I admit, 6 months ago I wouldn’t have had the courage to cook wild-caught salmon whole, but, today, I do. And, guess what? It’s wonderfully easy. Easy. Easy. Easy.
Plus, bonus, buying a whole wild-caught sockeye (or king) salmon is cheaper than buying it in pieces. I buy my wild-caught sockeye (and king) salmons from Vital Choice. I opt for the boneless with skin-on. They have an amazing product and fabulous customer service. I called them recently to ask them what to do with the prawns I bought from them. The gal on the phone told me step by step. Awesomeness.
This recipe doesn’t require much work at all. The hearty crisp romaine lettuce is tossed in a delectable creamy avocado dressing that is both sweet and savory, which pairs well with the salmon, having it’s own sweet and spicy elements. My 4-year old loved it. My husband loved it. I loved it. Say no more.
I took my inspiration for the salmon-cooking part of this recipe from Alton Brown, but changed the ingredients to suit my desires. Sometimes, like below, I serve it on top of a satisfying salad which makes for a fabulous meal leaving everyone happy.
I also made this for a recent dinner party where everyone raved about it. It’s a great way to cook for many people because you just cook the whole fish in one piece and cut it prior to serving. That’s easy cooking when you’re entertaining. At the party I served it with braised fennel (as fennel and fish go very well together).
Wild-Caught Sweet-n-Sassy Sockeye Salmon
Yield 4 to 6 servings
- 1 (~ 24 ounces) (whole) sockeye salmon, boneless
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed ghee (<– the best ghee)
- 1/4 cup unrefined sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (fresh) organic lime zest
- 2 teaspoons minced (fresh) rosemary
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (<– great pepper mill)
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, lime zest, rosemary, salt(s), and pepper. (I like to use a whisk to stir it.)
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Place the salmon skin-side down on a cutting board or large platter. Spread the ghee on the meat-side of the fish (I like to use a rubber spatula.)
- Pat the sugar and salt mixture on top of the ghee with your hands. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. (While it does this, make the salad dressing, if using. Recipe below.)
- Set the broiler rack about 3″ from the heat.
- Set the oven to 500 degrees F with the baking sheet inside. Let the oven heat for 2 minutes. Take the baking sheet out and place the fish on it skin side down.
- Cook for 6 to 10 minutes (until internal temperature of the thickest part registers 125 degrees F with an instant read thermometer). Get one of these awesome instant read thermometers. I use mine daily. It’s worth the price.
- Rest uncovered for 5 minutes. Cut into 4 to 5 pieces. Serve on top of salad (if desired) portioned into individual serving bowls.
Honey Avocado Mustard Dressing (Salad)
Yield 1/2 cup
This dressing is best for salads of romaine lettuce, which is strong enough to hold the heavy-ish dressing (as seen with the salmon above).
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled
- 2 tablespoons raw honey or grade B organic maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons organic yellow mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons quality oil of choice*
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 head of lettuce, washed and chopped, preferably romaine
- Blend everything, except for the lettuce(!), until smooth. I like using my Nutri-Bullet for dressings because it has a smaller cup so it’s easier to handle small amounts of dressing.
- Place the lettuce in a large bowl and pour the dressing on top. Toss to coat the lettuce with the dressing.
- Divide the lettuce amongst 4 to 5 serving bowls. Top with Wild-Caught Rosemary Lime Spicy n Sweet Sockeye Salmon recipe (above). Serve immediately.
*I prefer 1 tablespoon Brain Octane MCT oil plus 1 tablespoon raw organic macadamia nut oil.