One of my favorite fish to eat is salmon. I can't explain why, but I absolutely love the taste and the flavor of a good salmon ... especially grilled or pan-seared with crispy skin, a squeeze of lemon juice, seasoned with black pepper and a pinch of salt, served over a bed of white rice with a side of steamed broccoli, a drizzle of garlic butter sauce ... I'm sorry, what was I saying?
Salmon is one of the most popular fish options for people who are trying to eat better and find options that provide more health benefits in each dish. But salmon can be an expensive option too, and if you don't cook it right, you may feel like you wasted your time and hard-earned money trying to be like Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen.
Besides being a great source of low-fat protein (3oz of salmon contains close to 20 grams of protein and roughly 10.5 grams of fat), it also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which is useful when it comes to heart and brain health. And, fish oil is good for your skin and your hair, so you can literally look better by eating fresh salmon.
That's the key - buy fresh salmon, if possible. Remember what I said about purchasing seafood? Make sure that your fish is as fresh as possible. If buying the actual fish, check the eyes. Clear eyes equal a fresh fish selection. If you are purchasing fillets or selections already butchered, don't be afraid to ask questions about the freshness of the fish. If they can't supply adequate answers, it might be best to leave that selection alone. Frozen fish is also an option, but check if it's wild caught salmon or farmed. You will find that wild caught salmon offers less mercury than farmed salmon and provides the most health benefits.
But now that you have this beautiful piece of fish on your cutting board in the kitchen, what do you do with it? Fish is a delicate thing to cook; it can easily be overcooked or undercooked.
First things first, if you are going to grill or pan-sear it, place it skin side down in a super hot pan with oil. You want that skin to be nice and crispy (if you are cooking with the skin), to produce more flavor. Here's a little tip too; if you are grilling the fish, place the fish on some lemon slices. The flavor of the lemon and the fish will combine in the fish and it will make cleaning it off the grill easier too.
If you are going to bake the fish, keep in mind that salmon doesn't require a lone cooking time. You shouldn't have it cooking for more than 10 minutes, 15 minutes at the absolute max. You want the fish to come out flaky and opaque. Seasoning your fish is key as well, but add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice from a fresh fruit. Even an orange works. The acidity in the fruit will add a brightness to the dish that will bring a depth of flavor unlike anything you've ever tasted before.
Now, this is a simple way to utilize salmon. But you can incorporate it into your diet in a variety of ways. Add it to salads and tacos, serve it raw with sushi or poke bowls, make fried rice with it, shred it to make salmon cakes or salmon burgers...the possibilities are more varied than you may think. Like anything else, you can get as creative as you want.
We about for the love of salmon, so it's time to go fishing and cooking!
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