Savory Salmon
The Salmon Solution!

Recommendations by: Diane Morgan
Author of "Salmon: A Cookbook", a New York Times notable summer selection.

As a cookbook author and cooking school teacher, on the road promoting my new book, Salmon, published by Chronicle Books, I have cooked literally hundreds of pounds of wild Alaskan salmon this year. I am so impressed with the quality of the salmon being handled and processed by the group of commercial fisherman at Kenai Wild. The fish arrives in pristine shape—fresh smelling and tasting, meaty fillets carefully and quickly handled so there is no moisture loss, and with unsurpassed flavor and texture unique to Alaskan wild salmon.

The most frequently asked question is, "how should I cook salmon?"

Here are a few simple suggestions:

Buying and Storing Kenai Wild Salmon
Buying Kenai Wild salmon is easy. Just make your purchase from a reputable retailer and follow these simple guidelines:

• Each fillet of Kenai Wild is quality checked. At the store, fresh salmon should have meat that glistens, with no dry edges or fishy odor. Frozen salmon should be solidly frozen with limited frost build-up on, or in, the package.
• Buy 6 to 8 ounces of Kenai Wild salmon per person per serving.
• Store fresh or thawed salmon in the coldest part of the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
• If purchased frozen and vaccum sealed, frozen salmon can be stored in the freezer at 0°F or lower for up to six months. It is generally not recommended to freeze fresh salmon in a home freezer, as the temperatures are not low or consistent enough to preserve product quality.

Preparing Kenai Wild Salmon

Kenai Wild salmon is simple to cook. You can dress it up or let its great taste stand on its own. If you are short on time, you don’t really need to add other ingredients – just quickly grill or sauté Kenai Wild in a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, and dinner is ready in less than 10 minutes. It is also easily broiled, baked or poached. Try it in salmon tacos, simply grilled on a Caesar salad, or stir-fried with your favorite vegetables. No matter how you cook it, Kenai Wild will always be delicious.

For quick and easy preparation, follow these guidelines, and try the recipes below:

Thawing Instructions:

• To thaw frozen salmon, remove from vaccum bag and place in a covered container in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
• Salmon can also be thawed in the microwave according to manufacturer’s instructions. Again, remove salmon from vaccum bag before thawing.
• Do not thaw salmon by running it directly under water, this will damage the meat and ruin the quality.
Cooking Basics:
• Use the 10-minute rule when cooking salmon. Measure fish at its thickest point and cook for 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness.
• Do not overcook! Use the 10-minute rule as a guideline , but check the fish a few minutes before the end of the cooking time. Salmon is done when the center just turns opaque and the fish just flakes when tested with a fork. Overcooked salmon will lose it's succulent taste.

Some recipes:

Alaska Salmon With Pecan Crunch Coating

2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
4 (4 to 6 oz. each) Alaska salmon fillets or steaks, thawed if necessary
salt & black pepper
lemon wedges

Mix together mustard, butter and honey in a small bowl; set aside. Mix together breadcrumbs, pecans and parsley in a small bowl; set aside. Season each salmon fillet or steak with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet or broiling pan. Brush each fillet or steak with mustard-honey mixture. Pat top of each fillet or steak with breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Firecracker Grilled Alaska Salmon

4 (4 to 6 ounce each) Alaska salmon steaks or fillets, thawed, if necessary
¼ cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon grated ginger
½ teaspoon red chili flakes (or more to taste)
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon salt

Quickly rinse salmon with cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Place salmon steaks or fillets in a glass dish. Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over salmon. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator approximately 1 hour. Remove salmon from marinade and place on a well-oiled grill 5 inches from coals. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until fish just flakes when tested with a fork. Turn halfway through cooking. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Salmon Bundles

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup cream-style cottage cheese
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 7 3/4-ounce can salmon, drained and flaked
1 package (8) refrigerated cresecent rolls
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon sesame seed

In a bowl combine cream cheese and cottage chees. Add celery, onion, parsley, basil, and thyme; mix well. Fold in salmon. Separate crescent roll dough into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon about 1/4 of the salmon mixture onto the center of each rectangle. Pull four corners of dough to top center of filling;pinch to seal. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter; sprinkle with sesame sees. Bake in 350 degree over for 20 to 25 minutes or till golden. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe provided by Julie Marcinkowski, commercial salmon fisherman