Celebrating Salmon

by Laura Donnelly — March 26, 2007

Salmon is a beautiful and versatile fish. Mysterious in its ability to find its way back up rivers and streams to spawn after years in the ocean, this fish has been a figure of mythology in many cultures. Delicious, high in protein, full of omega-3 fatty acids, and just the prettiest range of colors you can imagine, salmon deserves a weekly appearance on your dinner plate...in spite of the occasionally shocking price tag!

At this point, the vast majority of Atlantic salmon is farmed, and the majority of Pacific caught in the wild. The causes and solutions to salmon's scarcity are various and controversial. Disease, overfishing, ocean and river warming, loss of freshwater habitat, pollution's reduction of food availability, and the construction of dams (over 400 in the Columbia River Basin alone) have all contributed to the endangerment of the fish. Countries such as Norway and states like Alaska and others in the Pacific Northwest are all experimenting with fish farming, hatcheries, and "ocean ranching."

There are six well-known species of salmon, all from northern waters. The most famous is Atlantic. The five found in the Pacific are sockeye, Chinook (or king), chum, Coho, and humpback (or pink) salmon. Some can reach weights of more than 100 pounds but most are between 5 and 15 pounds.

The freshness of salmon in the marketplace is not as unpredictable as it was in the past, and most of us have access to reputable seafood shops. Whether you prefer wild or farmed is up to your taste buds, wallet, and politics. I'm not sure I can detect a difference in flavor, but I will buy wild or FAS (frozen at sea) when I can.

Salmon is sold whole, gutted, and cut into either steaks or fillets. When buying fillets, feel free to ask for a center cut fillet rather than the tail pieces you often see left over in the display case. If you're buying a whole salmon, the skin should be shiny and silvery, the eyes bright and clear, the gills red or pink inside with a nice sea odor. One of the best things about salmon is it takes well to just about any form of cooking. You can grill, bake, roast, smoke, poach, or pan-sear it. Healthy, rich, and pretty, try to include salmon often in your diet.

Grilled Asian Style Salmon

Our week's worth of salmon recipes begins with a simple grilled main course--the fish's firm, fatty texture makes it ideal for the grill or broiler. Marinating it briefly (1-2 hours) in a gutsy Asian sauce is my favorite preparation method. Serve it with jasmine rice and a sugar-snap pea salad.

Serves 4

4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each
1/4 cup soy sauce (I prefer low sodium, it's plenty salty)
2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layers peeled off, tender insides minced (or substitute 1 Tablespoon lime zest)
1 Tablespoon honey

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in shallow bowl and coat salmon well with mixture. Set aside to marinate 1-2 hours.

2. Prepare charcoal or gas grill or broiler. Oil rack if grilling. Grill salmon skin side up first, then finish skin side down. Depending on how you like it cooked, follow the general rule for fish: 10 minutes per inch. Cook a little less time if you like it medium rare, and remember that it will continue to cook a few minutes longer from the heat after you take it off. Serve immediately with lime wedges.