This is a collaborative post.
Salmon is a highly nutritious, fatty fish with tons of nutrients and health benefits including protein, omega-3 fatty acids, B-vitamins, potassium and selenium, to name just a few. What’s more, as salmon is so flavoursome and easy to prepare, it’s ideal for both quick weeknight dinners, smoked salmon canapes for buffets or gourmet show-stoppers for dinner parties.
Thanks to its versatility, salmon is featured in many cuisines around the world. From raw and delicate sashimi to cured, poached, roasted and even smoked options, there are countless ways to eat wild salmon around the world.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular ways to eat salmon in different cuisines around the world.
5 wonderful ways to eat salmon
Britain: Beetroot and liqorice cured salmon
The combination of beetroot, soy sauce, and liqorice is a rather interesting one, so I thought I’d begin here.
Anna Hansen of The Modern Pantry brings together a striking balance of flavours using beetroot juice, soy sauce and licorice to cure salmon for 44 hours (36 in the wet mixture and eight dry-curing). After curing, she recommends slicing the salmon into thin slices and serving it with coleslaw and salad dressing.
Like the main course, the coleslaw makes good use of beetroot alongside fennel, kohlrabi, jicama, Granny Smith apples and dill. Complete this ensemble with a dressing made from crème fraîche, yuzu juice, lemon, salt and water. Get the recipe here.
Nigeria: hearty salmon stew
Nigerian cuisine is famous for its blend of bold and spicy flavors, and this hearty salmon stew is no different. The savoury and spicy combo makes for a mouthwatering flavour that you’ll love.
For this recipe, you’ll cook your salmon in a brightly coloured stew with red onions, tomato puree, fresh tomatoes, red peppers, onions and garlic (incidentally, the same combination that makes the famous Nigerian Jollof Rice!)
Seasonings include curry powder, ginger, smoked paprika, thyme and, of course, salt and pepper. Stews are a big part of Nigerian cuisine and dependent on the meat or fish being used, there are different ways of bringing out the flavours. Many chefs advise pre-frying salmon skin-side down to keep the skin crisp when the fish is added to the stew. Alternatively, you can remove the skin altogether. Get the full recipe here.
France: salmon with beurre blanc
A simple but impressive recipe, this classic French recipe calls for searing the salmon fillet before serving it with the creamy beurre blanc sauce. Beurre blanc calls for several pantry staples and makes for a fitting accompaniment for all kinds of seafood dishes, not just salmon. It may be tricky to work out the timings to make this sauce, but you’ll probably need to prepare the salmon and sauce simultaneously so you can serve them together while still hot.
For best results, buy your salmon and fillet it yourself for a more even cut. You may also wish to invest in a meat probe so you’ll be able to check the salmon internal temperature to ensure it cooks properly. However, some people prefer to leave the centre a little raw by searing all four sides for no more than one minute. Leave for longer if you like your salmon fully cooked, though. Get the full recipe here.
Mexico: easy mango salsa salmon
Does all this sound a bit too summery, given the cold, wet weather we’ve been having this spring? Don’t worry – simply give this easy-to-prepare Mexican salmon a go instead. Aesthetically and gastronomically pleasing, this spicy salmon dish is ideal for giving you that fancy, restaurant-like experience without the price tag or the fuss. To save time, make the mango-avocado salsa beforehand and broil the salmon on a sheet pan.
Be sure not to substitute the Tajin, though. A classic chilli, lime and salt spice blend, Tajin helps to give your Mexican mango salsa salmon that truly authentic taste.
Just like the French recipe above, you can cook your salmon to your liking, from medium rare to well done. Get the full recipe here.
Thailand: easy salmon curry
It’s near impossible to dissociate Thai cuisine with coconut products and this curry demands fresh coconut cream or milk; none of the cheap, canned stuff you find in the supermarkets.
Thai salmon curry usually combines curry powder, coconut cream, turmeric and readily available vegetables. Most often, it’s served with sticky Jasmine rice although white, red, brown or wild varieties of rice may also be used.
It might seem as though this Thai-inspired salmon concoction calls for your body weight in exotic ingredients, but once you’ve purchased the necessary spices and seasonings, they’ll last you for a long time.
Consider your choice of salmon
Regardless of how you’ll be eating your salmon, it’s normally best to choose wild salmon over farmed salmon. Wild salmon is far more nutritious and absorbs the flavours more effectively than farmed salmon does.
In any case, it should go without saying that fresh salmon is always preferred over frozen salmon; unlike meat, fish continues to degrade in quality even when stored in the freezer, so fresh fish always brings out that great taste you want.
What’s your favourite way to eat salmon? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
This is a collaborative post.