Food of the Week: Salmon
I am not the first to observe that even if you don’t like to eat most fish, chances are you like to eat salmon. I am probably, however, the first to inform you that salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for our health in numerous ways. Either that, or the hundredth such person. So while I’m in stating-the-obvious mode, I’ll mention that in addition to omega-3s, salmon is an excellent source of protein. But perhaps you didn’t know, as I didn’t before researching this column, that it also provides high amounts of several vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins and selenium.
Authorities seem to agree that wild (usually Alaskan) salmon is preferable to farmed (usually Atlantic) salmon, for reasons involving nutrition, food safety, and environmental sustainability. You may have noticed, like I have recently, that some salmon—nearly all frozen salmon, in fact—is labeled “wild Alaskan salmon” yet is also a “product of China.” My instinct is to avoid this type of salmon, though I don’t know for a fact that going through China makes it unsafe. The alternatives, unfortunately, are usually more expensive, so I keep my eye out for sales.
Soy Glazed Salmon
To cook the salmon, choose either a stovetop grill, an outdoor grill, an electric tabletop grill, or a skillet.
1 T. soy sauce
1 ½ t. rice vinegar
¼ t. dark molasses
2 T. sugar
1 ½ t. dry mustard
12 oz. salmon fillet, in 2 or 3 serving-size pieces
In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Reserve 1 T. of the mixture in a separate dish. Put the salmon fillets on a plate and pour the larger amount of the soy sauce mixture over it, turning to coat. Let sit 2–3 minutes. Cook on your grill or skillet of choice about 5 minutes per side. When the salmon is cooked through, place it on a serving plate and drizzle with the reserved soy sauce mixture.
Curried Salmon Salad
This appeared in my very first Reader column, but it’s worth repeating here.
1 pouch salmon
Thawed frozen peas
Plain yogurt and/or mayonnaise
Small amount finely diced onion
Curry powder
Combine all the ingredients and eat the salad by itself, in a wrap, on a sandwich, or on top of crackers. Canned salmon works, too. A combination of Greek yogurt and a little mayonnaise is optimal as the binding agent.
Lemon Rosemary Salmon
1 lemon, thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1-2 T. olive oil
Coarse salt to taste
2 salmon fillets
Preheat oven to 400°. In a baking dish, arrange half the lemon slices in a single layer. Layer with 2 sprigs rosemary and place the salmon fillets on top. Sprinkle the salmon with salt, layer with the remaining rosemary, and top with the remaining lemon slices. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake 20 minutes, or until salmon can be easily flaked with a fork.
Smoked Salmon
and Goat Cheese Frittata
Really not that hard to make. You could buy pre-shredded hashbrowns instead, but shredding whole potatoes on a cheese shredder is easy and probably cheaper.
2 T. vegetable or olive oil
2 medium-sized baking potatoes
6 large eggs
4 oz. smoked salmon
1 T. chopped fresh dill (or ½ t. dried)
½ t. black pepper
¼ t. salt
6-oz. log goat cheese, crumbled
1. Preheat the oven to 500°. In a 10-in. iron skillet (or ovenproof nonstick skillet), heat oil over medium-heat. Meanwhile, peel and shred the potatoes. Sauté them in the skillet until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, salmon (crumble or cut it into pieces), dill, pepper, and salt. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle the goat cheese over the top. Cook until the edges are set and the bottom is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the center is set and the top is golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.
Green Tea Salmon
This recipe, which has a nice, delicate flavor, was printed on a box of Temple of Heaven green tea.
1 lb. salmon fillet, skinned
2 T. soy sauce
4 T. sherry or rice cooking wine
2 bags green tea
½ c. water
½ t. cornstarch
3 T. sesame seeds
Slice salmon into small strips. Place in a frying pan and marinate for 10 minutes in soy sauce and sherry. Simmer over moderate heat until sauce is absorbed. Meanwhile, in a mug, pour boiling water over tea bags and steep 5 minutes. Squeeze out tea bags and stir in cornstarch. Pour tea mixture over salmon and cook another 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. In a dry frying pan, roast sesame seeds over low heat until seeds begin to jump, no more than 5 minutes. Mix seeds in salmon and sauce.
Salmon with Coconut
Ginger Sauce
A bit more effort than some of my recipes, but well worth it. This is a modification of a recipe by Bonnie Benwick, which in turn was a modification of a recipe by Leticia Moreinos Schwartz.
1 ½ bell peppers, chopped (any color combination)
½ plus 1/3 c. chopped onion or shallots
3 T. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 T. fresh thyme, finely chopped, or 1 t. dried
Salt and pepper
3-in. piece ginger root
1 ½ c. fish stock or water
1 c. coconut milk
24 oz. (approx.) skinless salmon, in 4 portions
¾ c. flour
2 T. butter
1. Heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat and cook chopped peppers and ½ c. onion until soft. Add 2 cloves garlic, diced, during the last minute. Add in thyme and salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat (but keep warm).
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/3 c. onion and 1 T. olive oil. Cook over medium heat until soft. Meanwhile, peel and dice enough ginger to yield ¼ c., and dice remaining 2 garlic cloves. Add to saucepan and cook for 2 minutes. Add fish stock or water and bring to a boil. Add coconut milk, then reduce heat to medium-low or low. Cook, stirring frequently, until thick. Strain through sieve and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Meanwhile, pat salmon dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place flour on a plate and lightly dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat, then add fish fillets. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown, then turn. Cook until other side is golden-brown.
4. To serve, place a fillet on each plate. Top with pepper mixture and spoon sauce on top.
