Back to the Kitchen: It's the Season for Salmon

BY GWEN KENNEALLY

Roasting or oven poaching a whole fish is one of the quickest and easiest ways to prepare salmon and totally impress your guests. These recipes work well with any whole fish, but my daughter is all about the “pink chicken!”

My family lore is that one of my great-aunts used to poach whole fish that her husband caught in the dishwasher! The trick she proclaimed was to run it twice on a normal cycle! You can also buy a poacher, but it takes up a lot of space and they are a bit pricey. These two methods are shamefully easy and between all of the high-end markets and fishmongers you don’t even have to touch a scale or a bone!

Lemon and herbs are a perfect match for salmon. I have included some sauces that complement very nicely and have ease in preparation. Having more guests? Throw in an extra fish and make an assortment of sauces. (The cranberry-tangerine mustard is particularly festive this time of year and the cucumber dill is great to serve the next day with cold fish!) You can pair it with a mixed green salad and some roasted winter vegetables and assorted potatoes.  So, be a rock star in your kitchen and let your friends and family think that you have been preparing this show stopping entrée for days!

Roasted Herb Salmon

1 (2 1/2-pound) fish, Salmon scaled, gutted and gills removed

3 lemons, sliced

1 bundle thyme, oregano, marjoram and rosemary

2 tablespoons chopped thyme, oregano, marjoram and rosemary

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 cups dry white wine

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make 3 diagonal slices about 1/2-inch deep on each side of the fish. Salt, pepper and olive oil the fish generously both inside and out. Place 4 lemon slices, a bundle of the mixed herbs and 2 of the garlic cloves inside the body cavity. Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil and arrange the remaining assorted herbs, lemon slices and garlic in the center of the tray and lay the fish on top. Fold the aluminum foil up around the sides of the fish to create a sort of baking dish. Add the white wine and place in the preheated oven and roast until the fish is just cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4

Roasted Whole Salmon

3.5 pound whole salmon

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch parsley

2 fresh lemons

Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Line shallow roasting pan with a layer of parchment or foil. Lightly oil perforated top and assemble. Place several thick lemon slices where fish will rest on pan. Measure thickness of fish by placing ruler alongside resting fish. Calculate 10 minutes of roasting time for each inch the fish is thick. Make 3 diagonal slices about 1/2-inch deep on each side of the fish. Lightly salt the inside and add a half-bunch of whole parsley stalks and several slices of lemon.

Place prepared fish atop thick lemon slices and roast. Ten minutes before calculated completion time, check fish for doneness. Fully roasted fish, flesh and bone should be opaque. Flesh will flake easily all the way to the bone. The skin will be well browned in most places. Let fish rest 15 minutes, then remove to serving platter. Present with fresh parsley and more lemon slices. Pass lemon wedges, salt, and pepper to taste. Serves 6

Cranberry Tangerine Mustard Sauce

2 cups whole cranberry sauce

Juice of 4 tangerines

1 shallot, diced

1-tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons sage leaves, sliced

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp. cold water

Sauté onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the cranberry sauce the tangerine juice, mustard, cayenne pepper and Sage. Mix the cornstarch and the water and pour in. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and cook for two minutes longer. Enjoy with fish or chicken.

Lemon Dill Sauce

3/4 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons chopped shallot

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Boil wine, shallot and lemon juice in medium saucepan over high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking until melted before adding more. Remove pan from heat. Stir in dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Greek, Tomato and Mint

1 inch ginger, peeled and minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped

Pinch cumin

1 cup Greek style yogurt

2 green onion, sliced thin

Hand full of chopped fresh mint

Dash red pepper sauce

Salt and pepper

Lime wedges and fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Combine ginger, garlic, tomato, and cumin in 1-quart microwave bowl. Microwave on high 30 seconds, stir in remaining ingredients. Serve with Fish.

Lemon Mustard Sauce

Water

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Generous dash pepper

1/4 c. mayonnaise

Grated peel of 1/2 fresh lemon

1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

Add water to reserved salmon liquid to equal 3/4 cup. In small saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually blend in liquid. Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat; blend in mayonnaise, lemon peel and mustard. Makes about 1 cup.

Cucumber Dill Sauce

2 cups sour cream

4 tablespoons dill, chopped

1 cup coarsely grated, pared cucumber

3 cloves garlic, minced

Fresh lemon juice to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste

Mix together and let chill a couple of hours or overnight!