Three Ways to Cook Salmon

We've got three delicious recipes that maximize the flavor and health benefits of this pink-fleshed fish. Plus our nutrition expert has top picks for the ingredients.

 

By Monica Kass Rogers
WebMD the Magazine - Feature

Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD

Celtic myth tells the tale of Fionn MacCumhaill, a poet's apprentice who absorbed all the wisdom of the world by eating just a drop of oil from a special salmon. Turns out Fionn was on to something: We're all wise to eat salmon -- especially that marvelous fish oil. Vibrantly colored, tenderly textured, and richly flavored, salmon is loaded with the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

Multiple studies suggest that these polyunsaturated fats help boost the immune system, help reduce the risk of heart disease, and are especially beneficial for a developing fetus, nursing infants, and young children.

The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings a week of fish, preferably oily fish such as salmon. Salmon is one of a few fish rich in omega-3s (1.2 to 1.9 grams per serving, compared with almost none for chicken, pork, and beef). Salmon is also an excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, and selenium, with good amounts of vitamin B6, thiamin, and niacin.
Salmon's characteristic rosy color, which ranges in hue from pale pink to orangey-red, comes largely from astaxanthin, a naturally occurring pigment salmon ingest from microalgae in their diet. Research on astaxanthin suggests that it, too, points to potent protection for the immune system.
Because salmon is a rich fish, the best preparation methods are those that add little or no fat, such as the following three recipes. Cook up your own poetic homage to one of the healthiest fish in the sea.

Salmon Cakes With Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Salmon cakes
1 lb cooked, flaked salmon
1/ 4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg slightly beaten
½ cup light mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small red onion, finely minced
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
dash hot sauce
cooking spray

Sauce
½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh dill
1 tbsp chopped parsley
½ cup seeded, chopped cucumber

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine all salmon cake ingredients and mix well. Form into four patties.
2. Spray a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Sauté patties 3 - 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
3. Make sauce by combining all ingredients.
4. Serve each salmon patty with the lemon dill yogurt sauce.
Per serving: 397 calories, 30 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 25 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 134 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 377 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 56%.

Spicy Citrus Grilled Salmon and Asparagus Salad

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
4 4-oz salmon filets
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
dash salt and ½ tsp pepper
cooking spray
12 spears asparagus
4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, baby lettuce)

Spicy Citrus Grilled Salmon and Asparagus Salad continued...

1 orange, peeled, sliced into wedges

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

2 tbsp feta cheese
2 tbsp chopped walnuts

Salad dressing
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp orange zest
1 oz orange juice
1 oz lemon juice
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Combine brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Rub blend
on fish; cover and chill 30 minutes.
2. Grill asparagus on rack coated with cooking spray for 5 - 7 minutes. Grill
fish, skin side up, 5 minutes each side.
3. Toss greens with dressing and arrange on four dinner plates. Top with grilled salmon and garnish with orange, asparagus, tomatoes, feta, and walnuts.
Per serving: 471 calories, 27 g protein, 35 g fat
(7 g saturated fat), 68 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber,
9 g sugar, 204 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 66%.

Pecan-Crusted Salmon

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
4 4-oz salmon filets
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped pecans
1 tbsp chopped parsley
fresh lemon cut in wedges

Directions
1. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper.
2. Place salmon skin side down on baking sheet.
3. Combine mustard and honey, and brush on salmon.
4. Mix topping of breadcrumbs, pecans, and parsley and sprinkle over salmon, pressing down into honey mustard coating.
5. Bake salmon at 400°F 10–15 minutes or until flaky.
6. Serve with lemon wedges.
Per serving: 265 calories, 29 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat (1.6 g saturated fat), 78 mg cholesterol, 0.4 g fiber, 282 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 42%.

Salmon Pantry Picks

No matter how you prepare it, versatile salmon cooks up quickly and plays well with a variety of ingredients you'll want to have on hand for these recipes. WebMD's director of nutrition, Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, suggests these staples for healthy, tasty results.
Greek Yogurt
Higher in protein, more firmly textured, and more tart than regular yogurt, Greek yogurt is great for cooking. Try Fage Total Classic Plain, Total 2% Plain, or Total 0% Plain. Other options? Voskos Greek Plain Non-fat and Plain Low-fat options, Chobani Non-fat Greek and Low-fat (2%) Greek, and Stonyfield's Oikos Plain Organic Greek yogurt.
Light Mayonnaise
The reason there's little flavor difference between regular and light mayonnaise is that mayo makers achieve lightness by whipping mayonnaise with air and water. Light mayos made with canola or olive oil are best, but all vegetable oil-based mayonnaises are fine. Zelman's go-to brand? Hellmann's Mayonnaise Dressing With Extra Virgin Olive Oil. She also recommends Hellmann's Canola Cholesterol Free Mayonnaise, Duke's Light Mayonnaise, Kraft Mayonnaise with Olive Oil, and Miracle Whip Light Mayonnaise.

Salmon Pantry Picks continued...

Panko Picks

Uniquely light, crisp, and perfect for baking or breading salmon, Japanese-style panko breadcrumbs are finely ground without seasonings or fat. Less dense than regular breadcrumbs, panko crumbs have only 100 calories per half cup. They also let the foods they're served with stand out without masking flavor. Try Asian Gourmet Japanese-style Panko Breadcrumbs or Kikkoman Japanese-style Panko Breadcrumbs. For a little boost of fiber and whole grains, Zelman likes Ian's Whole Wheat Panko Breadcrumbs.

Sweet Success
Brown sugar unrefined or partially refined sugar crystals from which all of the molasses has not been spun off is a cooking essential, favored for its rich, caramel taste. There are a lot of "unrefined" sugars out there that are technically brown sugars: turbinado, demerara, and muscovado, to name a few. But they are all pretty much the same, says Zelman. All sugars, except maple, go through the same kind of processing. So choose what you like, just use a little. Some options: C&H Golden Brown Sugar, India Tree Demerara, Billington's Natural Demerara, and Florida Crystals Demerara.
Cool Condiment
Mustard -- that magical yellow mix of seed, vinegar, and spice -- works wonders in recipes by adding flavor without fat and with very few calories. If you've had only "plain" yellow, it's time to branch out. Here is what you'd find in Zelman's refrigerator: Maille Dijon is a delicious classic, French's Sweet & Zesty adds a touch of sweet to spicy mustard, Inglehoffer Stone Ground is handy when you want added texture, and Gulden's Spicy Brown adds a real kick of great spicy flavor.
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