Mysterious Annatto Seeds

Salmon

The World’s Kitchen to Your Home

Kristina Arnold, owner of Cocina del Mundo Herbs & Spices

www.cocinadelmundospices.com

Salmon is considered healthy and has become very popular due to high protein content, high Omega-3 fatty acids, and Vitamin D content.  To supply the world, salmon is farm raised and is wild caught.  Much controversy surrounds corporate farmed fisheries because salmon is exposed to contaminants and are feed on a meal instead of its natural food.  Because of these large fisheries farmed salmon has a bad rap but there are alternatives.  Organic salmon can be regulated for clean water and feed with more natural food.  Make sure to ask how old organic salmon is and what country it was raised in.  Wild caught salmon is most often farmed in a fishery.  Smaller operations are more likely to facilitate higher standards of salmon welfare and protect the environment.  Many Scottish and Norwegian salmon farms have some of the highest quality salmon, regulated by government agencies to lower the impact on the environment and provide healthy salmon stocks.

Alaska is the only state in the U.S. with no salmon farms.  Abundant stocks of salmon are fished in their natural habitat, eating marine life, and catches are managed to ensure spawning for future generations. 

Corporate salmon farms flood the market with cheap salmon, (most often) containing less Omega-3 fatty acids, and small levels of contaminants.

Wild caught salmon may be expensive but I think it is worth it considering all the factors.  I also believe we need to make every effort to support environmentally responsible fishermen and high quality salmon farms.  In the long run it will ensure better product.

When I buy smoked salmon I grab pouches (in the tuna section) which provide just enough for each recipe.  Some varieties are flavored so read the label.

Salmon Corn Chowder

1 can cheap clam chowder

1 c. heavy whipping cream

4 strips bacon-cooked off, grease saved

1/2 c. frozen corn

1/4 c. minced celery

1/4 c. minced carrot

1/8 c. cooking sherry

4 oz. smoked salmon-broken off in chunks

3 green onion green and white parts chopped

Cook off bacon in skillet, leaving bacon grease in pan. Add carrot and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.  Stir in green onion, celery, and corn.  Cover and cook for 5 minute.  Pour in sherry to deglaze the pan. Stir well scraping the bits off the pan.  While stirring with a whisk add in can of clam chowder until incorporated, and then stir in heavy cream.  Cook on low heat for 7 minutes.  Add salmon, breaking chunks into bite sized pieces, stir in, and cover skillet.  Cook 2 minutes and turn off heat.  Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with side salad and hearty bread.

Smoked Salmon Vegetable Rice

3 c. cooked rice-still hot

4 oz. smoked salmon broken into chunks

1-2 c. mixed vegetables of your choice, liquid drained if canned

2 T. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

2 T. Dill Dip & Seasoning

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°.  Stir together all ingredients and bake in covered casserole dish for 25 minutes.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving.  Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro.

Pepper Crusted Salmon with Roasted Red Bell and Parsley Butter

4 Salmon Fillets or 2 lb. salmon fillets

2 T. freshly cracked pepper

1 packet of Sesame Peppercorn Crust (a spice blend I make)

2 T. olive oil

1 c. butter or margarine

2/3 c. minced roasted red bell pepper

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 T. minced fresh parsley

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. raspberry vinegar

1 T. honey

Preheat oven to 350°.

Coat the salmon in olive oil and press each fillet into a combination of the peppercorns and the Sesame Blend packet.

Place salmon fillets into a baking dish and cook for 20 minutes, or until cooked through to desired tenderness.

Puree cooled butter with bell pepper, garlic, salt, vinegar, parsley, and honey.  Refrigerate mixture until salmon is done cooking.  Serve salmon with rice or egg noodles.  Place a dollop of butter mixture on each salmon fillet.

Salmon BLT

4 Salmon fillets

2 T.—1/2 c. olive oil

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

Lemon Lime Aioli

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lime juice

1/2 c. mayo

1 tsp. minced garlic

Stir together citrus, mayo, and garlic.  Let flavors mix until salmon is done.

For each salmon fillet have 2 slices of you favorite bread, toast the slices.

Have bacon slices, tomatoes, and lettuce of your choice to assemble BLTs.

Coat salmon in olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Salmon has the best flavor when cooked on wood grill but is also good in a skillet.  Depending on the quality of the salmon purchased cook salmon medium well to well done.  Most landlocked salmon is not fresh enough to cook medium rare.  I prefer to cook salmon medium if I trust the quality.  After cooking salmon assemble BLT as normal, using lemon lime aioli the same as you would plain mayo.