Anyone have suggestions for cooking salmon steaks?

[Lucinda]

I was given some vacuum-sealed frozen salmon and am looking for suggestions for cooking.
I can't grill it, but I'm open to any other suggestions.

I rarely cook fresh seafood because we don't get GOOD fresh seafood around here. I do make parchment pouch fish fillets that we like, but I'm looking for something that's designed to complement the flavor of salmon.


What would you do with salmon steaks?

TIA :hi:

[NMDemDist2]

1. here's mine

i have a fairly foolproof recipe I use called "7 minute Salmon"

one 4-6 OZ salmon filet (run your fingers over the filet and remove any pin bones you find)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup light Italian bottled salad dressing
1 tsp butter (preferably unsalted, but if not, just don't use much additional salt)

Place the filet(s) in a ceramic microwave safe dish with lid, season with salt and pepper and pour the dressing over (if using 2 filets, increase the amount of dressing) and let the fish sit, flesh side down for about 15 minutes

microwave on high, covered until fish is firm and pink (about 7 minutes for one filet, 9 minutes for 2)

let rest for a minute then transfer to a serving plate. add the butter (increase amount proportionally to the amount you increased salad dressing) to the cooking dish and stir with a wooden spoon until melted then pour over fish and serve immediately

you can finish it off with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice too, or a grate of Romano but neither are necessary

:hi:

[Lucinda]

2. Thank you!

I would have never thought of the microwave. Sounds quick and easy! :)

[NMDemDist2]

4. it is and foolproof too. if the filets get thinner on one side (as many do)

just kinda overlap the thinner parts so the fish is mostly the same thickness and note the edit I did about the butter too

:hi:

[Lucinda]

6. Thankie for the overlap tip!

:)

[kestrel91316]

3. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle generously with Lawry's seafood seasoniing

blend AND cajun seafood Magic. Pop under broiler for a total of 10 minutes per inch, IIRC. Salmon is best a little rare on the inside (like salmon sushi, lol).

I also do a nice broiled salmon with a teriyaki-like soy/brown sugar blend brushed on it, and sprinkled with crushed red pepper flakes.

[Lucinda]

7. Thanks for the broiler time!

We were given several steaks, so I may try the teriyaki/brown sugar glaze then next time.
I'm out of brown sugar. :(

[The empressof all]

5. If you aren't experienced with cooking the steaks

Simple is best

I would cook them in a lightly oiled medium hot pan (evoo) You want to leave them until they get a little browned on one side. Flip them just once and get them brown on the other. I like my salmon cooked through so you'll have to cut into one depending on their thickness. I remove them from the pan just when they are starting to look cooked through. Stick them on a plate and tent them with aluminum foil. De glaze the pan with white wine or broth with some lemon juice. Add some capers if you have them and some butter for richness. You then have a light sauce to top them.

Salmon IMO benefits from a good seasoning so I do salt and pepper prior to cooking.

[Lucinda]

8. Thank you!

Sounds simple and we love pan sauces.
Fortunately they gave us several steaks, so I can try them in different ways.

[hippywife]

9. I do the teriayki thing, too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=236&topic_id=43004&mesg_id=43009

Best salmon ever! :9

[Lucinda]

11. Thankie ma'am. Bookmarked it!

Hope you're having a luverly eve.

[eleny]

10. Smear with a little bit of mayo and sprinkle with dill

Broil it a few minutes each side and then sprinkle with some lemon juice before serving.

I've even fried onions, green peppers and garlic in some olive oil, then fry the salmon in the same pan after removing the onions. When the salmon is done, smother the onions back onto the fish so they get hot, too. It's finger licking good if you can take the frying. There's not much oil to this.

[Lucinda]

12. Both sound good to me!

Thanks! We have enough for about 4 meals, so I'll get to try it a few different ways. :)

[Tab]

13. I like fillets rather than steaks

Mainly, I hate screwing with those little frickin' bones that are in the steaks.

Anyway, the fillet's I have trimmed so they're as consistent a width/height as possible, rather than "tail off" to a thin tail. If I do have a tail, I fold it under to make it all a consistent size. That way you don't get one side overcooking and one undercooking.

I have to say I have found myself to prefer the farm-raised (I think it is) pink salmon rather than the more orange atlantic salmon.

Anyway, I usually cook it in the convection oven at 350 until it's done. I know that's a cop-out but I've been doing it so long I don't even know how long it takes any more. Maybe 20 or 30 minutes. I can tell just by looking at it. Remember - that's a convection oven. A tradition oven will probably run you closer to 40 or 45 minutes, and it depends on how thick the fillet is, or if it's been folded, yada yada yada.

I find it needs to be coated with something, and I have used everything, including ranch dressing (which works surprisingly well) but my overall favorite is Lawrey's Tequila and Lime marinade. I don't actually marinate it, I just coat it all over with it. I usually get the salmon close to room temperature - if there's any marinating, it's rarely more than 10 minutes. The point is to coat it so it doesn't dry out. As I said, I've even used ranch dressing to great success, but I like the tequila lime marinade the best.



I'll also say, and this is unrelated to the salmon, but my local supermarket (Hannaford's - a New England chain) sells pre-coated and/or marinaded servings of fish to cook. I don't normally bother, as I like to do my own, but I have taken a liking to a chipotle/lime w/breadcrumbs tilapia that they offer. I like to serve that with remoulade sauce and either salad or rice. Just sayin'.

[hippywife]

14. Any kind of farm raised fish or shrimp

is highly suspect. You'd think it was a good idea, wouldn't you? I know I did.

[Tab]

15. Suspect for what?

You mean salmonella or mercury poisoning?

I wasn't really referring to that, just to the taste. I've gotten acclimated to the farm raised taste, and found (at least the few times I had it, but they were "uncommon" acquisitions for where I live) that I didn't care for the fresh Atlantic salmon. I actually prefer the taste of the farm raised - it's a little gentler. The Atlantic salmon was just too strong a taste for me, or maybe I just wasn't prepared for it, but I didn't care for it.

On the other hand, I saw some gorgeous steelhead trout in the market the other day - that, I would love to get. Maybe I will tonight.

[hippywife]

17. Because of how they are raised,

in tight pens with very little swimming room, they contract and spread disease amongst themselves pretty readily, necessitating use of antibiotics. They are also fed crap.

http://www.deliciousorganics.com/controversies/wildvsfarmfish.htm

[The empressof all]

24. I can't even go near farm raised

Being here in PNW I'm spoiled with the Wild Fish. What a world of difference. We can get the Atlantic here and the farm raised but I won't go near it...Just for taste alone.

When I was back east recently I was having dinner with a relative who just went on and on about the Costco Salmon...She cooked it beautifully but it was garbage.

You haven't really experienced great Salmon until you've had it from the Wild and although Salmon freezes well...It's better fresh.

[hippywife]

25. I really envy you

and can only imagine the flavor of really fresh seafood. :9

[eridani]

26. And the sales! Got some wild keta salmon for $2.99/lb at QFC last week n/t

[The empressof all]

27. I got some too!

Of course it wasn't Copper River King...But it was far far superior to that farm raised stuff they sell at Costco. I shared one with a friend and still had enough left over to make some Salmon fritters for the husband.

[eridani]

28. Mine was a whole fish that they cut up for free

I made 13 croquettes out of what we didn't eat the first time, fried a couple of minutes to set the cornmeal, baked 15 minutes at 375F, then cooled and froze them individually.

[Lucinda]

20. I've been seeing a lot of lime used with salmon in recipes online

Must be a good combo. :)
I'll look for the Lawry's but we don't have many options at our store.

[Vinca]

16. Now I've got a salmon craving and I'll be headed to the store.

I usually marinate it for about an hour in Newman's Own lemon pepper marinade and broil it.

[Lucinda]

21. Lemon pepper sounds good too!

Yum. :) Thanks.

[pipoman]

18. A couple of simple ones

I make salmon every two weeks for the fish entree on sunday. I have tried many methods but the ones my customers always rave about are the simple herbed and grilled methods.

For just a couple of pieces, 1/4 cup or so olive oil. Add fresh herbs, I usually add either fresh sage or fresh dill, sometimes rosemary (sage is my favorite). Two tablespoons fresh lemon juice and a tablespoon of salt. Let the oil/herbs sit at room temp for 1/2 hour or so then pour over the fish, fully coating it. Let stand for another 15 minutes or so, then grill about 2 min on first side and just long enough to cook to the center on the second side. Serve with a piece of fresh lemon. People rave about this and it is so simple.

edit: almost forgot the most important part... just under the skin on the sides of salmon is a brownish 'blood strip' this is what makes salmon taste fishy and ruins (IMHO) a great piece of salmon. Carefully trim this brown strip away before cooking.

[Lucinda]

22. I love dill and lemon together. That sounds delicious with the Olive Oil.

And thanks for the trimming tip. I like fish, but not fishy fish. :hi:

[ginnyinWI]

19. spicy!

First marinate in this: a quarter cup or so olive oil, some minced fresh ginger and garlic, salt and pepper and a few tsps five spice powder. Then saute gently in a skillet in olive oil until done.

To go with it, whipped sweet potatoes and butter-sauteed sliced cabbage.

[Lucinda]

23. I would have never thought of the five spice with salmon!

Thanks for the suggestion! :hi: