Grilled Salmon with Herb-Caper Cream

A grill pan cooks simply seasoned salmon steaks perfectly. All you need is our light yet flavorful sauce, made in a mini food processor, to top it off. Add a few whole green onions to the pan and grill them alongside the salmon for a delicious edible garnish.

PREP: 5 minutes GRILL: about 8 minutes

MAKES: 4 main-dish servings

4 salmon steaks, inch thick
(about 6 ounces each)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves

2 tablespoons capers, drained

1 green onion, cut into 4 pieces

cup reduced-fat sour cream

¼ cup light mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Grease ridged grill pan; heat over medium heat until very hot but not smoking. Sprinkle salmon with salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and place in grill pan. Cook until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork, about 8 minutes, turning once; transfer to platter.

2. Meanwhile, in mini food processor, with sharp side of blade facing up, process parsley, capers, and green onion until finely chopped.

Transfer mixture to small bowl and stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper until blended. Makes about cup sauce.

3. Serve sauce with salmon.

EACH SERVING SALMON: About 230 calories, 32g protein, 0g carbohydrate, 10g total fat (2g saturated), 91mg cholesterol, 360mg sodium

EACH TABLESPOON SAUCE: About 30 calories, 0g protein, 1g carbohydrate, 3g total fat (1g saturated), 4mg cholesterol, 85mg sodium

FARM-RAISED VERSUS WILD SALMON

Farm-raised (usually Atlantic) salmon, with a rich, almost buttery texture and a milder flavor than its wilder sister, is mainly bred along the northeast coast of the United States or off the coast of Chile, first in freshwater hatcheries and then in pens submerged in cold saltwater off the coastline, where the fish have a chance to swim against currents and changing tides. Since it’s available all year, we generally use it in our recipes.

Wild salmon, with a lean, firm texture and a more pronounced fish flavor, comes mostly from Alaska and is available only in summer months unless purchased frozen or canned. Alaska salmon is called “wild” because the fish swim freely in the Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska, and the waters of the northern Pacific. The five commercially sold varieties of wild Alaskan salmon are King (or Chinook), Sockeye (or Red or Blueback), Silver (or Coho), Chum, and Pink (which is primarily canned).