This preparation can be used on a number of different fish types, as long as the meat is dense enough to stand up to grilling, and the flesh has enough oil to retain part of its own flavor.
1. Mix together all the ingredients after the salmon and pour into a shallow, non-reactive dish (like a glass casserole).
2. Marinate the fish for an hour or longer, turning it occasionally and scooping sauce over the top.
3. Grill over medium high heat until the salmon is just cooked through, but not dry. Serve immediately.
If you want the same tang but would rather pan-fry the fish, allow the fillet to drip-dry after marinating, then lightly dust with flour and pepper before tossing it into a hot skillet with olive oil and a small amount of butter. Cook on both sides until golden brown (but not longer than 10 minutes total per inch of thickness of fish).
Tighter budgets can still produce wonderful seafood meals.This preparation is relatively simple and quick, and can make use of leftovers: Friday night’s mashed potatoes and broiled salmon find new life in these savory cakes.They can stand alone as an entree, or make great appetizers for group get-togethers.They can be made ahead of time and reheated.The original recipe appeared in the New York Times; I have adapted it and added some healthier touches and kick.
You will need:
3 bunches fresh spinach or other greens (if you use a robust winter green like kale or chard, remove the stems and thicker ribs)
1.Wash and coarsely chop the spinach.Sautee the spinach, onions and garlic together until the spinach is completely wilted and the onions are translucent and golden.Set the mixture aside to cool.
2.In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, flaked salmon, 1 cup of the panko crumbs, 2 beaten eggs, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
3.Squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the spinach.Let it rest a moment and then squeeze it again.Add the spinach to the potato-fish mixture and mix well.Use your hands to make sure it’s evenly combined and there are no fish bones or potato lumps.
4.Set up an assembly line: line up three wide bowls, and put the remaining panko crumbs in one, the rest of the eggs in the middle one, and the flour in the other.
5.Form the salmon mixture into small patties, around 3 inches wide and ¾ inch thick.
6.Drop each patty in the flour, coating it thoroughly.Then, dip it in the eggs.Finally, dredge it through the panko crumbs so that it is completely covered. Reform and set the finished patties aside on a baking sheet, covering them with plastic wrap or a damp towel.Let them rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
7.In the meantime, make the dill cream by combining the yogurt or sour cream with the rest of the ingredients.Be sure to taste it and adjust the seasonings; you may want to add a small splash of vinegar or a pinch of sugar, depending on the acidity of the yogurt or sour cream.
8.To cook the cakes, cover the bottom of a heavy skillet with olive oil and heat it to medium-high.Cook the cakes in batches, turning them once to brown them evenly.Drain them on paper towels or newspaper and keep them in a warm oven as you cook the rest.Serve hot with the dill cream and wedges of lemon.
In a renewed lawsuit pitting economics against environmental concerns, judges are again being asked to consider whether hatchery-raised fish should be considered identical to wild salmon when counting fish populations. Although a ruling last year declared that they were, in fact, not the same, an Oregon-based business alliance has objected to the decision, claiming that the distinction unfairly lowers salmon counts and unnecessarily disrupts development and commerce in favor of protecting salmon habitat.
Wild salmon and hatchery-raised salmon are genetically similar, environmentalists counter, but wild salmon have adapted behaviors that contribute to much greater survival numbers in natural habitat, as opposed to the higher death rates of hatchery fish released into the wild. 16 salmon and steelhead species are listed as endangered in the Pacific Northwest, and their habitats are protected and managed under the Endangered Species Act. Fishermen and conservation groups argue that including human-raised fish in wild fish counts leads to an inaccurate portrait of fish stocks, and thus irresponsible management of their waters.
An estimated 137 other species depend upon the health and stability of wild salmon stocks for their own ecological survival.
In the debate between whether to eat fish grown and harvested in wild waters or those raised on “farms,” there is little contest.Wild fish are both healthier and more flavorful, and buying from U.S. fisheries supports domestic economies weakened by environmental damage (such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill) and foreign imports.
According to a study published in Science magazine, farmed salmon can carry as many as ten times the level of carcinogenic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as wild fish.[1]Much of the problem is due to the kinds of feed given farm-raised fish: recycled beef fat from agricultural slaughterhouses is a common ingredient, and the diets of cattle are often already high in industrial toxins due to environmental and other factors.These PCBs become concentrated with each step up the food chain, leaving the humans who consume the PCB-rich fish at the highest risk.[2]Wild salmon eat primarily smaller fish, such as herring and krill.
Another key difference between wild and farmed salmon is the water in which they live.Farmed salmon mature in pools or pens, where there is seldom a great deal of water disturbance or “turbulence” for them to push against.Wild salmon grow up fighting currents and navigating the force of natural waters.This produces stronger, more robust musculature and, for the consumer, denser and more flavorful fish.
The majority of Atlantic salmon are farmed – over 99%, while more than 80% of salmon coming from the Pacific (primarily Alaska and the Pacific Northwest) are wild-caught.[3]
[1] 1. Hites, R. A. et al. Global assessment of organic contaminants in farmed salmon. Science, 303, 226 - 229, (2004).
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