Baked salmon recipes make easy, healthy and versatile menu items

Baked salmon recipes make easy, healthy and versatile menu items

When you're pressed for time, or just don't want to spend a lot of time cooking in warm weather, baked salmon recipes are a great solution to an elegant meal that looks as though you spent all day cooking, provides superior nutrition and becomes a versatile ingredient in any number of dishes. As a leftover, it loses nothing of it's fresh from the oven appeal.

Being low in fat, high in the Omega-3 fatty acids and a good source of protein, makes this fish that's good fare for just about anyone, particularly for those on a diet and arthritis patients. Besides its healthy attributes, it just tastes good.

Here we give you a generic baked salmon recipe, followed by several ways to use the cooked fish in a variety of dishes, each different in taste, but equally delicious and all healthy.

You can use fresh or frozen salmon. Filets are most convenient, as you needn't spend time filleting the fish or picking through the cooked fish for bones. Whole salmon is usually more economical, but the frozen, vacuum packed individual portions make quick work of preparing a baked salmon recipe for any number of people.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the salmon portions on a broiler pan, spaced evenly, one from another. The broiler pan allows air to circulate under the salmon for even cooking. Lay a sprig of fresh tarragon over each piece of salmon. Thinly slice a fresh lemon and place one or two slices on the top of each portion of meat. Cover the broiler pan with heavy duty foil and lightly secure the foil around the edges of the pan. For six four ounce portions, bake for about 20 minutes. Oven temperatures can vary by as much as 25 degrees, so you'll want to check for doneness after 15 minutes. Use a fork to separate the meat. When done, the meat should flake and there should be no translucency in the center of each piece. Remove from the oven and cover with the foil to keep warm until serving.

Baked salmon is excellent when served over a bed of rice pilaf. Egg noodles, linguine, orzo and wild rice are also delicious paired with this basic baked salmon recipe. When serving your baked salmon recipe with pasta or rice, toss a mix of sauteed red, orange and yellow bell peppers in with the rice for a colorful one-dish entree.

For those who can indulge just a bit: if you serve the salmon and rice or pasta separately, a little Hollandaise sauce over the salmon never hurts! You can also serve a side of melted butter or mayonnaise as a dip for the salmon.

Spinach Florentine, young asparagus or steamed snow peas make simple, but delicious side dishes.

Bake an extra portion or two for a deluxe salmon salad for lunch tomorrow. These leftovers are also a good addition to a homemade chowder for yet another meal idea.

You'll find that this basic baked salmon recipe is a versatile menu item. A hint on freezing: freeze portions of fresh baked salmon in a freezer bag with melted butter to cover. This prevents the salmon from drying out or getting freezer burn. Use frozen salmon within a month. Don't re-freeze salmon which was purchased frozen and then cooked the texture will suffer. Good eating to you!