Simple Salmon

2 servings. 

This salmon recipe is simple, delicious, and good at room temperature.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 center cut skinless salmon fillets, 6 ounces each 

MARINADE:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1½ tablespoons lemon juice

• 1½ tablespoons honey mustard

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Pat fish dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. In a small bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. 

3. Place the fish in a Ziploc bag, pour the marinade over the fish and coat well. Refrigerate for a few hours. Before broiling, bring the fish back to room temperature.  

4. PREHEAT THE BROILER 

5. To save clean up time, I line the top of the broiler pan with heavy foil. Then I make a shallow basket with another piece of heavy foil, crimping the corners so that the juices do not spill out. 

6. Place the fish with the marinade on the foil.  

7. Broil as close to the heat source as you can for 7 minutes without turning.
   
   

Baked Salmon

Makes 2 servings. 

All of the ingredients for this simple and piquant dish will be found in your pantry.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 skinless salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each 

MARINADE:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice,

• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 teaspoon honey mustard

• 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Pat fish dry with paper towels and place in a Ziploc bag.   

2. In a small dish combine the marinade ingredients. Pour the marinade into a ziploc bag and coat the salmon on all sides with the marinade. Refrigerate for a few hours. 

3. Preheat the oven to 500 F. 

4. Bring the fish back to room temperature.  

5. Place the fish in an ovenproof dish lined with foil (honey tends to burn and I find it difficult to clean the dish afterward, therefore I like using the foil). 

6. Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes without turning. The inside should be opaque.   

7. Serve with the accumulated juices.  

NOTE:

If in doubt whether the fish is cooked sufficiently to your taste, cover it with foil right after you remove it from the oven, and the fish will continue cooking. 

Miso Glazed Wild Salmon

Makes 4 servings. 

Miso paste is what makes this dish so delicious. The paste is made of fermented soy beans that embody sweet, sour, salty and bitter flavors. When wild salmon is in season, I make this recipe frequently.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 center cut skinless salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each 

GLAZE:

2 teaspoons white miso paste

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Pat fish dry with paper towels. Place the salmon in an ovenproof dish.   

2. In a small bowl mix the glaze ingredients well to make a smooth paste. Coat the fish with the glaze and  cover with plastic wrap. You can leave it at room temperature or refrigerate it for as long as is convenient.

3. Preheat the oven to 500F.

4. Take out the fish from the refrigerator before roasting. 

5. Roast the fish for about 8 minutes. The inside should have turned opaque. If in doubt whether the fish has cooked sufficiently to your taste, take it out and cover with foil for 1 minute. The fish will continue cooking.

Salmon with Dill Yogurt Sauce

Makes 2 servings. 

I like to cook this dish in spring and summer when wild salmon is plentiful. It is easy to prepare and lovely at room temperature, served with yogurt in a separate dish on the side.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 center cut wild skinless salmon fillets, 6 ounces each

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ½ tablespoon unsalted butter

DILL YOGURT SAUCE:

• 5.3 ounces Greek plain yogurt

• 1 shallot, finely chopped or 2 scallions including green part, coarsely chopped

• ½ tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped

• Zest of ½ lemon

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 6 dill sprigs, snipped with scissors

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 

2. Line a baking sheet with foil. Pat fish dry with paper towels. Place on the foil and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Top with slivers of butter.

3. Bake for 10 minutes. The inside of the fish should be slightly opaque. I like mine medium rare.  

4. While the fish is baking make the Dill Yogurt Sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Glazed Salmon

Makes 2 servings.

Add this dish to your repertoire of salmon recipes.  It’s quick, easy, flavorful and good at room temperature as well, making it so convenient to serve on Shabbat. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 center cut skinless salmon fillets, 6 ounces each
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

MARINADE:

• 1½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons mirin
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled coarsely chopped and crushed to a paste with 1 tablespoon light brown sugar.
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

PREPARATION:

1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels.
2. Place the salmon in a nonreactive dish. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Combine the marinade ingredients and coat the fish. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
4. Preheat the broiler.
5. Bring the fish back to room temperature.  
6. Form a “shallow basket” with a piece of heavy foil, crimping it at the corners so that the juices do not spill out and place on a cookie sheet.
7. Place the fish with the marinade in the basket and broil close to the heat source (without turning) for about 7 minutes or until the inside has just turned opaque. If in doubt whether the fish is cooked sufficiently to your taste, take it out and cover it with foil, for 1 minute. The fish will continue cooking.
8. Serve with accumulated juices, if you like.

Dukkah Crusted Salmon with Greens

Makes 4 servings.

Dukkah and Amaranth are a new spice and grain I recently discovered.  Dukkah is a blend of nuts, seeds and herbs.  Amaranth is similar to quinoa. It is gluten free, high in protein, fiber and minerals. I like the flavor and the crunchy texture.

I serve this dish, at room temperature, as a salad with slices of cucumber and radish on the side. Sometimes I divide the fillets into 2 pieces just for the look.

Please do not be deterred by all the information. The recipe is quite simple. The dressing can be used on other salads, and if you read the recipe carefully before you begin, you will realize that it is simple.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 ounces baby kale, stems discarded or other greens, placed into a bowl and refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to use (See Note).
• Radishes, sliced
• Cucumber, sliced

DRESSING FOR GREENS:

• 1 small jalapeno (See Note)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lime juice.
• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION OF DRESSING:

1. Cut the jalapeno in half horizontally discard the seeds and slice very thinly.
2. Coarsely chop the garlic on a cutting board. Sprinkle with kosher salt and using the blade of a knife, crush the garlic into a paste.
3. Whisk all the ingredients and set aside.

COATING FOR THE FISH:

• ¾ cup Amaranth, popped (See Note)
• 2 tablespoons Dukkah
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large egg whites, whisked
• 4 skinless center cut wild salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each
• 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

PREPARATION OF FISH:

1. Combine very well the coating ingredients in a zip lock baggie (dukkah is quite salty, so it is important to combine it well) and spread it on wax paper.
2. Heat the oil over high heat in a large non-stick skillet.
3. Pat fillets dry, dip in the egg white and then press well into the coating.  
4. Sauté the salmon on high/medium heat for about 2 minutes on each side, or to your taste. I like mine medium rare. Remove fish to a platter lined with paper towel to stop the cooking and to absorb the oil.

To SERVE:

Toss the kale or the greens with the dressing. Place on individual plates, top with the fish and place radishes and cucumbers on the side.

NOTES:

It is best to refrigerate greens uncovered until they are ready to be dressed.

When seeding jalapeno peppers, I advise wearing plastic gloves to avoid irritating your skin or your eyes.

Amaranth is a whole grain which requires popping.  That can be made at any time and stored to have on hand.

DIRECTIONS FOR POPPING AMARaNTH:

1. Heat a small/medium non-stick skillet over high heat. Test if skillet is hot enough by adding a drop of water. Once hot, sprinkle a thin layer of amaranth on the skillet and keep on shaking it back and forth. The amaranth will begin to pop, so it is best to cover it.
2. Adjust the heat so that the amaranth does not burn. It will get light brown.  
3. Empty into a bowl as you do the next batch.  

Marinated Salmon

Makes 6 servings.                                                                                   

I am frequently on the lookout for easy, nutritious recipes for Shabbat that can be prepared ahead of time, and this fish recipe works well. Being also conscious of calories, I have eliminated any oil from the marinade because salmon is a hearty fish. This dish pairs very well with a number of dishes that are on my website, including Cucumber Salad, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Tabbouleh Salad, Celery Root and Carrot Salad.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 center-cut skinless salmon filets, about 6 ounces each
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

DRESSING

• ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Leaves from 6 thyme sprigs

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 F.
2. Grease a glass or enamel-lined baking dish that can hold the filets in a single layer (15x9 inches) with 1 teaspoon oil.
3. Pat the filets dry with a paper towel and season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Place in the dish (where the skin would have been facing down) and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. The fish will still be rare.
4. Remove the baking dish from the oven, cover with foil (the fish will continue cooking).
5. Let cool completely.
6. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fish and sprinkle with thyme.
7. Cover the dish with wax paper, then foil, and refrigerate without turning.
8. You can keep the fish refrigerated up to 3 to 4 days.
9. Serve at room temperature.

Wild Salmon with Gazpacho Sauce

Makes 6 servings.       

Wild salmon has a very short season from late spring until autumn. I love this dish which is really easy to prepare even though it appears complicated. You can adjust how rare or cooked you like the fish by adjusting the searing time. The piquant sauce enhances the flavor and gives the dish a tasty and pretty look. Both the fish and the sauce can be prepared ahead of time.

INGREDIENTS 

• 2¼ pounds center cut wild salmon fillet, skinned with no brown spots showing
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

PREPARATION

1. Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Cut the fish to into 4x2 inch pieces, or any other shape that you prefer.
3. Wrap each piece in foil and fold the ends.
4. Heat the oil until smoking in a very heavy-iron skillet large enough to fit the fish. Place the salmon in the skillet and sauté over high heat, turning the fish with tongs for 1 minute on one side and 1 minute on the other side (the salmon will be seared on the outside and rare in the center). If you like it more well done, sauté it longer.
5. Remove with tongs to a plate and open the foil packets, which stops it from further cooking.  Let cool before removing the foil. I like this method of wrapping the fish with foil and sautéing it because you have more control of how the fish will look. And there is virtually no clean up.

INGREDIENTS FOR GAZPACHO SAUCE

• 1/3 cup homemade mayonnaise (Recipe follows)
• 3 tablespoons lime juice, approx
• 3 Kirby cucumbers, peeled, ends discarded, cut into large pieces
• 3 plum tomatoes, rinsed, cored, cut into large pieces
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

INGREDIENTS FOR GARNISH

• 1 English cucumber, rinsed, dried, ends discarded, diced.
• 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Snipped chives with scissors

TO MAKE THE SAUCE

1. Place mayonnaise, lime juice, cucumbers, tomatoes salt, pepper and cayenne into a Vitamix. Process until very smooth. Season to taste; the sauce should be spicy.
2. (Without a Vitamix you can puree the sauce in a blender, but you will have to strain it.)

GARNISH

Season the cucumbers with rice vinegar, salt and pepper. Set aside.           

TO SERVE

Spoon the sauce in center of individual plates, place the fish on top.  Garnish with the diced cucumbers and chives. 

INGREDIENTS FOR MAYONAISE

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon powdered mustard
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

PREPARATION

1. Combine the olive oil and vegetable oil in a measuring cup (the spout of the cup makes it easier to control the slow pouring).
2. Remove the plastic knob from the cover of the blender.
3. Place the egg, mustard and salt in the blender. Turn on the blender and after a second, add the vinegar. Pour the oil in a very low stream. As the mixture begins to thicken, add the oil more quickly.
4. One word of advice:  keep the blender running from the beginning of the process to the end, when all the oil has been added. When finished, transfer the mayonnaise to an airtight container and refrigerate. 

Salmon with Pepper

Makes 2 servings.                                      

Wild salmon is at its peak from May through September.  Since the season is quite short, you should take advantage of it. 

Here is a simple salmon recipe with a wonderful bite of coarsely ground pepper.  I prefer using wild salmon for this recipe, but of course any salmon will be fine.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 center-cut, skinless wild salmon fillets, 6 ounces each (See Note)

• Kosher salt

• 1 garlic clove, peeled, coarsely chopped and crushed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels.

2. Place the fillets in a nonreactive dish. Season lightly with salt.

3. Combine the garlic paste with the olive oil. Brush over the fish, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

4. Bring fish to room temperature.

5. Preheat the broiler.

6. Make a “shallow basket” with a piece of heavy foil, crimping it at the corners so that the juices do not spill out. Place on a cookie sheet.

7. Place the fish in the basket and sprinkle the top with the pepper.  Broil as close as possible to the heat source (without turning) for about 6 minutes, until the inside is opaque.                                                   

8. Serve with the accumulated juices.

NOTE:

If in doubt whether the fish is cooked sufficiently to your taste, cover it with foil right away and the fish will continue cooking. 

Farfalle with Smoked Salmon and Vegetables

Makes 6 first course servings • Makes 4 main course servings

I serve this dish frequently because it is easy to prepare, versatile, nutritious and elegant. You can even make it several hours ahead of time. See note at the end of the recipe.

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Ingredients

• ½ pound haricots verts (string beans) • ¼ pound sugar snaps • 4 scallions, including green part, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ cup pitted black olives, quartered
• ¼ pound smoked salmon cut into wide strips (2 by 1 inches)
• 1 pound imported farfalle, or any other small shaped pasta (I like to use DeCecco pasta).

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons lime juice (approximately)
• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.

2. Trim and discard the stem end of the beans. Steam the beans for about 4 minutes, or until just tender. Place in a bowl and cool.

3. Pinch off both ends of the sugar snaps and pull off the strings running along the sides. Steam the sugar snaps for about 4 minutes, or until just tender. Add to the beans and cool. When the vegetables have cooled, add the scallions, parsley, olives and smoked salmon. Set aside.

4. In a large pot bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the farfalle and stir. Boil briskly, uncovered for about 8 minutes, until the farfalle is al dente.

5. Drain well in a colander. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl to cool. Toss the pasta with ½ of the dressing, add the beans, sugar snaps, scallions, parsley, olives and salmon. Toss with the remaining dressing. Let rest for a minute and season well with salt and pepper.

Note

If you wish to prepare this dish ahead, I suggest that you cook the pasta and toss it with ½ of the dressing. Prepare all the other ingredients but combine it all a few hours before serving. It is easier to preserve the wonderful green color of the vegetables.