A recipe from my mother’s kitchen.
Salmon (for
people who don’t like to eat fish)
Ok obviously, if you already like fish, this recipe is for
you as well. :)
Why eat fish?
High in protein, low in fat, omega-3, vitamin D, calcium,
phosphorous, iron, zinc, magnesium, and potassium.
We are talking good for your heart, brain, not to mention
the rest of your body!
Many people do not like cooking fish because it is
unfamiliar or they don’t like eating fish because it wasn’t cooked right. ;-) I will attempt to help with this below.
First, I picked salmon for this because it is the least
“fishy” fish out there.
Here we go!
Ingredients
* indicates an accompanying picture below.
(Serves 6 or 4 who REALLY like salmon)
For the fish
-2 lbs of Salmon (I like “tail end” pieces because they have
the least bones and cook very nicely.
Since you have to take out the bones before you cook it, it’s easier
this way.)
-1/2 c of milk (this can be any kind including soy)
-2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
-1/2 c of Italian breadcrumbs
-Garlic powder
-Salt and pepper
For the tomato topping
-2 Roma tomatoes (chopped)
-2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
-1 tsp of garlic powder
-2 tbsp of olive oil
-Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
-Preheat oven to 375˚
-Line dark baking pan with foil.
-Wash salmon (NOT with soap) and place it on the pan skin
down.
-Run fingers up and down the salmon in all directions to
find bones. Gently grasp each bone
and pull it out in the opposite direction it grew. You may need a knife to assist in this. Sometimes when you buy salmon from the
tail end, there are no bones in it.
Don’t be worried about this, but ALWAYS check.
-Pour milk over salmon (it will drip to the sides)*
-lightly sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the
surface of the salmon.
-Pour vinegar over the surface of the salmon. Try to keep it in the middle of the
fish.
-Take a spoon and rub the salt/pepper/garlic/vinegar mixture
so it covers the salmon evenly.*
-Lightly cover the salmon with the breadcrumbs. It should be covered completely.*
-Place another sheet of foil over the fish making a pouch.*
-Place in over oven and cook for 20 minutes.
In the meantime…
-Make the tomato mixture.
-Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix
together. This will go on the fish
so you only need a little salt and pepper as the fish is already seasoned.
How to know if your fish is done?
-When 20 minutes are up, take the fish out and open the foil
pouch. Find the fattest portion of
your fish and check to see if it is now an opaque, light pink color. Then take a fork and gently take out a
piece of it like you are taking a bite.
If it flakes off easily, it’s done. Note! If you
bought fatter salmon (not at the tail end), it may take longer to cook. *
Directions Continued
-Once your fish is cooked, spoon out tomato mixture on the
top of the fish.
-Close the foil back up and place in the oven. At this point, turn off your oven. (It’ll stay warm, but won’t over cook
your fish.)
-Leave the fish with the tomatoes in the warm oven for 5
minutes.
-To serve your fish, use a plastic spatula to gently cut the
fish into slices. DO NOT cut
through the skin. Gently use the
spatula to scoop the fish out of the skin leaving the skin on the pan. (This skill will come with practice so
don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t work well the first time.)
-Serve with rice, pasta, or my favorite couscous! (And vegetables!)
Mangia!
Still collecting recipes for part 6, so send your ideas my way! I'd love to feature them! :)
