Oven-Roasted Whole Salmon Fillet
Simple Recipes Fish and Seafood Meat Dishes Oven Recipes
When I first tried this grill technique for fish, I thought I would either char the beautiful salmon or something amazing would come out. And it turned out great on the first try—golden on top but very tender inside, preserving its flavor. Since then, I've made it several times and it's turned out just as good. I like to trim the fillet so it has a somewhat even thickness across the surface, but it's not mandatory. From the trimmings, I make these salmon patties.
Ingredients
1 whole salmon fillet (choose one that's as thick and uniform in thickness as possible)
1 teaspoon neutral honey (acacia, for example)
1/2 teaspoon oil
coarse salt, black pepper
Servings: 3-4
How to prepare oven-roasted whole salmon fillet
- If desired, you can trim the fillet so it's as uniform in thickness as possible (see photo 1). It's not mandatory, but thinner parts will be more done at the end. Pat the fillet dry with paper towels so it's as dry as possible. Generously sprinkle with coarse salt, including in the cuts, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Pat the fillet dry again until dry and remove excess salt.
- Sprinkle the fillet with black pepper and other seasonings you like (I also added some lemon pepper). Mix the honey with the oil and then brush the top of the fillet with this mixture. Massage it to make sure the honey gets everywhere. The honey won't be noticeable at the end—the salmon won't be sweet—but it helps it brown faster.
- Place the salmon on a strip of parchment paper just slightly wider than it and a bit longer. This strip will help you transfer it intact to a serving platter.
- Using the paper, move the salmon to the baking tray (which can also be lined with parchment paper).
- Bake the salmon at 120°C for 20 minutes. Then switch the oven to grill function (heat from above; at 220°C if your grill has a thermostat) and leave until golden (about 5 minutes). During this time, don't take your eyes off the fish, especially toward the end, so it doesn't burn.
* I've seen professional chefs use a torch after removing the fish from the oven to give it an even golden color; in my photo, it's as it came out of the oven - When it's pleasantly golden, transfer it to a platter using the paper underneath. I brushed it with a little sesame oil and sprinkled it with some toasted sesame seeds and fresh parsley. I arranged lemon slices around it.
- When serving, everyone cuts as much as they want from this piece. The skin doesn't come out crispy with this cooking method.
The fillet has been trimmed
Sprinkled with coarse salt
Perfectly cooked inside, not dry at all
