Simple Salmon Supper

I’m taking a break this week from my back-to-school series for a very important commercial break: what’s for dinner?

Want to learn how to make the best, healthiest and easiest dinner ever? Even when you’re rushing home from work, or had a hectic afternoon running the kids around, and feel challenged to put a good meal on the table? You can do this . . . and it’s ready in under 30 minutes.

My solution: Simple Salmon Supper.

Salmon is not only delicious, it packs a powerful punch! The benefits of salmon are many: it is an excellent source of vitamins B12, D and selenium and is super high in omega-3s. Simply said, salmon is a magical food and your ticket to overall body wellness, as it increases bone density, reduces joint inflammation, is an antioxidant (hello, beautiful skin!), improves cardiovascular health, decreases cancer risk, enhances mood and cognition, and boasts brain-boosting (memory and focus) benefits in the developing brains of children. Need I say more?

Fortunately for me, my son LOVES salmon. My husband, on the other hand, does not. The most adventurous my husband will get with fish is fish tacos that are doused in salsa, pico de gallo and guacamole (yum! I’ll have to share our recipe one day…). So when he’s out of town, Max and I treat ourselves to a salmon dinner at least once a week. I feel like I am looking younger every day!

If you’re not a fan of salmon, please give this recipe a try, just once – it’s easy to make, easy to clean up, not fishy, light, healthy and, with a squeeze of lemon, oh-so-satisfying.

Simple Salmon Supper

Ingredients:
Fillet of salmon
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon

Step One

Buy fresh salmon. We go to our fantastic local fish store (Santa Monica Seafood Market) and buy a large filet of wild-caught salmon.

Step Two

Preheat oven to 500 degrees, placing baking sheet (that you’ll cook the salmon on) on the lowest rack in the oven. This is important, as you want the baking sheet to heat up with the oven.

While the oven is preheating, prepare the fish. Cut into strips (1”-1½” filets).

Step Three

Drizzle with olive oil, caressing each filet to ensure full coverage: on top, on sides and lifting up a bit to make sure that some oil is getting on to the back of the salmon (the skin side). I don’t turn the fish over because I don’t care for “fishy fish” (hilarious, right?!) so I never let the side of the paper that was touching the skin touch the top side of the filet.

Step Four

Season generously with salt and pepper.

Step Five

Once oven is heated to 500 degrees, remove baking sheet (carefully – it’s hot!) and place salmon filets onto baking sheet. You should hear a slight sizzle as you place each filet down.

Turn oven down to 275 degrees and place baking sheet on a rack in the center of the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes and remove from oven.

Step Six

Use a spatula to remove salmon from baking sheet. Note: skin should stick to the baking sheet so all you’ll be removing is the filet. (Hooray! No need to skin the fish!)

Eat and enjoy perfectly prepared salmon.

Bon appetit! I hope you and your family love this recipe as much as we do. If you have other favorite ways to prepare salmon, please share them here! I’d love to expand my repertoire of cooking this amazing fish as well.