Salmon Rushdie!

February 22, 2007 11:18 AM

What's the best seasoning for baking a salmon fillet in the oven? My girlfriend's making it for dinner, and I'm advising. Since this is dinner, quick responses would be appreciated. Thanks!
posted by potch to food & drink (37 answers total)

Just salt and pepper. Let the taste of the salmon come through.
posted by gaspode at 11:25 AM on February 22, 2007

The recipe is currently boxed up, but if I'm remembering correctly: Salt and pepper on the filet, then a thin layer of honey, topped by shredded fresh basil.

But just salt and pepper works, too.
posted by occhiblu at 11:26 AM on February 22, 2007

You could splash some lemon juice over it as well as the seasoning?

I have baked salmon before with a coating/crust of cream cheese/Philadelphia, breadcrumbs and parmesan, but that takes a bit more forethought!
posted by schmoo at 11:27 AM on February 22, 2007

I prefer my Salmon either:

rubbed with olive oil and sprinkled with Garlic salt or powder

or

rubbed with pesto.
posted by FlamingBore at 11:27 AM on February 22, 2007

Dill, pepper, salt and a sprinkle of lemon juice.
posted by cog_nate at 11:28 AM on February 22, 2007

Fresh dill
posted by hortense at 11:28 AM on February 22, 2007

Teriyaki is good. Just buy a bottle of teriyaki sauce on the way over. You'll have to baste it a couple times to get it good.
posted by GuyZero at 11:30 AM on February 22, 2007

Want to try something fun? Orange juice.
posted by majick at 11:31 AM on February 22, 2007

I love dill on my salmon. And lemon. And honey.

Another way I like to prepare salmon is by roasting the fillets with a little salt and pepper. While they're roasting, in a pan on the stove, caramelize some shallots in (a good amount of) butter, add some capers and lemon/orange juice and zest, and reduce to a nice saucy consistency. Put the salmon on top of some greens (like baby spinach) that you've lightly sautéed with garlic and just a drop of olive oil, and spoon the sauce/shallots/capers on top.
posted by J-Train at 11:33 AM on February 22, 2007 [4 favorites]

My fave:

Put a layer of chopped onion on the base of the casserole dish, or whatever you're using. Rub the salmon down with some olive oil and lay it over the onion. Smush some garlic (fresh if possible, otherwise some of that pseudo-fresh garlic in the jars - definitely not powder) on top and massage it in a bit. Then add rosemary (crush it with your thumb in the palm of your other hand to release the flavour before putting it on) and a bit of salt/pepper.

Before you put it in the oven, throw some quartered tomatoes around the edge of the dish. They cook up JUST RIGHT in the time same time it takes for the salmon to cook.


Since it's salmon, I can't help but suggest my other fave method of cooking it even though it's stove-top.

* poach it in about 3/4" of chicken broth with some anchovy paste mixed in (or whole anchovies -- really, they're good even if you don't like them by themselves). I also add marmite, but you may not have that on hand.
posted by devbrain at 11:34 AM on February 22, 2007

I like my salmon like I like my women - with just a tiny bit of dill and lemon.
posted by Greg Nog at 11:36 AM on February 22, 2007 [1 favorite]

I like to use Major Grey mango chutney and paprika.

Dill, butter and lemon is good too.
posted by ikkyu2 at 11:41 AM on February 22, 2007

Garlic and/or mustard can be added to almost any of the suggestions above. Dissolving a little Coleman's mustard powder in your lemon butter gives it a nice zing — but it's powerful stuff, so don't go overboard.
posted by nebulawindphone at 12:06 PM on February 22, 2007

I, too, will throw in my favorite method for cooking salmon (and trout). Pour 1/2 - 3/4 cup hard cider (preferably homebrew, but Strongbow will do the trick) or red wine into an unheated frying pan, add 2-4 cloves of garlic, one teaspoon of sage and a few turns of a pepper grinder. Situate the fish, flesh side up, in the pan, ensure the cider is enough to almost but not completely cover the fish, turn the burner on medium-low heat, cover and go away. Come back in a half hour, remove the fish, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the pan, boil off the cider almost completely, then pour the sauce onto the fish. Works like a charm.
posted by cog_nate at 12:08 PM on February 22, 2007

1/4 C maple syrup, 2 TB soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper...marinate for 1/2 hour and bake until flakey....just had it again the other day! Yum!
posted by lil' ears at 12:12 PM on February 22, 2007 [2 favorites]

lemon, butter, garlic, onion.
posted by magikker at 12:27 PM on February 22, 2007

I like a really thick teriyaki glaze on mine. For a unique preparation, dishwasher salmon is great and tons of fun!
posted by necessitas at 12:45 PM on February 22, 2007

Easy:

Dump equal amounts salt (any kind) and sugar (any kind) on top of a salmon filet or steak, so it makes a nice snowy crust. Let it sit in the fridge for an hour. Wash the salt/sugar off with a wet paper towel, and pop fish in the oven (or on a covered kettle grill) for exactly 10 minutes. Not a minute more, not a minute less. Perfection.

(If you must know, the salt/sugar cures the top layer of fish, keeping it moist, and letting the real flavor come through.)
posted by turducken at 12:56 PM on February 22, 2007

(Actually, it doesn't even have to sit in the fridge for an hour. 10 - 15 minutes will do, in a pinch.)
posted by turducken at 12:57 PM on February 22, 2007

What gaspode said, minus the salt and pepper.
posted by phatkitten at 1:12 PM on February 22, 2007

If the salmon's high quality, salt and pepper should suffice.

If it's not, add some butter and lemon.
posted by wmeredith at 1:24 PM on February 22, 2007

Dill and mustard. 20 minutes in the oven at 400 F.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:27 PM on February 22, 2007

Salt and pepper.
If you want to do butter, lemon, and/or dill, create a sauce or salsa to put on top after the fish has cooked.
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 1:33 PM on February 22, 2007

I know it sounds weird, but: bottled French salad dressing.
posted by solid-one-love at 1:34 PM on February 22, 2007

Salt, with a little pepper. Grab some sour cream, a little dill and some capers & whip up a sauce to spread on top. Roast/broil some fresh asparagus in the oven with some seasalt & boil up a few red potatoes. DOne.
posted by Pressed Rat at 1:50 PM on February 22, 2007

Just Tuesday we had salmon with maple syrup glaze and cracked peppercorns; sesame seeds in place of the pepper is good too.
posted by TedW at 1:59 PM on February 22, 2007

Dill (and just a tad bit of butter)
posted by sandra_s at 2:03 PM on February 22, 2007

I don't care for salmon myself, but I have gotten raves for salmon baked with a schmear of homemade garlic butter and a light sprinkle of adobo.
posted by Smilla's Sense of Snark at 2:13 PM on February 22, 2007

Maple syrup, soy sauce and mustard powder.
posted by thisjax at 2:23 PM on February 22, 2007

From Martha Stewart:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
4 pieces salmon fillet (6 ounces each), with skin chopped fresh dill (optional)
Chopped fresh dill (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
2. Put salmon, skin side down, in a baking dish, and spoon mustard glaze over each piece of fish. Bake until salmon is just cooked through and no longer red, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped dill, if desired, and serve.
posted by spec80 at 3:10 PM on February 22, 2007

Garlic, salt & pepper, olive oil, and a thin layer of pesto.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:28 PM on February 22, 2007

I began experimenting with dry rubs for baby back ribs a few years ago. On a lark, I sprinkled some on a salmon fillet and roasted in the oven. To. Die. For. Haven't stopped since...
posted by grateful at 5:17 PM on February 22, 2007

Make Cajun butter (just soften butter, add Cajun seasoning). Spread on the fish. Slice a pear if you have one (apple might work too). Add caramelized onions. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Wrap in parchment paper and bake, for MAYBE 10 minutes max.
posted by GaelFC at 5:55 PM on February 22, 2007

Got here late so dinner's come and gone, but in the interests of posterity, dersins provided me with a couple of top-notch salmon recipes in a question I posted last year.
posted by melissa may at 6:47 PM on February 22, 2007

Dill, pepper, salt and a sprinkle of lemon juice.

Equally for prosterity, cog_nate's got it, but I'd add butter.
posted by juv3nal at 8:36 PM on February 22, 2007

Ooh if anyone's still reading this thread I just thought of another of my faves:
Sprinkle Chinese five-spice powder over the salmon fillet, after rubbing oil into it; bake in the oven. Serve with noodles and shredded carrots and leeks stirfied in honey and soy sauce. Yum!
posted by schmoo at 6:15 AM on February 25, 2007

There are tons of delicious ideas in here. the one I tried turned out delicously, so I marked it as best for future readers. However, these are all awesome ideas. Thanks!
posted by potch at 6:46 PM on April 9, 2007