Salmon Fillet

[wallyz]

Good friend just dropped off a 4 lb Blackmouth (Non-pelagic Chinook) Salmon Fillet that he caught yesterday. He and his wife are coming over tomorrow. I Know how to poach, grill, pan fry and roast salmon, but I want to knock them out. What is an unusual, killer preparation and side for a fresh salmon fillet.

Hit me with your best shot, I'm at home all day tomorrow (Mon 13th)

[bigfellow]

Maple Salmon.

1/4 cup (50 mL) maple syrup
4 tsp (20 mL) grainy mustard
4 tsp (20 mL) soy sauce
2 lb (1 kg) salmon fillet, skinned

In small bowl, combine maple syrup, mustard and soy sauce. Arrange salmon on foil- or parchment paper?lined rimmed baking sheet; spoon glaze over fish.

Bake in centre of 400°F (200°C) convection oven until fish flakes easily when tested, 8 to 10 minutes. Using 2 lifters, transfer to warmed serving platter.

Conventional oven: Centre rack at 425°F (220°C) for 12 minutes.

Good luck!

[mpalmer6c]

-- Blackened.

-- Baked in foil with buter, white wine,lemon
juice and dill.

[junglekitte]

I made Ina Garten's Mustard Roasted Fish from foodtv with a beautiful side of fresh salmon instead of the red snapper she recommends and everyone swooned.

[kubasd]

I say just season with salt and pepper and broil with lemon slices on top. Don't change anything about the delicious flavor of fresh salmon. Let the fish speak for itself!

Just my opinion....

[dmd_kc]

Hear, hear. I'd pan fry it, and make a delicious sauce to be served on the side. Really, as good as frozen wild salmon is, this one will be even better.

But if you really want to gussy it up, Gourmet did a salmon with olives, tomatoes and couscous a few years ago that is really excellent. Link here:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[wallyz]

Gonna go this way, thanks all for the replies. I Enjoy planking, but Tim (My piscatorial friend) Planks and smokes all the time. The reason he gave it to me was my success doing other stuff with fish we've caught. He likes planked, and is going to plank some of this catch, bt he is hoping for something different from me.

I know, it is hard to mess up fresh wild salmon. I chose this one because we have some great artisan Kalamatas right now, and I know a guys who is getting great hothouse tomatoes from Ore. now as well.

Headed to the Halal market for couscous.
Thanks all!

[wallyz]

Fish was good. I did it with the olives and tomatoes in the Couscous, used smaller than pearl couscous, and I used a little more garlic in the oil than it called for, just because we all love Garlic and I had some great bulbs just staring at me.

Thanks again, I recommend the recipe. I would suggest stronger flavored tomatoes, these would have been better in a salad, and were not quite strong enough to hold up to the oregano oil, but they are out of season, so they were better than I had a right to expect.

[dmd_kc]

Glad you liked it. I love cooking with olives. People almost never expect it, but it's such a great counterpart to rich food. I particularly love dark meat chicken with olives and lemon.

[ipsedixit]

Ditto what kubasd said.

Since the fish is so fresh, just lightly season with some sea salt and let the natural flavors of the salmon speak for itself. Grill or broil it.

[jpc8015]

Make a compound butter with rosemary and sundried tomatoes, broil the salmon until almost cooked through, top with a bit of the butter and finish off under the broiler.

[kchurchill5]

One of my favorites is cedar plank. Just pick up a cedar plank untreated from any home center (home depot etc). Soak in the sink for 1 hour and then grill or bake on that. I marinade in some herbs and glaze with bourbon, brown sugar and maple syrup and ginger.

Serve with roasted brussel sprouts and potatoes and onions with a balsamic and honey glaze, a salad romaine hearts with roasted tomatoes and blue cheese and fresh red onion with a blue cheese vinaigrette and baguettes with a paprika and garlic with melted gruyere cheese.
My perfect dinner.

Roasted in parchment pouches with white wine lemon, a few fresh herbs, onions, squash, mushrooms and carrots all thin sliced and grilled is simple but NOT wow to me, but very good if health concious.

I also do a orange soy glaze with grilled onions served over a basmati rice which I like too.

[jpc8015]

If you like the cedar plank idea there was a recipe on the chow.com:

http://www.chow.com/recipes/18716

[Val]

A note of caution: if you plank, outside grill is probably best way to go...it creates AN ENORMOUS amout of smoke. I can't even imagine using an indoor broiler, though others may have a different view.

[kchurchill5]

Grilling I would most certainly do it outside if possible. But I have done it inside and a little smoke, but still not bad. But baking I get very little smoke.

However. I did get a piece last year which smoked much more than the last few. They should be primarily the same but some do smoke a bit more than others.

And the one recipe I saw on the chow page did look good. Haven't tried it yet but looks interesting.

[TimCarroll]

Are you baking or broiling on the plank? I can see how broiling could produce smoke depending on how close it is to the element / burner. I've never tried in my oven and was wondering which you did. Thanks

[kchurchill5]

Baking usually grilling outside and have inside. More smoke inside but manageable. I love to bake it. 400 usually in my oven. I preheat the wood after smoking and then add the salmon. A variety of spices and sauce and topping.

[TimCarroll]

So you want the plank to start smoking before you cook the salmon then. You just bake, no broiling. Thanks again.

[kchurchill5]

Correct, but mine doesn't smoke much at all. I soak a good amount of time and then heat for about 15 minutes, then add the salmon, skin side down. I did mention I had a couple of pieces that smoked more than this plank and all the same. But it doesn't smoke all that bad. I don't broil.

[smtucker]

Can you start tonight? If so, start curing the fillet for gravlax. A simple google search finds many recipes... but consider the New York Times or Ina Garten. Then you can have a lovely buffet with cheese, capers, thinly sliced red onions, rye crisps or bagels.... This is one of my favorite preparations. I just don't get fresh salmon that often.