Salmon today is easily available, in addition, in cooking it is versatile and very tasty. First of all, you should learn more about this fish and how to cook it. First and foremost, buy the largest culinary spatula you can find to easily lift and flip large pieces of fish or fillet during frying. A cast iron skillet is great for making salmon. If you intend to bake this fish in the oven, stock up on a metal baking dish. Use parchment paper or aluminum foil, as this facilitates the subsequent cleaning of dishes after baking.
Salmon Cuts
On sale you can find several types of cutting salmon. Each of them has its own purpose and features. Small pieces of fillet and steaks are great for quick meals throughout the week, and a large portion of the carcass is a simple and elegant main course for a festive dinner.
Salmon fillet is the most commonly used fish cut, which is explained simply: bone removal is very simple, and such a product is easily amenable to all cooking methods. It can be a small piece, from which 1-2 servings of a dish will come out, or half a large carcass, which can be cooked whole and served for a large company.
Also, many are interested in acquiring salmon with or without skin? It depends on how you are going to cook the fish. Some methods (e.g. frying in a pan) are designed to provide a crisp. However, for baking or complex dishes, it can be removed beforehand. Below are the most interesting and delicious salmon recipes.
How to cook salmon the easiest?
The human body needs to receive fatty acids, more commonly known as omega-3s. They are vital for the growth of new cells and the maintenance of heart and brain functions. Fatty acids are not reproduced by the body, and therefore a person must get them from food.
The greatest amount of these substances is found in red fish, including salmon. You can cook it tasty and healthy. For the simplest recipe for salmon, you will need:
- fillet of fresh salmon;
- olive oil;
- dried dill.
Remove the skin from the fish. Apply a thin layer of olive oil to the pan and heat at medium temperature. Put the skinless filet in it. Sprinkle a teaspoon of dill on top of it. Cover and let the fish fry for about five minutes, depending on its thickness. Turn the fillet on the other side, sprinkle with a spoon of dill and cover again. As you can see, this is the simplest recipe for salmon in a pan.
After another five minutes, check for readiness with a fork. Properly cooked fish will easily pierce.
How to cook fish in a slow cooker?
A salmon stew is a great recipe for a slow cooker. As a result, you get amazingly juicy and tender fish. To prepare two servings you will need:
- 2 tablespoons butter;
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil;
- 500 grams of young broccoli;
- 300-400 grams of fresh salmon fillet, without skin, cut into 2 parts;
- black salt and ground pepper;
- 1 small shallots, finely chopped;
- ¼ cup of dry vermouth or white wine;
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar;
- ¼ cup whipped cream;
- pepper and salt;
- chopped fresh parsley or green onions.
How to stew fish?
This salmon recipe looks like this. Heat one tablespoon of tablespoon butter and olive in a slow cooker. Add broccoli and fry, stirring occasionally, until it becomes crispy on top, about 5 minutes. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Place the pieces of fish on top of the cabbage mixture. Close the slow cooker and cook on the stewing mode for 8-10 minutes or until the fish is easily pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots and fry until tender, stirring occasionally. Pour in vermouth and vinegar, boil until the volume is reduced by half. Stir the mixture with cream. Stew until the desired density, add pepper and salt.
To serve this dish, lay the salmon and broccoli on a serving plate. Pour sauce and sprinkle with parsley or onions. If you want to make a salmon diet dish, you can skip the sauce. Without it, the dish will be light and low-calorie.
Red fish soup
This is a Latin American recipe that offers a dish of salmon marinated in garlic, lime juice, paprika and caraway seeds. It differs in that the fish is cooked here for a long time, more than half an hour. As a rule, seafood requires a minimum cooking time, otherwise their taste may deteriorate. In this case, a rich and fragrant broth is obtained. You will need the following.
For marinade:
- cloves from half the head of garlic, peeled and chopped;
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice;
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt;
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika;
- 2 1/2 teaspoons of ground cumin;
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of freshly frozen black pepper.
For soup:
- 0.8-1 kg of salmon, cut into pieces no larger than 5 cm;
- olive oil;
- 2 medium onions, chopped;
- 1 large green bell pepper, peeled and chopped;
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped in cubes;
- salt and freshly ground pepper;
- 500 ml of coconut milk;
- 1 large bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped.
How to cook it?
First of all, you should prepare the fish. Combine the marinade ingredients. Leave the salmon slices in this mixture for at least 2 hours. The longer the fish soaks in flavors, the better.
Further, the recipe for a hot salmon dish looks like this. Put a little olive oil in a large pot with a thick bottom. Add a layer of chopped onion, and then chopped bell peppers and tomatoes (half of the total). Place the pieces of fish on top with the marinade on top and begin to lay the onions, bell peppers and tomatoes again. Pour cilantro over top and pour coconut milk. If the mixture is very thick, add water. Taste and adjust the amount of spices.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a minimum, cover and let the soup simmer slightly for 30 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Garnish with the remaining cilantro.
Fish cakes
Salmon can be cooked not only in the form of fillets and steaks, but also in the form of minced meat. You can easily grind fish at home using a food processor. Just place small pieces of salmon in a bowl and chop at maximum speed. For better bonding of minced meat, use an egg. The most popular such dish is salmon cutlets. To make them, you will need:
- 750 grams of minced salmon;
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice;
- 2 teaspoons of universal flour plus half a glass additionally;
- 4 large eggs;
- 2 tablespoons tea sugar;
- 1/4 tablespoon of tea salt;
- 1 cup cream of fat;
- 2/3 cup of whole milk;
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter.
How to cook red fish cutlets?
Adjust the oven rack to the lower position. Place the foil-covered baking sheet on the lower rack and heat the oven to 200 degrees.
Next, a dish of minced salmon is prepared as follows. Beat eggs, 2 teaspoons tea flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl until smooth and pale, about 1 minute. Gradually pour the remaining half a glass of flour and continue to beat until smooth. In the same way, pour in the cream and milk gradually. Stir the mixture with minced fish. If the mass turns out to be excessively liquid, add more flour to it.
Remove the pan from the oven. Put butter on it and with a culinary brush distribute it over the entire surface (it will melt quickly and begin to spread). Form flat kruglyash from the fish dough and place them on a baking sheet at some distance from each other. Place it on the lower rack of the oven and bake salmon cutlets until they turn golden brown. It takes from 18 to 22 minutes. In the middle of the cooking time, turn the product over.
How to pickle salmon?
Lightly salted salmon is a popular snack in both European and Asian cuisines. You can serve it with bread as well as with rice or crackers, depending on your personal preferences. If you add a small amount of salt, the fish will remain tender and fragrant.
Even if you are not a fan of fish, you may like this cooking method. Lightly salted fish tastes like a different product, as the salting process helps to reduce the “fishy” smell and change the texture. This is a great way to compromise on cooking for picky eaters. Be sure to try making salmon this way and see if you like it.
Lightly salted salmon is often served as a filler for sandwiches, but it can easily be used with any meal. All you need is fish, salt and a little time. In addition, such fish from stores may be too salty to your taste, so you can control the amount of salt yourself. So you need to:
- 500 grams of salmon fillet with skin;
- 2 tablespoons of salt.
How to make slightly salted fish?
Rinse the salmon filet in cold water and pat dry. Place it in the tray and cover with a clean cloth. Leave on for 10-20 minutes, then wipe. Spread the salt evenly on all sides of the filet. Put in an airtight container, transferring layers of fish between paper towels. Leave in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Then wash off excess salt from the surface, remove all wipes.
You can subsequently cook any dishes of slightly salted salmon fillet: salads, sandwiches, snacks and so on. If you are afraid to eat raw fish, this processing is ideal for making sushi and rolls.
Red fish rolls
Often slightly salted or smoked salmon is served on the festive table in a beautiful design. The most common example is stuffed fish rolls. You can easily cook this mouth-watering appetizer in a short time. For one of the options for salmon rolls, you will need:
- 1 pack (300 grams) thin sliced salmon, smoked or slightly salted;
- 1 pack of Philadelphia cheese or the like;
- 2 cans of olives;
- 3 tablespoons dill, for decoration.
How to cook fish rolls?
Put each piece of salmon on a work surface. Put on each 1 tablespoon of tablespoon cream cheese, spread evenly. Cut olives into small rings, arrange them in cheese. Starting at the smaller edge, roll each piece of fish into a roll. Cut into pieces no larger than 2 cm. Fasten each roll with a toothpick or skewer, garnish with dill.
Another soup recipe
This recipe is very simple and at the same time very interesting. This soup can be served even for a gala dinner. For it, you can use any pieces of fish carcass. If you wish, you can adapt this recipe to fish soup from the head and tail of salmon and feel free to replace some components with others. For him you will need:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter;
- 1 leek, diced;
- 1 small onion fennel, diced;
- 1 large carrot, cut into small pieces;
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped;
- 1 teaspoon of salt;
- some pepper;
- 1/2 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms or champignons;
- 2 glasses of vegetable broth;
- 2 glasses of water;
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley;
- 1 tablespoon chopped thyme;
- 0.5 kg of salmon, set for fish soup or pieces;
- 4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan (optional).
How to cook fish soup?
In a large saucepan with a thick bottom, melt the butter over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, fennel, leek, thyme, salt and pepper and mix. Fry for about 5-7 minutes. Pour in the broth and water. Bring to a slight boil. As soon as you see bubbles on the surface, turn down the heat to a minimum. Lay the mushrooms and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Put the fish in a pan and mix. Increase heat, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. How to determine that the salmon is ready? If the fish is boiled, it should change its color from orange-red to pale pink. This applies not only to pieces of fillet, but also to the head, fins and tail of the carcass. They should also turn pale and become opaque.
Pour the prepared soup into plates and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Salmon with honey and ginger
The fish cooked in a complex marinade is obtained soaked in aromas of honey, soy sauce, ginger and coriander seeds. It is recommended to pre-crush these spicy seeds in order to release maximum taste and smell from them. You can make this salmon dish in just twenty minutes. All you need:
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped;
- 1 clove of garlic, minced;
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds;
- ¼ cup of honey;
- ¼ cup soy sauce;
- 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice;
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro;
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil;
- 4 salmon fillets of 150 grams, with skin;
- sea salt;
- freshly ground black pepper;
- 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil.
How to cook spicy salmon?
Grind coriander seeds in a coffee grinder or crush with a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground.
Make a marinade: mix the crushed coriander seeds, honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Rub the fish fillet with pepper and sea salt, then apply marinade on all sides.
Heat oil in a skillet over moderate heat. Sauté the salmon for one minute, then reduce heat and fry for another 2 minutes. Turn the fillet over and continue cooking until it becomes crispy.
Then transfer the salmon to a plate and cover with foil so that it does not cool. Pour the remaining marinade into a skillet, bring to a boil over moderate heat. Cook until it thickens to the consistency of the syrup. It takes about 2-3 minutes. Add cilantro, spread the salmon on serving plates and pour the prepared sauce. You can cook fish without skin if you want to. Enjoy your meal!