Asian-Style Glazed Salmon

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had planned to share a grand dessert with you tonight, but time caught up with me and it never quite made it to the oven. Tomorrow will be a better day, I promise. What I do have to share tonight is an easy Nigella Lawson recipe that is perfect for guests as well as family. The recipe is self-explanatory and the salmon comes together quickly. While I made a few minor changes to her recipe, I wanted to share the original version with you, and simply tell you about the changes I made. As you probably can tell from the photo, I used Atlantic salmon for my version of the dish. I had the fish monger cut a single thick fillet to makes its preparation even easier than in the original recipe. I also left the skin on and removed it just before serving. Over the years, I've learned that the flake test is really the most reliable way to determine if a fish is done, especially if you are working with thick fillets. The sugar in the marinade makes the fillets prone to scorching, so you'll want to carefully watch them as they cook. I make it a point to have everything else I plan to serve with dinner ready to go before I begin to cook the fish, It comes together so quickly that there won't be time for anything else once its done. This is a really nice recipe and I think you'll use it often. Come back tomorrow for the dessert recipe I had planned to feature tonight.

Slow Roasted Ivory King Salmon - More Gifts from the Sea

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Ivory salmon is a white fleshed King salmon native to waters of the Pacific Northwest. Most salmon get their color from carotene in the food they eat, but white or ivory Kings are genetically predisposed to process carotene rather than collect it in their flesh. Ivory salmon tends to be milder, silkier and more buttery in taste than regular Kings. They are rare and will cost a king's ransom when they can be found. We were gifted the fillets I'm sharing with you tonight. This is the first, and probably the last, time we have had this delicacy. Fifteen years ago, consumer demand was for wild red salmon, so when Kings with white flesh were found, they were tossed into piles heading to canneries or smokehouses. Ivory salmon cannot be identified until the Kings are filleted and their white flesh is exposed. Chances are they'd have remained in the cannery heap, save for the fact that segments of the food community began to demand novelty in their cuisine, and, as a result, the fish gradually found its way to some of the finest restaurants in the United States. Its color was the attraction, but its taste and texture kept it there. Pigmentless salmon has a softer, buttery flesh that is less fishy and more like that of a freshwater fish. I decided to slow roast the fish we had been given using a can't fail method that had been perfected by Charlie Trotter. Slow roasting produces a fish with a unique texture that will melt in your mouth. The appearance of the fish changes only marginally and it actually looks undone when you take it from the oven. Rest assured it's done and delicious. Should you have the good fortune to stumble on ivory King salmon, I hope you have a wallet that can take the beating this fish will give it. Here is how I prepared our fish.

Salmon Roasted in Herb Butter

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple recipe is another of Mark Bittman's creations, and those of you who like salmon should give it a try. I have made the salmon in its simplest form tonight, and baked it with butter and parsley. I usually use dill but had none in the house, so parsley was my herb of choice this evening. The basic recipe calls for the use of chervil, parsley or dill, but other herbs and oils can replace the butter and herbs used in the original recipe. Some of the variations that have been suggested are an equal measure of extra virgin olive oil in place of butter, combined with 2 teaspoons basil or thyme leaves or 2 tablespoons marjoram leaves for the dill, chervil or parsley. If you are feeling adventurous, peanut oil mixed with a teaspoon of dark sesame oil can also be substituted for the butter, and cilantro or mint would then be the herbs of choice. Whatever combination you use, you'll find this main course to be one of the easiest and most satisfying you can prepare. It can be on the table in less than 30 minutes and while it is wonderful family fare, it is fancy enough to serve to guests. Here is how it is made.

Mirin Glazed Salmon

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had planned to share a grand dessert with you tonight, but time caught up with me and it never quite made it to the oven. Tomorrow will be a better day, I promise. What I do have to share tonight is an easy Nigella Lawson recipe that is perfect for guests as well as family. The recipe is self-explanatory and the salmon comes together quickly. While I made a few minor changes to her recipe, I wanted to share the original version with you, and simply tell you about the changes I made. As you probably can tell from the photo, I used Atlantic salmon for my version of the dish. I had the fish monger cut a single thick fillet to makes its preparation even easier than in the original recipe. I also left the skin on and removed it just before serving. Over the years, I've learned that the flake test is really the most reliable way to determine if a fish is done, especially if you are working with thick fillets. The sugar in the marinade makes the fillets prone to scorching, so you'll want to carefully watch them as they cook. I make it a point to have everything else I plan to serve with dinner ready to go before I begin to cook the fish, It comes together so quickly that there won't be time for anything else once its done. This is a really nice recipe and I think you'll use it often. Come back tomorrow when I'll be featuring the world's greatest blueberry buckle.

Table for Two - Sesame Crusted Salmon with Lemon and Ginger

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I made this salmon for the Silver Fox on Saturday evening. He made a request for "adult" food, and after a week of eating dishes selected to please others, he was entitled to at least one special request. This lovely dish popped into my mind. The recipe for it comes from Cook's Illustrated, and their recipes, like those of Ina Garten, are flawless. They may not always agree with your palate, but in execution they are flawless. These fillets are loaded with flavor that comes from a paste of tahini, lemon, and ginger, while a crust of sesame seeds adds some texture to an otherwise  soft protein. This recipe brines both the fish and the sesame seeds to assure each piece of fish is seasoned and remains moist after cooking. This is an altogether lovely entree and it is one that I should make more often than I do. I am including the photo that first appeared with the Cook's Illustrated recipe. My own picture, which is also featured, does not capture the appeal of these fillets and I wanted you to see them at their best. Do try this recipe if you enjoy salmon. I was unable to find thick salmon fillets, so I had to use the related stealhead fillets in their place, but the mildly Asian paste overcame any difference that might exist between the two fish. Here is how the sesame coated salmon is made.

Charlie Trotter's Slow Roasted Salmon

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Chinook salmon are now running and starting to appear in fish markets throughout Oregon and Washington. The farm raised version of the fish is available throughout the year, but the Silver Fox and I prefer to stave off salmon purchases until the wild variety is available. There is an enormous difference in flavor and while it's more expensive, the wild variety is less fatty and has better texture. Sometimes you get what you pay for. Over the years, I've tried more salmon recipes than I care to admit, but these days I tend to fall back on a handful of them that are truly outstanding. Tonight's recipe is one of those. Better than 15 years ago, Chef Charlie Trotter began to slow roast salmon in an oven set to 250 degrees. The method, then and now, produced a succulent and tender piece of fish that had glorious color and melt in the mouth appeal. Salmon cooked in this manner is irresistible to cooks and lovers of the fish alike. Slow oven or not, it is fast to cook and simple to make, and the stunning color of the fillets after roasting will brighten any table. I do hope you will this recipe a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Here is how slow roasted salmon is made.

Table for Two - Asian-Style Baked Salmon with Scallion Rice

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is an easy dinner to make and while it is simple to prepare, it's fancy enough to serve to guests. The salmon is a riff on a recipe I found, here, on Rasa Malaysia and the rice is one that I have shared with you before. The two dishes pair beautifully and produces a flavorful meal that is pleasing to both the palate and the eyes. There are no special insights to be shared here. This is a straightforward recipe, and if you follow the directions below, you'll have no trouble making this dish. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare, but do be forewarned, there is some wait time required to marinate the salmon. I serve the salmon atop rice in shallow bowls along with stir-fried bok choy or snow peas as an accompanying vegetable. This is a delicious dish that I know you will enjoy. Here is how it is made.