The most important rule in buying fish is to have it fresh as possible. A fresh, whole fish have clear eyes and red (or pink) gills (and it also has to smell like the sea, and not the usual “fish” smell, so to speak).
Cooking Salmon is not just fun and rewarding, it’s also healthy! No other fish has more omega-3 fatty acids (and Vitamin D) in helping clear the arteries and making the heart stronger other than Salmon. For the past decades, the fatty acids found in Salmon helps strengthen the immune system and eyesight, and it may even help to improve mental health.
Salmon is a sturdy and fat fish, and it can be cooked in a lot of different ways like poaching, grilling, baking, or pan-frying. But the most important rule when cooking this fish is to not dry it out. When baking, make sure to cook this until it flakes (about 10 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness). When grilling, on the other hand, cook it for about 5 minutes on each side.
Here are a few easy Salmon recipes for you to start cooking:
a. Honey-Mustard Basil Salmon
- 4 pcs Salmon Steaks, about 1″ thick
- 2 tbsps Olive Oil
- 2 tbsps Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Honey Dijon Mustard
- 2 pcs Garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil,
- chopped Salt and Pepper, to taste
Place Salmon steaks in a baking dish. In a small bowl, put together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic. Mix in basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture over the steaks. Then, place it on a plate, covering it loosely to allow to marinate for about an hour (refrigerated). Then, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and bake it for 12 minutes, or until the Salmon becomes flaky when pressed with a fork.
b. Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Salad
- 500 grams Fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2cm/piece
- 60 grams Pecans, broken into pieces
- 4 heads Lettuce, rinsed and torned
- 90 grams Green Peas
- 125 grams Smoked Salmon, cut into 2cm/piece
- 4 tbsps Olive oil
- 2 tbsps Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Freshly ground Black Pepper
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the asparagus and cook for 5 minutes, just until tender. Drain and set aside (shock with cold water to maintain the “greenness”). Then place the Pecans in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, just until it’s slightly toasted. Then after, in a large bowl, toss together the asparagus, pecans, lettuce, peas, and smoked salmon. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustrad, salt and pepper. Toss with the salad or serve on the side.
Indeed, Salmon works with a variety of flavors. You can easily whip up a recipe like Salmon Pesto, Salmon curry, or simply just a squeeze of lemon or lime. You can also use any fresh herbs that you think tastes great with it. So make your own Salmon recipe now and I assure you, it will be a lot of fun making it. There are many ways of cooking Salmon, if you have some free time, I recommend looking it up on the internet!