Welcome to the second installment of Explore Proteins!
This series of posts is meant to empower anyone who has ever felt uncertain or nervous about cooking proteins on their own, who loves to eat fish or beef or chicken in a restaurant but thinks that it’s much too hard to cook in their own kitchen. Here you'll find techniques and tips on everything from buying your protein to successfully cooking it to the correct temperature, and even suggestions for what to serve alongside them.
While it's not necessary to read the posts in order, I highly recommend clicking back to the first post in the series, Explore Proteins: Steak, for a peek at the series introduction as well as insight on how to deal with that delicious deceptively tricky protein.
For now, dig into this latest installment: Salmon!
Stove-Top Salmon
The Cut:
Unless you’re cooking for a crowd (in which case I recommend buying an entire side and slow-roasting it in the oven rather than cooking it on the stove), you will most likely be buying portions of salmon fillets that are prepacked by your local supermarket.
When you’re shopping, look for skin-on cuts that are as consistent in thickness as possible. The fat in the skin will keep the fish moist as it cooks, and the even thickness will ensure that the entire piece of fish cooks evenly. These cuts are usually from the center and top of the full fillet. Avoid the tail end pieces.
The Pan:
Nonstick all the way! Salmon is more fragile than meat or poultry, so you’ll want to make sure that it can’t possibly stick and tear while you’re cooking it. This is not a wuss move—professional, experienced chefs prefer nonstick pans for fish cooking. Why would we do any differently?
The Prep:
The salmon should be at room temperature before cooking. Keep in mind, though, that fish is not as dense as meat or poultry, so it won’t take nearly as long as those proteins to bring up to temperature.
Do not pre-season the fish; salting seafood ahead of time dries out the more delicate flesh. Instead, wait until you’re ready to cook, then salt both the skin and the flesh side of the salmon. Drizzle a little vegetable oil into the cold pan and . . .
The Cook:
Place the salmon, skin side down, into the cold pan, and place the pan on the burner on medium heat. As with chicken, bring the heat up slowly to allow the fat in the skin to render and crisp. If you place the salmon in a hot pan, the skin will buckle and cook unevenly.
Once the pan is at medium heat, turn it up to medium-high and continue to cook the salmon until its flesh has turned opaque three-quarters of the way up to the top of the fillet. Gently flip the salmon over onto the flesh side and continue to cook for 2 minutes, then flip back over to the skin side to finish cooking to the desired temperature.
The Temp:
Of all of the proteins, salmon is one of the most difficult to cook to the “correct” temperature—mostly because people have different opinions about what that temperature should be. Food safety regulations state that the internal temperature should be 145 degrees F, but beyond that, it’s a matter of preference. Some people prefer their salmon medium rare, where the salmon is still glossy pink on the inside; others prefer it well done. I personally like mine medium, where the salmon is light pink on the inside but not dry.
In general, the best way to test for doneness is to prod the salmon at its thickest section with a fork. Salmon that is cooked through should flake easily and be opaque in the center.
The Finish:
Salmon is delicious with the nothing but salt and pepper for seasoning. You can, if you wish, add a squeeze of lemon or some finely diced herbs (think parsley!) If you want to get much fancier, consider a glaze made with soy and maple or harissa and honey, or even a bright herb and olive oil dressing.
The Serve:
I love serving salmon with cruciferous vegetables, such as brussels sprouts or cabbage, and hardy grains, like bulger, millet, or quinoa. When thinking about accompaniments, keep in mind that salmon is rich and fatty in texture, so you’ll want something acidic or crisp to even it out. A cabbage slaw, for example, is a great idea!
Originally posted July 2, 2020.
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