Buffalo Salmon

Big Guy tried out the new kitchen again last night and cooked us up a lovely salmon fillet. I have to admit he spoiled me over the weekend by relieving me of the dinner cooking chores and I enjoyed every second of it. As you may know, we've enjoyed this salmon before but after 3 years worth of blogging, we just have to repeat some things and this one is well worth enjoying again.

Simply a salmon fillet brushed with a butter/hot sauce combination and topped with panko crumbs and baked for approximately 15 minutes, it comes out of the oven ready to perch on top of caesar or tossed salad or on a bed of sauteed vegetables. It really is a delicious way to enjoy what's quickly becoming our favorite fish. 

A few notes on how to select good salmon:

• look for bright pink color, firm flesh and a non fishy smell
• if you're buying a whole fish, the skin should be shiny, the eyes bright and clear (not cloudy) and the gills a deep red color
• when possible, buy fresh rather than frozen and for heaven's sake, look for wild not farmed. According  to Eating Well, while most Atlantic salmon is farmed, wild salmon comes from the U.S. Pacific Northwest, British Columbia Canada and Alaska.  There's a huge difference in flavor never mind that " In Alaska, the wild-salmon fishery is one of the world’s best-managed and populations are robust" so don't worry overly much about the supply running out.

Here's a few of our other favorite salmon recipes on this site, should you get a craving for this oh so good for you special protein.  

      Asian Glazed          Pesto Topped Plank Grilled    Maple Soy Glazed

    

with Red Pepper Salsa     Salmon Wellington       Salmon Club Sandwich

   

Buffalo Salmon  Adapted from Gourmet.com

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup hot sauce such as Frank’s Redhot

Salt & pepper

1/3 cup panko crumbs

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 – 2 lb. salmon fillet with skin

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Combine butter, hot sauce and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Microwave until the butter is melted. Whisk together to emulsify butter and hot sauce. Set aside.

Toss panko crumbs in oil. Place salmon on baking pan, skin side down and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Brush with half the sauce. Sprinkle panko evenly over top of fish then bake until fish is just cooked through and panko is golden brown. (About 15 minutes).

Serve with reserved sauce on the side.

 

Comments

[Lea]

Oh my - that looks good enough to eat for sure! I love picante stuff! I could never get this by SW, though... love the look of the veg under, too!

[June]

Lea - the veggies were amazing and perfectly cooked - onion, garlic, asparagus, little peppers, zucchini and mushrooms. Perfect!

[Lorraine]

Having a husband who works in the fishing industry in Alaska (not salmon but a managed fishery as well) I certainly appreciate the supporting info you provided, as for the fish...looks lovely and a little dangerous :)

[June]

Lorraine - I have to admit you were the catalyst of my research after your comment on the tilapia so it's you that deserves the thanks. I for one definitely needed some educating and won't be buying farmed fish in the future if at all possible. I was amazed by what I learned.