It's that time of year - the fish are spawning, migrating, and biting. And whether you fish or not, that means Salmon! This is the first of several salmon-based recipes I'll be posting in the near future.
Typically I don't care for anything with fins unless it's raw, but this... oh this is the good stuff! And it's probably the easiest recipe I'll ever post. Whether or not you consider yourself a true gourmand or haven't been in the kitchen since you were in the womb, try this one. You won't regret it.
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| The skin tastes like bacon - just different |
I've gotten sick over the last few years of the term "Superfood." It's fads, trends, and hyperbole like this that have crippled our culture from returning to well-portioned, wholesome diets and a commitment to long-term healthy living, instead seeking the proverbial magic bullet. Despite my resistance to the concept though, I have to admit, Salmon comes close.
Ingredients:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1/2 tsp
Salmon Fillet, Skin On - 6 oz
Salt and Pepper - to taste
Fresh Dill - 1 sprig
Lemon slice - 1 slice
Preparation:
When choosing your salmon, choose a fillet without any noticeable 'fishy' smell whatsoever. If you can detect even a hint of that 'fishy' smell, don't bother. You're only able to eat a few choice morsels each day now that you're post-op, why waste those on anything less than perfection? Just as food should never be bland, boring or full of junk, fish should never have to taste fishy. For a more detailed explanation of why, check out the Sushi post.
If you can find skin-on salmon with the scales removed, buy it. If you can't, ask the folks behind the fish counter if they will descale your fillet for you, most will gladly do this. If even this fails, just take a chef's knife and run it along the fish skin against the grain with just a bit of pressure and congratulations, you've scaled your fillet. It may take a few passes, but you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly.
Heat a nonstick skillet on high heat with the olive oil. I use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.
While the skillet is heating, sprinkle the salt and pepper over both sides of the salmon with a surprisingly heavy hand (though if you're worried, do error on not enough, you can always add more later with nearly the same result).
Place the fillet in the pan, skin side down. Reduce the heat to medium and then, whatever you do, don't touch that fish. It's so tempting to try to scoot the fillet around the pan or lift "just a small corner" to check it's doneness. Don't give in. Don't do it. Whatever you do.
Allow the salmon to cook until the edges in contact with the pan (again, don't actually lift the fillet) are just starting to brown and the fish is cooked to opacity roughly 1/4 through. This should take about 5 minutes.
Now turn the fillet over and cook for another 1-2 minutes until you see the opacity having cooked through about 1/4 through from the skinless side.
Remove from the skillet and enjoy immediately. You've now got a nicely seared salmon fillet without any muddling of flavor or experience. Use or discard the lemon and dill at your own preference - I frequently skip both, opting for a little lemon pepper instead. Or I use high heat, reduce the searing time to 1 minute per side and slice sashimi style before topping with a shiso-leaf, sesame seed, lime and tamari mixture. The point is that this recipe is about as simple and versatile as it gets.
Nutrition:
Calories: 265
Fat: 14 g (don't forget, this is fat your nerve cells need to stay healthy, lipid bilayers unite!)
Carbs: 1 g
Protein: 34 g (wait, really? Yes!)
Sodium: 367
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