Salmon

[PurpleDingo99]

Im cooking my biggest, most elaborate dinner tomorrow. As crazy as it sounds, im not sure yet what i should do with my salmon fillets. They are skin-on, and i believe with bone. the dinner is italian, but im not afraid to deviate to some extent. I really dont have any way to smoke. I have a crappy little 'smokeless' indoor grill (open face, not panini ) and of course I can always broil. Ill probably end up putting an aioli on it unless i find (or am given) a better idea.

Any suggestions?

[HKDave]

If it's a fillet, it shouldn't have bones (except maybe some small pin bones, which you can feel by running your hands across the surface. Remove these with fish tweezers if you have them, pliers if you don't).

Not sure how big a piece you have or how many guests you are dealing with. If it's a small number, maybe slice the fillet into 1/2 steaks, that is strips about 35mm wide or so. Flour skin side only. Saute skin side down, lid on. The skin will crisp up and the top will steam. Serve over a bed of arugula, or maybe with an Italian salsa verde (parsley, garlic, anchovy etc). Green looks good on the red fish, and flavours of either the arugula or the salsa verde cut the richness of salmon. Thanks to fellow eGer aprilmei for this method.

For a family-style serving, could do the whole fillet in foil, something like this:

http://www.cooksrecipes.com/seafood/baked-...rde-recipe.html

[lala]

As said, remove the pin bones, and trim it up nicely. Place it skin side down on an oiled sheet. Slather a good layer of pesto on top and roast it at 400* 10 mins per inch thickness (more or less, and to taste). Very good!

Alternately, set it on an oiled piece of parchment or foil (big enough to wrap around) with thinly sliced fennel, olives and tomato, basil, oregano, s&p, seal in the foil/parchment and bake. This will steam in all those lovely flavors.

[PurpleDingo99]

HKDs idea sounds pretty good right now. Ive only done salmon before with a teriyaki marinade, and most recipes disreguard the possibility that people may have individual fillet steaks. Now i have to decide between a straight-up broiled recipe and HKDs, because i found some unusually good salmon for around here so i dont want to use foil and over-handle the fish.

Edited December 17, 2004 by PurpleDingo99 (log)

[zeitoun]

I found an extremely simple and incredible way of cooking salmon in Alice Waters's "Chez panisse cafe" cookbook. If you have a whole fillet (not cut in individual pieces by your fishmonger), try slow cooking it (whole very important) in the oven for one hour. The salmon should be generously coated with olive oil and salt, no pepper. Set your oven at the lowest temp. possible (180 to 200 degrees) and leave it in there for one hour until it begins to "sweat" and you can see some of the fat starting to ooze out of the fish. This is an indication that it is ready. Cooking time obviously will vary according to the size and shape of your cut. 50 mn to an hour is generally a good approximation.

The result is amazing: the salmon skin will not crisp but it will have a satiny appearance and soft and moist texture (and amazing taste!). The flesh will be evenly cooked but will remain extremely moist and will almost dissolve when you cut through it. Serve it with whatever side dish pleases you!

[PurpleDingo99]

as i said, theyre already individual. :(

[zeitoun]

as i said, theyre already individual. :(

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mmh.... next time then i guess??

[LJFATS]

try parmesan crusted salmon. flour, egg, then parm mixed w/ bread crumbs. saute in butter till golden brown (you may have to finish in the oven depending on thick they are).

[Malawry]

I prefer individual pieces of salmon to cooking a whole slab of it. I think the best thing on fish is the crispy edge, and individual pieces have more crispy edge than a big sheet. Plus, with smaller pieces, you can control the doneness better--I've cooked big pieces of salmon before that were overdone around the edges and undercooked in the center.