A little tip/trick to making FABULOUS salmon in your oven!

I get compliments on my salmon dishes all the time, so I thought I'd take a moment to share some of my little secrets.  First of all, I ONLY use wild caught FRESH salmon, so I don't PLAN a meal of salmon; it PLANS me!  In other words, if I'm at the market and fresh wild caught salmon is available, or better yet ON SALE, I buy it and that's what we're having for dinner!! You all know of its health benefits, but besides that, it's incredibly easy to fix and is always scrumptious!

So, you've brought your salmon home.  If you're not going to use it immediately, put in refrigerator.  DON'T freeze it--why buy fresh and take home and freeze it? Unless you bought 20 lbs. of it!  :)

Before we start....turn on your oven to BROIL- keep door cracked open.  My oven says 550 degrees when I broil, so it's going to be really hot.

                                                                        

Let's begin!

1.  Remove from paper and rinse and towel dry.
2.  Get a baking sheet or pan long enough that entire piece can be flat on the pan
3.  Place a piece of aluminum foil on the pan
4.  Put the piece of salmon skin side UP on the pan
5.  Drizzle organic olive oil over the salmon on the skin side- brush over the skin lightly or rub in w/ your hand.

6.  Place under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes.  Keep an eye on it.  When you see the skin's edges start to separate from the fish, you can remove the fish from oven, but keep the broiler ON.  You are NOT going to shut the oven door all the way. Keep it cracked open during this process of broiling the fish.

7. While fish is broilling, mix together in a bowl:
     2 T. mayonnaise
     1 T. herbs de provence
     1/4 t organic garlic sea salt or just organic sea salt
     dash of smoked black pepper
     1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice ( save the lemon for later )

8.  Remove fish from oven and lift edge of skin w/ fork.  It should all come off in one piece.  Discard skin.  Carefully turn fish over in pan.  Brush on mixture described in part 7.  It should cover entire fish with a light layer.

9.  Put fish back under broiler for about 4-5 minutes - watch it carefully.  The mixture will brown- you want it to start to bubble a bit and brown, but NOT to turn black.  When mixture is slightly brown, turn off oven, squeeze the rest of 1/2 of lemon over the fish.  Fold aluminum foil over fish, and let it stay in oven for 5 more minutes.  DO NOT LEAVE LONGER THAN THIS.  It will dry out.

10.  In those few minutes, you can do last minute preparations of table, prepare warmed plate for serving, etc.  Remove fish from oven, carefully slide onto serving plate.  Garnish w/ favorites: parsley, basil, etc. Enjoy!