We know it’s SO good for us, but how do we prepare it without stinking up the entire house?
Bake it!
Baked salmon has two advantages over salmon cooked on the stovetop: there is less fish odor in your kitchen and you can stick the fish in the oven, set the timer, and walk away. For extra flavor, choose from a number of marinades and simmer sauces—we tried maple.
Whenever we cook salmon on the stovetop, the kids complain, “Whew! It smells fishy!” They’re right. Salmon is a very fatty fish and searing a salmon fillet in a hot skillet does create an odor. No one complains when we bake salmon, though.
It’s easy to bake salmon fillets. Place the skinned fillets in a shallow baking dish and bake for 12 to 16 minutes at 400 degrees.
(It’s done when it flakes easily with a fork.) When you remove the pan from the oven, pour off any moisture or remove the fish from the pan so that the fish does not become soggy, and serve. That’s all there is to it at its basic best.
Be adventurous and flavor the fish with a favorite marinade or sauce. This technique assures the fish stays moist and tender. Just pour the sauce over the fish before baking. If you prefer to marinade, place the skinned fillets in a zipper-type bag with the marinade and refrigerate for several hours. NOTE: Fish is “done” when it flakes easily with a fork.
For those who want to cook from scratch instead of from a bottle, here is a recipe for maple glazed salmon:
Maple Glazed Salmon with Spicy Maple Cream Syrup
The fresh ginger and the mustard add a spicy kick to the sweetness of the syrup. Taste the sauce before you use it and alter the ingredients to get the balance you like. Remember that when you cook the ginger, the flavor will intensify.
1 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 salmon filets with the skin removed, about 10 ounces each
salt and pepper
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup heavy cream
Mix the maple syrup, lemon juice, soy sauce, ginger, and mustard together. Set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture in the refrigerator.
With the remaining mixture, marinate the fish by placing the fillets in a sealable plastic bag with the mixture, sealing, and refrigerating for several hours.
To prepare the fish, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the fish in a shallow baking dish. Baste the fish with the marinade from the bag. Salt and pepper each fillet. (The soy sauce in the marinade will add a bit of sodium but not much.)
Bake the fish for a total of 12 to 16 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. After the fish has baked for 8 minutes, open the oven door and sprinkle the fish with nuts. Close the door and continue baking. Do not over bake.
While the fish is baking, prepare the sauce from the 1/2 cup set aside mixture. Place the cornstarch in a small bowl or cup. Add just enough marinade to make a thick paste of the cornstarch. Gradually stir in the rest. Remove the sauce mixture to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a whisk, until the sauce begins to bubble and is thickened. Stir in the cream. Set aside.
When the fish is done, immediately remove the fillets to serving plates and drizzle with the prepared sauce.
Serves 4.
(Courtesy: Prepared Pantry)
Download this recipe.
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