Salmon Recipes
|
 |
|
Copyright
Nick Nairn |
|
Cooking Perfect Salmon
by Nick Nairn
|
|
serves 4
preparation time 5 to 10 mins |
|
|
One of the
greatest attractions of salmon is how well
it adapts to different cooking methods.
Whether steamed, poached, grilled, baked,
fried, smoked or eaten raw as sachimi, each
method produces different results in terms
of texture and taste. Whichever method you
choose, it is vital not to overcook it.
Really, it comes down to personal
preference, but I believe that salmon should
be served the same way as steak: medium
rare. In practice, this means that the
salmon should still be pink inside when it
is served. To test, give it a gentle press
or squeeze. Perfectly cooked salmon will
give slightly, but not too much; if it's
wobbly or jelly-like, then it's undercooked.
Salmon which is firm to the touch is
definitely overcooked and you'll find eating
it akin to chewing on cotton wool. |
|
Quick and easy |
| |
|
4 x 140g (5oz) salmon fillets or steaks |
|
freshly ground sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper |
|
a squeeze of lemon juice |
| |
|
Baking Preheat the oven to
200‚°C/400‚°F/Gas Mark 6. Dot the fillets with
butter or drizzle with olive oil, season and
place them on a greased baking tray. Put
them in the oven for 7-8 minutes. |
|
Char-grilling Using a ribbed
cast-iron griddle pan is the easiest way to
recreate the charred smoky flavour of the
barbecue. To prevent the salmon sticking to
the pan, make sure you oil the salmon, not
the pan and don't be tempted to fiddle with
the fillets while they're cooking. To form
the characteristic "stripes", cook for two
to three minutes on one side, then rotate
the fish through 90° and cook for a further
two minutes. Repeat on the other side.
Season and serve. |
|
Grilling Preheat the grill to the
highest setting. Line the grill pan with
foil, dot the salmon with butter or drizzle
with olive oil and grill for two to three
minutes on each side. Season and serve. |
|
Pan-frying/searing Heat a non-stick
frying pan until very hot, then add a
little sunflower oil. For thin cuts, fry the
fillets for 2-3 minutes on each side, to get
a caramelized crust; for thicker cuts,
reduce to a medium heat once the salmon has
been added, then cook for 5-7 minutes on one
side and a further 2 minutes on the other
side. Season and serve. |
|
Poaching Fill a wide frying pan with
water, just deep enough to cover the
fillets. Once the water is barely simmering,
poach the fish for about 5 minutes, until
opaque and just set. Using flavoured stock
or even some lemon juice adds an extra
dimension to the taste. For cold-poached
salmon, slip the salmon into the simmering
water, remove from the heat and leave to
cool. The salmon will poach slowly in the
cooling water. Season and serve. |
|
Steaming This is the healthiest way
to cook salmon. Throw some aromatic herbs,
say tarragon or thyme into the base of a
steamer, add water and bring to the boil.
Place the salmon, lightly oiled, into the
steamer basket, put on the lid and steam for
5-8 minutes, making sure the steamer doesn't
boil dry. Season and serve. |
|
