Wild salmon is the ultimate anti-inflammatory food with its substantial stores of omega-3 fats. I am not as big a fan of farm-raised salmon; it is higher in contaminants than wild and the fish are fed soy and food coloring, decreasing the nutritional benefits. I would opt for wild as much as possible. Keep in mind, “Atlantic” salmon always implies farm-raised and “Alaskan” is always wild. (I also avoid GMO salmon.) Wild salmon has a season, which is usually from about May to October. (If you see “fresh” wild Alaskan salmon being sold in the winter months, it is probably farm-raised.) But there is no reason to avoid eating fish if you can only find frozen/defrosted varieties available. Here are seven different basic techniques to cook wild salmon. Note that wild salmon is often thinner than farm-raised and will cook more quickly, so if you are using the following recipes with farm-raised, you may have to add some extra time. Salmon is a very versatile fish that can be the base of a lovely meal. I love pairing it with Herbed Mixed-Grain Pilaf (here), Baked Cauliflower and Rice Risotto (here), and any vegetable or salad recipe in this book.
Basic cooking tips: When prepared properly, salmon needs very few supporting flavors; it really shines on its own in the simplicity of a little bit of oil, salt, and pepper. However, nothing can really strip salmon of its delicious flavor, texture, and nutrition faster than overcooking it. A good rule of thumb when cooking salmon is to cook it for 4 to 6 minutes for every ½ inch of thickness. If you are using a high-heat method, such as broiling, grilling, or pan-searing, you will use the lesser time. For moderate heat methods, such as baking, poaching, and slow-roasting, you will use the greater time. When purchasing salmon, try to ask for a center cut portion to ensure even thickness throughout the fillet; this will ensure that the salmon cooks evenly throughout. Another way to protect your salmon is by leaving the skin on, even if you are going to serve the salmon skinless. The skin will protect the salmon from drying out and give you a little cushion if you do overcook it for a minute or two. Also, use your meat thermometer! If you’re really not sure if your salmon is done, you can check the internal temperature. You want the thickest part of the salmon to register at 125°F. It is also important to remember that your salmon will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat, so you need to pull it from the heat before it is completely cooked to your liking. The salmon should also flake easily when you poke it with a paring knife, and become opaque on the outside but still slightly translucent and rare in the center. Due to their less active lifestyle, farm-raised salmon has much more fat and softer flesh than wild. Because of this, it is ideal to cook farm-raised fish slightly longer than wild.
SERVES 4 TO 6 · DF, GF ADAPTABLE
2 tablespoons pure Grade A maple syrup
2 tablespoons shoyu (not GF), tamari, or coconut aminos
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (24-ounce) fillet wild salmon
1. To make the marinade, mix together all the ingredients, except the salmon, in a small bowl. Place the salmon in nonreactive dish (e.g., glass) just large enough to hold the fish and marinade. Pour the marinade over the fish and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
3. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the baking sheet and transfer to the oven on a rack positioned in the center.
4. Roast for 4 minutes per ½-inch thickness of salmon, until the salmon flakes when you poke it with a paring knife.
SERVES 4 · GF, DF
1½ cups dry white wine
Juice of ½ lemon
Juice of ½ orange
½ lemon, sliced
½ orange, sliced
A few sprigs parsley
A few sprigs dill
4 (5- to 6-ounce) fillets wild salmon
Sea salt
1. Place all the ingredients, except the salmon and salt, plus 3 cups of water, in a deep skillet, preferably one with straight sides and a lid. (I use a 10-inch.) Bring to a simmer.
2. Season the salmon with the salt. Gently transfer the salmon pieces to the pan, skin side down, beginning with the thickest pieces and ending with the thinnest. Cover the skillet and simmer over low heat until the salmon is just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes, longer for thicker fillets. Do not allow to boil.
3. Transfer the salmon from the pan by removing the thinnest piece first and the thickest piece last. Allow to cool slightly and serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until cold.
SERVES 4 TO 6 · GF, DF
1 (24-ounce) fillet wild salmon (I normally use skin-on)
Unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with enough olive oil to coat the top of the fish lightly. You can use your hands to oil the fish. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the center of the salmon is rare and starting to flake when you poke it with a paring knife. The amount of time it takes to cook the salmon perfectly depends on the temperature of the fish when you place it in the oven and the thickness of the fish.
3. Serve the salmon warm, at room temperature, or cold.
SERVES 4 · GF, DF
2 cups baby spinach leaves
4 (5- to 6-ounce) fillets of wild salmon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
8 teaspoons dry white wine
A few sprigs fresh thyme
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Have ready four (12-inch) squares of unbleached parchment paper.
2. Place ½ cup of the spinach leaves in the center of each piece of parchment paper. Arrange each piece of salmon on top of the spinach and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Top each fillet with 1 teaspoon of the oil, 2 teaspoons of the wine, and a sprig of thyme.
4. Bring two opposite sides of the parchment together and fold. Continue to fold all the way down until you reach the fish. Twist both ends of the parchment so that it looks like a hard-candy wrapper. Repeat for each piece of fish. Place each packet on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, based on the thickness of the salmon.
5. Transfer each packet to a plate and use caution when opening; the steam will be very hot! Do not cook the salmon until you are ready to eat it. When the salmon is removed from the oven but left in the parchment, it will continue to cook.
SERVES 4 · GF, DF
Unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
4 (5- to 6-ounce) fillet wild salmon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat a grill until hot, ideally 450°F. Make sure the grill grates are as clean as possible and then brush them with oil. This will help prevent the salmon from sticking. Drizzle each fillet with enough olive oil to coat the top of the fish lightly. You can use your hands to oil the fish. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Place the salmon on the grill, skin side down, and grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side depending on thickness, using a metal spatula (rather than tongs) to flip the salmon. Cook until the fish starts to flake but is still rare inside.
SERVES 4–6 · DF, GF
Unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
1 (24-ounce) fillet wild salmon (I normally use skin-on)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Place an oven rack 6 inches from the heat source. This is usually the second level. Preheat the broiler to high.
2. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. You can use a full sheet pan or two small ones if you don’t have one that will accommodate the whole side of salmon.
3. Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Broil for 4 minutes per ½-inch thickness of the salmon, until it flakes easily when poked with a paring knife and is rare in the center.
SERVES 4 · GF, DF ADAPTABLE
4 (5- to 6-ounce) fillets wild salmon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons ghee, unrefined virgin coconut oil, or unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
1. Season the salmon with the salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add the ghee or oil to the pan and allow to heat for 1 minute, until very warm, but not smoking.
2. Lay the salmon in the pan, seasoned side down, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn the fish over, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for a few minutes more, until it is almost cooked through. Do your best not to overcook the salmon. When it is done, the fish will begin to flake and separate a little, and the center will be slightly rare. The salmon will continue to cook a bit more while it sits.
TIPS: If you use individual fillets, adjust the cook time accordingly. Six-ounce fillets will take about 20 minutes.
If you are using a salmon that is thicker than wild sockeye, you may need to finish it in a 350°F oven for about 6 minutes. You want the fish to get to the point where it starts to flake when prodded with the tip of a knife, but is still slightly rare in the center—it will keep cooking when removed from the heat.