Salmon - I need new ideas

[Duer 157099]

Whenever I get fresh salmon, there's only one way I ever cook it which is to put it in a baking dish with some milk and butter, salt pepper and dill and just bake for awhile.

I've got some salmon and I'm considering a new approach, but what? Should I think about crisping the skin?

I've got a dill cream sauce to serve it with, and some artichokes.

But it has to be simple, I don't want to make any more trips to the store, although I have most typical pantry/fridge stuff.

What do you think?

edit: I just had a thought. I remember buying some Orange Chicken glaze (the brand was like Panda Express I think) -- I wonder if that might be an interesting twist? But even so, should I crisp the skin? Fry it, broil it?

[pscot]

1. I like mine with guacamole

on top. I just pan fry it. Start skin side down and peel off the skin after you flip it. Do not overcook.

[kestrel91316]

3. Yeah, that works well. I season it with Lawry's seafood sprinkle stuff and

some Seafood Magic. And it's best with the inside still rare (salmon sushi is fabulous).

[kestrel91316]

2. I like to broil a big fat salmon filet with a glaze of soy sauce, brown sugar,

and red pepper flakes. Don't recall the actual recipe. It's real simple.

[The empressof all]

8. I do the same thing sometimes

I do a quick marinade in Teriyaki Sauce or Mai Ploy and grill it. I also like to make a dipping sauce of non fat mayo, non fat sour cream and Sri Racha. (If you can handle it go for the full fat) I add a hit of fresh lemon to that too.

[Warpy]

4. Make a simple stuffing

Slice the fillets into two thin slices. Put the filling on one slice, lay the second slice on top, and cut a slit down the middle. Arrange the second slice so that the edges are tight all around and the filling pokes up through the middle. Dot the filling and salmon with a little butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake.

The filling is anything you'd eat with salmon. My own favorite is brown rice and a little grated Parmasean or rice, cooked peas, and butter. Cook until the fish is done, either by baking or nuking. Keep the filling simple and a little on the bland side because salmon is a very strong flavored fish.

My other favorite way is to poach it. I cut 1/4" thick slices of lemon and lay them in a frypan. I pour a mixture of water and white wine over them, lay on the herb du jour (thyme or dill), and put the salmon fillets on top of the whole business, not touching the liquid at all. Then I cover and steam until the fish is done. When the fish is out, I garnish it with the lemon and herb and make a sauce out of the reserved liquid.

Personally, I think the less you do to exquisitely fresh fish, the better. Since I can only get it frozen or farmed here in landlocked NM, I do a little more to it than salt, pepper, and a broiler.

[DrDan]

5. I rub it with brown sugar and cajun spice - then on the grill

[hippywife]

6. Marinate for a few hours in the fridge.

I like to use Veri Veri Teriyaki by Soy Vay but since you don't want to make a run for the store, you can make your own with soy sauce, brown sugar, lots of minced garlic and sesame seeds (optional). Throw in a little bit of chopped cilantro if you have it.

Put skin side down in a skillet and pour the marinade over it. Cover and let it poach until flaky. Or do the same in a cast iron skillet and put on the grill with a foil tent over it.

Serve with asparagus or broccoli topped with fresh squeezed lemon over it (the veggies when on the plate) and whatever seasoned rice recipe you enjoy or a baked sweet potato.

I've never eaten salmon any other way since a friend shared this recipe. It's incredibly delicious.

:hi:

[The empressof all]

14. I Love that Terriyaki Sauce too

Another really good brand is Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce which is not as sweet as the Soy Vey. I use Yoshida's in the slow cooker with Chicken Thighs....OMG :wow:

[cbayer]

7. Grill, baby, grill. And don't overcook.

The dill sauce sounds wonderful. I like my salmon barely seared.

Enjoy!

:hi:

[Duer 157099]

9. Thanks for all the suggestions

I ended up making it before being able to check back here, but it turned out fine.

I seasoned it with a little Knorr Garden Dill dressing mix (powder) that I had also used to make the cream sauce; then into a hot cast iron skillet skin side down to crisp the skin, then onto a baking sheet with some butter pats and sliced lemon on top.

It was just barely done, so definitely not overcooked.

And it wasn't until after dinner that I realized that I should have added some shredded cucumber to the dill dip!

I have another piece that will be cooked tomorrow and I'm thinking of going down the teriyakish path. Although with salmon, I'm apparently drawn to the dill/cucumber path like a moth to a flame.

I guess that's why I never make it any other way, lol.

[Tab]

10. I just bake it with a marinade on top

I've tried all kinds of things, but the simplest is often the best (or easiest, in this case) for how I like salmon.

I run the oven at 350 (but mine's convection - you might want to go to 375). I take a glass pan (just my preference) and give it a quick spritz of PAM in the bottom, then put the salmon in, tail folded if needed to give it a consistent height/width, and coat it (rub it) with Lawry's Tequila & Lime marinade, and then I just cook it until it's done. It always tastes great, is never dry on the outside (or on the inside, since I don't overcook), my son loves it, I do too, and what's easier than plopping it in a glass pan and dabbing some marinade on it?

Note though that I like fillets, not "steaks". Steaks have all those little goddamned bones in them. PITA.

[pengillian101]

15. Note though that I like fillets, not "steaks".

Me too. But I like either Schwan's or Omaha Steaks's fillets. Easy to fix and they have a very delicious olive-oil grill marinade. Mmm - salmon twice a week is the new healthy thinking.

[MajorChode]

11. Here's an idea

Brush it with a generous amount of light olive oil and then sprinkle some salt on both sides. Then hit it with one of these babies until nicely brown on the outside:



Salmon is a bit tricky on the grill because it tends to fall apart easily, so I like to torch it instead. Now that I have an Iwatani torch, I can do a much better job of it.

You can add a bit of pepper afterward or herbs if you like. I don't really like to season salmon very heavily because I like to taste the subtle flavors of the fish itself.

You could use some type of commercial orange glaze, but it's pretty easy to make yourself.

[Warpy]

13. I have a Le Creuset stovetop grill

and I spray that puppy down with olive oil and it works just fine. I do leave the skin on my salmon, though, and that helps it a lot.

I did miss another way to do it, on a plate in a Chinese steamer with lots of ginger and chopped scallion and a few fermented black beans. Heat some oil and drizzle super hot oil over it at the end to crisp the surface a bit, season with a little soy sauce, and eat. It's wonderful that way, too.

[Beacool]

17. That thing looks lethal!!!

But I would like to try it on some creme brulee

:D

[MadBadger]

12. Grill It

[Jazzgirl]

16. I like to marinate it in....

1/2 cup of honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
crushed red pepper to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Mix it all up, pour it in a bag and put the salmon in. I like to marinade overnight. Then I like to broil it. Yummy!!!!