
The very first time I made salmon was when I lived in New York more than 10 years ago. I had a tiny kitchen, the kind you’d miss if you didn’t look left while walking into my 350 square feet apartment. I decided to cook for real every Sunday night for my boyfriend (now husband). I have never eaten out as much as I did when I lived in New York and welcomed a home-cooked meal. In fact, my cholesterol climbed 25 points during that time.
I continued cooking salmon and have tried many different ways of preparing it. I used to put it in foil and cook for about 40 minutes, which makes it stay moist. I’ve tried it in the slow cooker which I don’t recommend. I’ve attempted mustardy-type seasonings and the sweeter varieties. But now I opt for easy baking (or grilling in the summer) and season it one of three ways. I make trout the same way which is equally as tasty.
Jump Ahead
1. Easy rub
I got this rub recipe from my friend Holly who is an awesome cook. I keep it in a spice container ready to go. I apply a small amount of olive oil to the fish to moisten it and rub in the rub, which is equal parts cumin, mustard powder, curry powder, coriander, chili powder, sugar, and salt.
2. Basil and garlic mixture
This one is adapted from All Recipes. I mix 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves minced, 1 tsp. dried basil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small bowl and spoon out on top of the salmon. I usually have some leftover.
3. Breading
These salmon sticks are what got Big A into salmon. I no longer make these but I do top some of the salmon with a breading mix. I basically mix breadcrumbs with Parmesan cheese and add some garlic powder and salt.
After seasoning, I bake salmon in the oven at 400F for 15-20 minutes depending on thickness. What is your favorite way to make salmon?
Sides
Part of this challenge is also to work on sides. I usually serve salmon with baked fries and a salad. I kind of gave up on making my own and have come to love the Alexia brand of products. But recently my friend Holly made some baked fries (half sweet potato, half regular) that were really good. That motivated me to try them again. She suggested adding some cornstarch to make them crispy.
Of course, I forgot the cornstarch but I did soak the russet potatoes in some cold water to help remove some of the starch. At 425F for about 25-30 minutes, they turned out good but still not as crispy as I would like. I worked off this recipe but changed some things. Here’s the before and after:
I usually check out youtube videos for cooking secrets because I think that’s what makes the difference between a meal or side turning out and not. I see some cooks recommend microwaving potatoes first before cooking. Sticking russet potatoes in cold water, as I just mentioned, also helps. Super Healthy Kids posted about cooking potatoes on a cooling rack to achieve crispness. And then there’s the cornstarch idea which I’ll try next time.
So I’ll keep at it. Anyone figure out how to make homemade baked fries crispy?
And last but not least is the salad. Because the potatoes took more work, I opted for an easy: spinach, chopped strawberries, dry toasted almonds (from TJ’s) and feta with a vinaigrette dressing. A good meal for sure.
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it was Taco Tuesday tonight. the kids had a bowl with Doritos, beef and cheese (kid-version of taco) and my husband and I had a taco salad: lettuce, red beans, beef, cheese salsa and dressing. it was yummy!!! and easy.
thank you for sharing the recipes for salmon. gonna try those!
have your kids watched “Master Chef JUNIOR”?? my kids love it. it has inspired them to get in the kitchen and cook! we are gonna let them do something like that.
No Cherlyl but we’ll have to check it out. My daughter is starting to cook the meal on my kids choice night.
I appreciate you sharing all these recipes! Thanks for the salmon ideas! I have yet to have many takers, but the breading with the Parmesan cheese sounds like something my family would try.
For crispy oven fries, I whisk egg whites with some salt until frothy, then add potatoes to coat and scoop them out onto a baking sheet with a slotted spoon. The egg white puffs slightly and gives the fries a light, crispy coating on the outside.
Thanks for the tip Kim. I’ll have to try it!
Thanks for the ideas. Salmon has been a tough sell for my kids (and my husband!) but I love it so much. I’m going to try your breading idea.
Hey Sally. I would try the salmon sticks below and dip in butter first and be generous with the salt! Once they accept its easier to back off. let me know how it goes.
http://www.maryannjacobsen.com/tag/baked-salmon-sticks/
We just had your salmon sticks recipe for dinner tonight. It has been how each of my two kids have started accepting salmon. Super easy, quick and we have them once a week because everyone loves it! Thank you for the recipe!
That’s great to hear Allison!!