepper the meaty side of the filet and lay it skin-side down on a lightly oiled grill or skillet.  Turn the filet over halfway through your desired cooking time.  All you need is a salad and a side of rice, which I will discuss in a future blog.

Any of the recipes below can be easily doubled if you are cooking for two.

Here’s some other ways with Salmon:

Poached

1 4- to 6-ounce salmon filet, thawed

¼ Teaspoon dried dill weed

¼ Teaspoon lemon-pepper

1 Tablespoon olive oil

¼ Cup finely chopped onion

¼ Cup chicken broth or water

Sprinkle salmon filet with dill and lemon-pepper.  Set aside.  In small skillet heat oil and sauté onions until lightly browned and caramelized.  Using a rubber spatula, move onions to side of the skillet to make room for the salmon filet.  Lay the filet in the skillet, skin side down.  Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and cover.  Poach until salmon reaches desired doneness as outlined above.  Pour the onions and any sauce over the salmon to serve.

Glazed

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon molasses or honey

1 Garlic clove, minced

¼ Teaspoon lemon zest

1 4- to 6-ounce salmon filet, thawed

In small bowl, whisk together the oil, molasses, minced garlic and lemon zest.  Lightly oil a small skillet over medium heat.  Once skillet is hot, place salmon filet in skillet, skin side down and brush the top with the sauce.  Halfway through desired cooking time (For me this is 10 minutes), turn over, baste once more and continue cooking until desired doneness.  Serve with any remaining sauce.

Baked in paper

1 4- to 6-ounce salmon filet, thawed

1 Garlic clove, minced

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

½ Tablespoon olive oil

Tear a sheet of parchment paper large enough to wrap the filet.  Place the filet in the center of the paper.  Mix the garlic, lemon juice and oil together and pour over filet.  Wrap the filet and juices, securing the edges.  Place on a baking sheet in a 425°F oven for your desired cooking time.  For me, that would be 20 minutes.