I’m going to be very honest with you. . . . I’ve never liked salmon.
In fact, I’m the only one in my family who would not eat it. Even my 2-year old likes it. Since I’m the odd man out, so to speak, I decided I needed to make a more concerted effort to try salmon. Plus, it’s healthy and good for your complexion (I’ve heard), so I decided to give it a try.
I chose wild salmon versus farm-raised salmon at the suggestion of a friend who believes wild salmon has a milder flavor. Plus, wild salmon is supposed to be the healthier option, albeit pricey (a bit of a splurge, and not something we eat every day).
I went to my local fish monger (luckily I have an amazing one in town), and I bought fresh, wild salmon. Then, I needed to find a good recipe because I think the key to good fish is good preparation. I can assure you that just throwing some lemon on top would not be appealing to me.
So, I searched the Internet looking for recipes, and cobbled together a marinade from what I had on hand in my refrigerator – lemon, garlic, dijon mustard, and parsley. Voila!
To my surprise, I really liked it. The whole family liked it! I’m not sure why — I guess it was just the right combination of flavors between the fresh lemon and parsley, the tangy mustard and spicy garlic. It was also cooked just right — not overdone, but moist.
Needless to say, I actually enjoyed the wild salmon. It was sort of a miracle! So, I figured, if I like it, you will too.
Here’s my recipe for Lemon-Dijon Herbed Salmon! Consider serving it with our Shaved Fennel Salad or Lemon-Garlic Scented Roasted Asparagus!
Lemon-Dijon Herbed Salmon
serves 4-6 people
2 lbs of wild salmon, cut into steaks
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced and zested
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a bowl, combine olive oil, crushed garlic, chopped parsley, mustard, juice and zest of one lemon, salt and pepper.
Place wild salmon in a baking pan, lined with tin foil.
Evenly distribute marinade over each portion of fish.
Bake wild salmon for approximately 15 minutes, until firm, but moist. Serve immediately!
Helpful hint: Try making this recipe on the grill! You will still want to cook the wild salmon on tin foil. Try to keep the temperature of the grill at a constant 400 degrees. I noticed mine cooked a little sooner on the grill, closer to 10-12 minutes. Keep in mind, cooking times will vary depending on size and thickness of your wild salmon steak.