10 Ways to Make the Most of a Whole Salmon

I had salmon for dinner last night and then again for lunch today – I eat a lot of salmon. Every time I find a whole fish at half price price I buy one and eat it all myself – my real man, of course, not liking it.

So, I thought I’d go on a bit about salmon and some great ways to eat it.

When I first took to buying whole salmon, I didn’t have it scaled and filleted for me because I know how to do it. After a while I realised my silliness – it saves quite a lot of work and mess if they do it for you and they still let you take home the head and bones.

I always put the skeleton and head in a large pot with just enough cold water to cover it. Bring it to the boil, turn down the heat, cover and simmer for about 5 mins till the flesh is translucent. Drain (there is not much point in keeping the “stock” it won’t have assumed much flavour in that short time) and set aside till cool enough to handle. Then, using my fingers, remove every useful bit of salmon I can from the wreckage. 

See later in this post for ideas for these scraps.

When I portion the salmon I usually get about 12 x 170g/6oz fillets, I have, however, a small (but perfectly formed!) appetite so I often have a little salmon leftover after dinner. Adding this to the scraps removed from the bones I generally get 18 or 20 meals out my salmon so it’s quite a bargain.

Easy & Delicious Ways to Cook Salmon Fillets

Roasted Salmon with Asparagus & New Potatoes

This is what I ate last night, I have been having this a lot recently, it is so summery and we do have a sack of new potatoes to eat up!

Per person …

4 or 5 new potatoes – skin still on, washed
1 x 170g/6 oz salmon fillet
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
a handful of frozen peas
6 asparagus spears, halved – woody ends discarded
generous knob of butter
½ lemon

~ Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/180ºC fan/gas 6.
~ Cover potatoes in cold water, add a little salt, bring to the boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, cover the pan and cook till tender – about 20-25 minutes.
~ When the potatoes are almost done coat the salmon piece(s) with a little oil and season.
~ Place in an oven proof pan and roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.
~ Now cook the peas and asparagus – just put together in a small pan, cover with boiling water, put on the lid, turn down the heat and simmer 5 minutes.
~ When the potatoes and the vegetables are cooked drain and leave warm in their pans till needed.
~ When the fish is cooked remove from the pan and set in a warm place lightly covered with foil.
~ Add a generous knob of butter to the warm pan, turn the potatoes and vegetables in the butter.
~ Return the salmon to the pan and turn gently together with everything else.
~ Add a good sprinkle of lemon juice.
~ Serve.
~ Drizzle with mayonnaise – roasted garlic mayonnaise is particularly delicious here.

Salmon & Leek Gratin

Per person …

170g salmon fillet
1 small leek – cleaned and thinly sliced
(see here for a great way to clean leeks)
15g butter
1 tablespoon of dry white wine or stock
90g double cream
a girly handful of breadcrumbs

~ Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the leeks to coat thoroughly.
~ Turn down the heat and press something suitable (ie. a butter wrapper, greaseproof paper of piece of foil) directly onto the surface of the leeks. Cover the pan.
~ Cook gently for 10-15 minutes keeping an eye on things and giving the occasional stir till very tender.
~ Place the piece of salmon on top of the leeks and cook for another 6-8 minutes till the fish flakes easy with the simple application of a fork. 
~ Set the fish aside, and crumble the vegetable Oxo or similar into the leeks.
~ Add the wine or water and stir to dissolve the stock cube.
~ Add the cream, bring to a boil and cook a minute or two.
~ Taste and season.
~ Remove from the heat, flake the salmon and fold into the creamy goo.
~ Turn into a heatproof dish, sprinkle with the crumbs, dot with butter and finish under a hot grill.

Marmalade Glazed Salmon

Simply glaze salmon by brushing a little marmalade (almost any will do!) over the fish for the last few minutes of baking or grilling. I like a good sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper on mine.

Salmon with Hollandaise Sauce

Cook your salmon as you wish; roast, fry, poach, etc and serve with Hollandaise Sauce which is a perfect complement to most seafood. 

Salmon Poached in Ginger & Lemon Tea

This is something I made when reviewing fruit and herb teas – it was a peculiar idea but worked so well I have made it several times since. 

I simply made a cup of Ginger & Lemon Tea in a pan, added a piece of salmon, turned off the heat and put on the lid so the salmon could cook gently in the residual heat.

Once cold I had a perfectly cooked lemon and ginger infused piece of salmon – perfect for lunch (a sudden lunch if you will) with salad.  

Salmon Trimmings & Leftovers

Salmon & Boursin Pâté – ish Stuff

This was today’s lunch, it is delicious, rather strange and a bit of a cheat. Call me Delia if you wish!

Put the leftover pieces of salmon into a bowl together with an equal-ish quantity of herb and garlic Boursin. Add a generous squirt of roasted garlic mayonnaise (I always keep M & S roasted garlic mayo in stock because my real man doesn’t like the smell of garlic so I don’t often roast my own) and a teaspoon or two of sweet chilli sauce. Mix and stir and crush to amalgamate. Eat with toast and a glass of white wine. 

Lemony Salmon Salad

See here for Six Sexy Salads for Summer including this salmon salad.

Tagliatelle with Salmon Alfredo

Gently warm the salmon leftovers in this lovely Alfredo Sauce and maybe add a touch of lemon and some black pepper. 

Alternatively toss with pasta in garlic butter with lemon and herbs. Top with pangrattato for a lovely, quick, easy, cheap, crunchy finish.

Seafood Chowder

Use salmon scraps in this gorgeous seafood chowder recipe.

Salmon, Chilli & Sweet Potato Cakes

Or other fishcakes, of course, but these are good.

100g cooked salmon 
1 sweet potato – approx. 200g
sweet chilli sauce to taste – about 2 tsp

~ Peel and dice the sweet potato, cover with cold water, add the salt, bring to a boil, turn down the heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes till tender.
~ Drain and cool to room temperature.
~ Break up the salmon, add to the sweet potato together with Sweet Chilli Sauce, if using, and munge the lot together.
~ Taste and season, form into cakes, coat in seasoned flour and shallow fry till hot and crisp and golden on both sides. Also, of course, salads, sandwiches etc.

As you can see there are lots of ideas for leftover salmon in this post, this is because I love leftover food, it inspires me so much that I have even written a book about them!

Creative Ways to Use Up Leftovers

Great Preview Here!

Please leave this field empty

Email Address *

First name

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm and download your free tips.