There is a lot of fish in the ocean. However, the salmon is an easy favorite for many people because of its firm, reddish flesh and butter-like flavor. People usually like to eat Pacific Salmon and it comes in many different types: Coho, Chinook, Pink, and Sockeye. You can find them at your local fishmonger or supermarket, or you can opt for wild salmon delivery. Atlantic Salmon also exists, but in the USA, it’s not allowed to catch them in the wild because of their dwindling numbers. You’ll instead find farmed Atlantic Salmon in your local supermarket. Whichever type of salmon you prefer, each serving of three to four ounces of salmon is high in nutrients and low in calories. Salmon is rich in protein, omega-3, potassium, iron, and vitamin D. It’s an excellent way to get the recommended two portions of seafood a week because it’s readily available and relatively easy to cook. You can pan-fry, boil, bake or eat it raw. Here are the five best salmon dishes any age would love.
1. Stir-Fried Salmon
Stir fry is a fancy way of putting everything together in a wok over high heat (or frying pan) and letting it come together by itself. Stir-fried salmon has the following essential ingredients:
- Salmon
- Vegetables: mushroom, snow peas, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, or whatever vegetables you like.
- Garlic and ginger for flavor.
- Stir Fry Sauce. The sauce gets interesting because you can vary it according to your taste. It can be sweet or savory or anything in between.
Heat a wok, fry the salmon first. Take it out of the pan and stir fry the vegetables. Gently add the fried salmon and add the sauce. You can eat the salmon by itself or put it on top of rice or noodles.
For starters, you can try the following stir-fried recipes:
- Stir-fried salmon with mushrooms and spinach
- Stir-fried salmon with peppers and peas
- Honey garlic stir-fried salmon
2. Grilled/ Baked Salmon
If you have an oven, baked salmon is an easy but sophisticated way to prepare the fish and it comes together in less than 20 minutes, including prep time. As a general rule, you can bake a two-pound salon for about 15 minutes in a 375-degree Fahrenheit oven. Take your favorite salmon cut, lay it on the baking tray and put your favorite toppings on it. The following can be your options:
- Lemon and butter
- Garlic, dill, and olive oil
- Garlic Butter
- Lemon and salt
- Pesto
- Lemon, Rosemary, and Olive Oil
You can also choose to grill the salmon if you prefer. Place the salmon skin side on the grill and cook for five minutes or less. Flip and cook the other side at the same amount of time.
The secret to delicious baked or grilled salmon is not to overcook it. If it can be easily be flaked by a fork, it’s ready to eat.
3. Poke Bowls
You can also eat raw salmon. However, if you decide to do so, make sure you buy sushi-grade salmon or if it’s not available, you can cure raw salmon yourself using a boneless chunk of it.
Once you have sushi-grade salmon, you can now make Poke Bowls ( pronounced Poke-ay bowls). Poke bowls have their origin in Hawaii. It’s sushi-grade fish on top of rice, garnished with different vegetables and drizzled with sauce.
You can make your salmon poke bowls with a few ingredients:
- Cubed Sushi-grade salmon marinated in a bit of soy sauce and lemon juice
- An assortment of vegetables, including avocado, if you want
- Rice ( white or black rice) or rice substitute
- Toppings like sesame seeds and cut up nori sheets are optional
Assembling a poke bowl is as easy as scooping rice ( or rice substitute) into a bowl and topping it with your desired vegetables. Put sesame seeds and cut up nori sheets if you want.
You can choose to sear the marinated cubed salmon there is no sushi-grade salmon available.
4. Sashimi
If poke bowls are not your thing, you can make sashimi. Sashimi is a Japanese word that means sliced raw fish. To make sashimi, you simply take your sushi-grade salmon or your home-cured one and cut it into thin slices. Arrange it attractively on a plate and dip it into soy sauce with a bit of wasabi. It can’t get any easier than this.
5. Pan-Seared Salmon
If you have a pan, you can make pan-seared salmon in less than ten minutes, making it a perfect meal to make when you’ve had a busy day. To make a basic pan-seared salmon, you only need two things.
- Six-oumce salmon fillet. This size is recommended, so the inside thoroughly cooks without overcooking the outside. You are, of course, free to use whatever size you want.
- Lemon, salt, and pepper. You use these to marinate the salmon just before searing it.
Heat olive oil or any oil of your choice in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it’s hot and shimmering. Place the marinated salmon skin side up. Wait until you see the bottom part becomes golden and crispy before you flip the salmon – about four to five minutes. During this time, don’t flip the salmon before it turns golden. Otherwise, it won’t become crispy.
When you flip the salmon, reduce the heat to medium and sear it for another three to four minutes. Eat it by itself or serve it over rice, salad, or a side of vegetables.
There are many other delicious ways to cook salmon. However, hopefully, these five best salmon dishes would be a good starting point.
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