How to Cook Salmon

Salmon is the common name for several members of the family salmonidae. Usually the flesh of the salmon is pink, a result of a rich diet in carotenoid pigments from krill. And as you would expect, salmon that don't consume the carotenoid pigments have yellow to white flesh. The white- or yellow-fleshed salmon are not as valuable, but you can still find them at the grocery store. Salmon are found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as the great lakes. The salmon fish has a high concentration of omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D, making salmon decidedly good for you . . . until you dunk it in butter.

Types of Salmon

There are many breeds of salmon available at the grocery store. The salmon of the Pacific Ocean are chinook (king), coho, chum, pink, and sockeye. In the Atlantic Ocean there is one breed of salmon that Americans commonly eat—the Atlantic salmon. At the grocery store you will find that most of the Atlantic salmon are farm raised and most of the Pacific salmon are wild caught. Farm-raised salmon have higher measured amounts of environmental pollutants called dioxins, but the health benefits of salmon outweigh any health risks from consumption of farm-raised fish.

Cooking Salmon

Salmon is an extremely versatile fish in the kitchen. Some popular salmon preparations include smoked salmon, grilled salmon, broiled salmon, glazed salmon, pan-fried salmon, salmon roe, salmon ceviche, and even raw salmon (sashimi). My favorite way to cook it is under the broiler or on the grill. I just love the way the outside gets all crispy. I also enjoy a nice piece of nigiri (ball of sushi rice) with salmon sashimi on top. I don't make this myself; I leave sashimi to the professionals. Regardless of what you decide to do with your salmon, because of its high fat content, it spoils quickly. So, if you buy fresh salmon, which is the best, use it as soon as you can.