Lemon-Dill Wild Salmon

With spring (and now summer) in full bloom, it’s been a busy time. I’ve been cooking away and snapping photos in between a number of trips (weddings–Matzo’s, in fact!), holidays, and a vacation to Rome (more on that later, I hope, as I have been inspired to cook something like authentic Italian cuisine). One thing the trip to Rome wrought was the correction of my boyfriend’s circadian rhythms (he works until midnight during the week, which meant late bedtimes for a long while), which now allows him to wake up in time to accompany me to the Sunday farmer’s market. We live about a 10-15 walk from the market, so it’s been no excuse for our lack of attendance over the last three years, but then again, sleep is so wonderful, and after getting on average, 5-6 hours during the weekdays, having a full night on the weekend is a must. But going abroad has reset our clocks, and we’re both early(ish) to bed and early(ish) to rise.

Wild Alaska salmon in a light lemon-dill sauce that complements, not overwhelms, the flavorful fish.

Vegetables are in full bloom now, and for the past two weeks we’ve been feasting on farm fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and beets. Also, free-range chicken and, delight of delights, wild Alaskan salmon. Farm raised salmon tastes like rice paper compared to wild salmon. With farm-raised salmon I would marinate in soy sauce, ginger, maple syrup, or coat it liberally with some pesto to get it to take on some flavor, but the real thing? Amazing. And so amazing is the taste that one must keep any other ingredients light, lest you quash the natural, delicious flavor of the fish.

I keep it simple with a mixture of butter, lemon, and dill, and bake it until it flakes easily with a fork. A little salt and pepper to that, and I’m in heaven.

A picture on the floor of the ancient Roman Forum.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound wild Alaska salmon fillets
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried or fresh dill weed
• 1/4 diced garlic
• sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
2. Place salmon in the baking dish. Mix the butter, dill, and lemon juice in a small bowl, and drizzle over the salmon. Season with salt and pepper.
   
3. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork.

Note: Wild salmon is KEY to this recipe. This is really about the fish, and not about the other ingredients. It’s just enough for a little extra flavor, but lets the flavor of the fish really sing.

Tags: Fish, Salmon