Slow-Roasted Salmon with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and Feta
This recipe is tweaked from cooking.nytimes.com. I have made this many times. It is very easy, and perfect for a weekday meal with leftovers or an elegant party. The flavored oil is wonderful for sopping up with good bread.
QUANTITY AND INGREDIENTS
½-¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil (enough to come halfway up sides of fish)
1 ½- 2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
½-⅓ teaspoon smoky paprika
1 tablespoon dried fennel seeds, crushed using mortar and pestle
1 tablespoon dried coriander seeds, crushed using mortar and pestle
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (2-pound) skinless salmon or steelhead
flaky salt (Maldon salt recommended), for finishing
handful of fresh herbs: parsley, basil, mint, coriander or combination, for flavor and garnish
Serve with sliced cucumber, tomatoes, and hunk of feta
QUANTITY AND INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½- 2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
½-⅓ teaspoon smoky paprika
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed using mortar and pestle
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed using mortar and pestle
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 (2-pound) skinless salmon or steelhead
Flaky salt (Maldon salt recommended), for finishing
handful of fresh herbs: parsley, basil, mint, coriander or combination, for flavor and garnish
Serve with sliced cucumber, baby tomatoes, and feta
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
small saucepan
baking dish slightly larger than the salmon
PREPARE YOUR MIS EN PLACE
1. Read and reread the recipe. Divide tasks amongst team members.
2. Gather all the ingredients and necessary equipment.
PREPARING SALMON
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine olive oil, red-pepper flakes, paprika, crushed fennel and coriander seeds, crushed garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and just simmering, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Pat the salmon, flesh side up, in a baking dish, folding the tail end under to create an even thickness. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Pour the spiced oil over the salmon.
3. Bake in the oven, basting occasionally, until cooked through, 18-22 minutes. The salmon is done when it can be flaked with a fork.
4. When serving, cut the salmon into single servings and drizzle chile oil over the top.
5. Serve with slices of cucumber, baby tomatoes and a chunk of feta and drizzle a little more chile oil on top if you like.
6. Finish with Maldon salt.
CULINARY TIPS
1. Poaching cooks fish slowly and at lower heat; the oil creates a barrier that helps the fish retain moisture. Use a pan that is just large enough to hold the fish in order to reduce the amount of oil needed. You can displace the oil with a cut onion if needed. A full or half-submersion are both options. Heating the poaching liquid in advance helps avoid unequal temperatures during the cooking process.
2. For Boise locals, a side of steelhead can be found in the frozen freezer section of Winco. It literally is a “steal.”
3. The dried spices in this recipe are staples in a cook’s pantry. These can be found in the bulk section of Winco at low cost. Find fun containers for your spices, label them, and keep them visible; they will inspired your own recipe tweaks. Once again, I encourage growing your own fresh herbs; I grow mine in pots that sit near my front door. It’s a small investment for a lot of savings, and it’s so satisfying. During the winter, try growing more tender herbs in an Aerogarden-type set up.
