May 2024
By Jean Kerr
Salmon is one of our most prized catches in both the northeast and the northwestern U.S. Wild Alaskan and North Atlantic varieties are treasured by seafood lovers and chefs. Salmon thrive in cold ocean water, and being a New Englander, cold water seafood is a preference of mine.
Responsibly farmed salmon is widely available, too. And while salmon’s distinctive “salmon” color occurs naturally in the wild, I came across a little tidbit in “Food and Wine” which asserts that farmed salmon “is naturally pink due to their diet which includes astaxanthin, a reddish-orange compound found in krill and shrimp. Farm-raised salmon, however, eat whatever farmers throw into their pen. Added to this kibble is astaxanthin. . . often created in a lab.” I suppose it’s the same with anything we farm and eat – it needs to be responsibly raised.
I’ve cooked plenty of just-fine farmed salmon, but this factoid might just find me looking a little harder for wild – always a preferred choice in my book. Whatever the source, salmon is a beautiful pink, blank canvas and one of the most versatile items on anyone’s menu. Smoked, cured, poached, grilled, planked, roasted, it lends itself to a wide variety of preparations. I love glazed salmon as it adds complexity to the flavor without covering everything in a heavy sauce. Here are a couple of my favorite recipes.
Points East columnist Jean Kerr is the author of four cookbooks, including, “Mystic Seafood” and “Maine Windjammer Cooking.” She is the former editor of “Northeast Flavor” magazine and a regular contributor to “Cruising World.”
Miso Soy Glazed Salmon
This recipe comes from my first cookbook (now out of print but available used), “Mystic Seafood.” Like most of my recipes for oven roasting fish, it calls for high heat and a short cooking time.
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup of miso paste
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 pounds salmon filets, divided into 4 portions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Whisk or blend together all ingredients except the salmon.
3. Place the salmon on a baking sheet or glass baking dish and glaze generously, then bake for 10 minutes.
4. Brush the salmon again with the remaining glaze and return to the oven for another 5 minutes until just barely cooked through and the glaze is caramelizing. Sprinkle sesame seeds over and serve immediately.
Serves 4
Citrus Glazed Salmon
This recipe comes courtesy of Chefs for Seniors, a group of chefs (of which I am one) that provides personal chef services for seniors and anyone that needs help with meals.
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 (6-ounce, 1-inch thick) salmon filets
1. For the glaze: Bring all of the ingredients to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, stirring to keep the mixture from burning. Reduce the heat and let the glaze reduce until syrupy. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Sauté salmon and pour glaze over the top.
Serves 2
NOTE: You can also oven-roast the salmon in this recipe using the same method as in step 4 above.