The way we ‘sea’ food: Local food writer Nancy Leson offers the latest scoop on delivering salmon from the sea to your plate
Learn pro tips and secrets on how to best purchase, locate, prepare, and cook salmon
Contributed by food writer Nancy Leson
When I was a kid growing up in Philadelphia, there was only one place to find salmon: the deli. Sliced thin by a “certified loxologist” — as the old fellas behind the deli counter jokingly referred to themselves — salmon, as I knew it, was meant to be eaten on a bagel with cream cheese.
That all changed when, as a young woman, I moved to the Pacific Northwest.
Here, I’d learn, salmon was king, also known as “Chinook” and revered by the Coast Salish. As were its colorful kin: sockeye (red), coho (silver), pink (humpies) and keta (chum). Here, salmon took a star turn when pan-seared with morel mushrooms, afloat in creamy chowder, gently laid on a bed of sushi rice, deep-fried as fish ‘n chips, or salt-brined and simply broiled.
And like the Washington produce I’d also come to love — Yakima asparagus, Rainier cherries, Walla Walla Sweet Onions — I learned that salmon, too, had its season.
Now that I’m a long-timer, I rejoice in the knowledge that I can find the most local of local salmon — Washington salmon — culled year-round from the Columbia River and Pacific Coast February through October, and from the Salish Sea August through November.
It’s sold whole or in part, fresh and frozen, at fish markets, farmers markets, specialty grocers, dockside-direct, and through Community Supported Fisheries (CFAs) offering subscription shares line-caught and just-off-the-boat.
During my nearly 20-year tenure as a Seattle Times food writer and restaurant critic, I tracked chefs who’d laud the names of the waters where their daily catch hailed from, and credit on their menus the fine fisherfolk who harvested this sustainably managed resource.
I’ve made generous friends who return from a charter fishing trip and share their gleaming beauties and met generous neighbors who invite me along for a ride on Puget Sound, put a rod in my hand and shout: “Reel ‘er in!”
Best of all, over time I’ve become adept at buying, handling, and cooking salmon at home. My hope is that you, too, can gain the confidence to get your hands on this local treasure, think “What would Nancy do?” — then do it!
So, what would I do?
First off, I’d become a “regular” at a trusted fish market or fish counter. Shop where the staff knows their stuff, keeps it fresh, and can tell you where your fish was caught, when it was caught, and how to prepare it.
As a consumer, your job is to advocate for yourself and ask questions. If an unfamiliar place looks dingy or smells “fishy,” spend your money elsewhere.
I’ve been known to shamelessly ask to look more closely at a fish, or even smell it; a good fishmonger won’t give me the fisheye if I do so. Nor if I ask for a particular piece cut specifically from [points finger] “that gorgeous side of sockeye right there” — I encourage you to do the same.
I inevitably have my eye on the fattiest piece of salmon, cut from the belly, and never hesitate to ask for it. In the world according to me, fat equals flavor. When the Columbia River salmon runs come in, I prefer the king, while the leaner sockeye is beloved by my husband, Jack Sprat.
Fat? Lean? In-between? Unsure what you’re looking at? A good fishmonger will provide answers. He or she will also skin the fish if, say, you’re baking salmon in parchment (see recipes, below), though it’s best to leave the skin on when pan-searing or grilling, keeping the flesh moist and intact while the skin cooks to a crisp. Yep: that skin is edible, and delicious.
While I’ve yet to perfect the art of skinning fish myself — pro tip: the sharper the knife, the better you’ll fare — I’ve gotten pretty good at plucking pin bones, thanks to trading in my eyebrow tweezers and toolbox pliers for a solid pair of flat-ended fish-bone tweezers, an excellent investment at (about) $6 and available at restaurant supply stores, housewares stores, and online.
To remove those “bones” from a whole fillet, run your fingers across the salmon’s length, feeling for the long thin pins. While most folks suggest laying the fish flat, I like to turn a small bowl upside down, resting the fillet across it to help pinpoint the pin bones. Either way, use your tweezers to solidly grasp the tip of the bone, then gently and steadily pull in the direction of the salmon’s (former) head. If your fillet is pre-cut, run your fingers across its width and pull bones in the direction they’re angled.
Attention informed shoppers: You should never balk when you learn that your salmon has been previously frozen! Freezer technology is a fisherman’s friend — and a fish-lover’s bestie.
When carefully handled, bled and flash-frozen ahead of finding its way to the shore, store, and restaurants, explains Seattle author Cynthia Nims in her hyper-local cookbook Salmon, this process “holds the fish in a suspended state — a sort of cryogenic ‘pause’ button — until ready to be consumed, whether a week or a few months later.”
I prefer to buy and consume salmon, or any seafood for that matter, on the day I cook or cure it, though I don’t always have that luxury. And what of the joyous occasions where I’ve been gifted with more-than-my-fair-share of freshly caught coho, or find seasonal sockeye offered as a two-for-one sale at my neighborhood grocer? That’s when freezer-space and a vacuum sealer like my trusty FoodSaver seals the deal.
When thawing frozen salmon, do not leave it on the counter. That could lead to bacterial growth. Instead, an overnight thaw in the fridge is best practice (place the fish in a large bowl or rimmed baking sheet on the lowest shelf), though you can pull it frozen in the morning and expect to be ready to cook in time for dinner. For a quick thaw, submerge frozen fish in a zipper-top bag weighted down in a bowl of cold water, then change out the water every half-hour until it’s defrosted.
Quality salmon can be a spendy investment, which is why I keep my eye out for salmon “trim,” those bits and pieces perfect for soups or stir-fries. (Don’t see any at your fish counter? Ask!). And I never discount the discounted price on salmon “collars” — the oily big-boned clavicle some call “the chicken wings of the sea.” If you’ve eaten kasu cod or kasu salmon at a Japanese restaurant, you’re eaten the collar. Asian markets are a great place to score some.
I buy mine for as little as $3 per pound from my neighborhood fishmonger, Kuzma’s. I like to brush the collars with a mix of soy sauce and miso, then swiftly broil these superfood-snacks to a caramelized crisp. When the weather’s cool and gray I cook them the way my pal Leila Rosas does at her famous food counter at Pike Place Market’s Oriental Mart: as the salmon-centric Northwest version of the famous sour Filipino stew, tamarind-laced sinigang.
Now that I can call myself a(n adopted) Washingtonian, I’ve made a point of drinking Washington wines with my salmon. One of the best wine-grape pairings for that favored fish is (surprise!) pinot noir. Which isn’t to say I won’t cork a Washington white. I regularly tip my glass to the mighty Chinook: Prosser’s Chinook Winery, that is, who share proceeds from their blend of sauvignon blanc and chardonnay with the organization Long Live the Kings, supporting sustainable fishing and salmon recovery in the Pacific Northwest. You can read more about the conservation-minded approach to fisheries management on the WDFW webpage.
As for my lifelong love of lox and bagels, well that hasn’t changed. Only these days I’m making my own, curing fresh-caught Washington salmon as lox — or substituting cured salmon roe! — and baking bagels to serve warm from the oven.
(Writer Nancy Leson learned much of what she knows about food during her first career: waiting tables at some of the country’s finest restaurants. Seattle knows her as the mouth that scored — for the better part of two decades — as restaurant critic and food columnist for the Seattle Times, and as food commentator for NPR member-station KNKX. These days you’ll find her teaching classes at culinary schools in and around Seattle, hosting international tours with Earthbound Expeditions and the University of Washington Alumni Association, and helping end hunger one loaf at a time with the volunteer baking brigade Community Loaves. You can find Nancy on social @nancyleson and at www.nancyleson.com)
NANCY LESON’S RECIPES
Nancy’s Salmon Baked in Parchment
Over the years I’ve made umpteen variations on this fish-in-parchment dish, changing up the seafood and the sauce to suit the season — or my fancy. I favor thick center-cut salmon and often guild the lily by tucking in a couple briny clams before closing the parchment packet.
Come summer, I take advantage of warm-weather produce with a sauce made from fresh corn-off-the-cob, sweet cherry tomatoes, and basil.
In the dead of winter, I might rummage in the pantry for a Mediterranean mix (drain a 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, then sauté in olive oil with finely chopped garlic, a handful of pitted kalamata olives and capers, plus a hit of lemon zest).
Whatever the season I love an Asian variation with fresh shiitake mushrooms sautéed with soy sauce, sake, and a handful of aromatics. However, you wrap it, I’m convinced there’s no better way to prepare a delightful solo dinner — or an elegant do-ahead dinner party for six.
Salmon in Parchment with Fresh Corn, Tomatoes and Basil
Serves six
Preparation time about 45 minutes
Baking time about 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, white part only, diced
3 ears of corn, kernels removed
8 leaves fresh basil, very thinly sliced
3/4 pint sweet cherry tomatoes, halved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 (16-inch) sheets parchment paper, folded in half and cut into semi-circles
6 (6- to 8-ounce) fillets of salmon, skin and pin-bones removed, seasoned with kosher salt.
Grated zest of 1 lemon, to garnish
Directions
For the sauce:
Melt the butter in a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the leeks and sauté a few minutes until they begin to wilt. Add the corn kernels and sauté until the corn and leeks begin to lightly caramelize. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh basil and the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To assemble:
Take one piece of parchment at a time and lay it open on the counter. On the lower portion of the fold, place 2 large spoonfuls of the corn-tomato sauce snug against the middle line, leaving a generous ring of paper around the edge of the parchment.
Place 1 fillet over the sauce, then spread a generous spoonful of sauce atop it. Fold the top (empty) side of the parchment over the fish.
Beginning at one end, make small overlapping folds as you move along the outside edge, tucking the last fold under the sealed packet. Place each on a sheet-pan or rimmed cookie sheet and repeat the process. (Note: At this point, you may refrigerate the packets for up to one day in advance, but for best results make this earlier on the day you plan to bake them.)
To bake:
Preheat oven to 450° F. Bake the fish on the sheet pan for about 15 minutes (or as little as 12 minutes if the fillet is less than two inches thick). When the parchment begins to brown and puff a bit, that’s a good visual cue for “it’s done.”
To serve:
Plate-up, then use kitchen shears to cut a slit in package and garnish with a generous hit of freshly grated lemon zest. Rice or roasted new potatoes make a great accompaniment.
Asian-style Salmon in Parchment
Serves six
Preparation time about 45 minutes
Baking time about 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1 tablespoon sake (substitute dry vermouth or dry white wine)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark sesame oil (optional)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (optional)
6 (16-inch) sheets parchment paper, folded in half and cut into semi-circles
6 (6- to 8-ounce) fillets of salmon, skin and pin-bones removed, seasoned with kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper
12 fresh clams (optional)
Directions
For the sauce:
Melt the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in mushrooms and sauté a few minutes until they begin to wilt and take on some color. Add the scallions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until the aromatics are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the sake and soy sauce, then the sesame oil and cilantro, if using. Turn off the heat.
To assemble:
Take one piece of parchment at a time and lay it open on the counter. On the lower portion of the fold, place a large spoonful of the mushroom sauce against the middle line, leaving a generous ring of paper around the edge of the parchment.
Place one fillet over the sauce then top with another generous spoonful of sauce. Tuck the clams alongside, if using. Fold the top (empty) side of the parchment over the seafood.
Beginning at one end, make small a triangular fold, then continue making tight overlapping folds (paper-airplane-style) as you move along the outside edge, twisting then tucking the last fold under the sealed packet. Place on a sheet-pan or rimmed cookie sheet and repeat the process. (Note: At this point, you may refrigerate the packets for up to one day in advance, but for best results make this earlier on the day you plan to bake them.)
To cook:
Preheat oven to 450° F. Bake the fish on the sheet pan for about 15 minutes (or as little as 12 minutes if the fillet is less than two inches thick). If the parchment begins to brown and puff a bit, that’s a good visual cue for “it’s done.”
To serve:
Plate-up, then use kitchen shears to cut a slit in package. Rice makes a great accompaniment.
