Savory wild salmon ready in 10 minutes
Wild salmon is so flavorful, it only needs a little olive oil and salt and pepper and it cooks in minutes. It’s at the height of the season now, which runs from mid-May until mid-September.
At other times of the year, good-quality wild salmon can be found frozen in supermarkets. King (also called Chinook), coho (silver) and sockeye are some of the varieties to look for.
Wild Salmon
Olive oil spray
3/4 pound fresh wild salmon with skin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon snipped dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking tray with foil and spray with olive oil spray.
Place salmon, skin side down, on tray. Spray salmon with olive oil spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Place on middle shelf in oven for 10 minutes or until salmon is just cooked through. When a knife is inserted, the flesh should be opaque not translucent. Do not overcook; the salmon will continue to cook in its own heat when removed from the oven.
Sprinkle the salmon with the dill and serve.
Yield: 2 servings
Nutrition per serving: 250 calories, 8 grams fat (1.9 gram saturated), 100 milligrams cholesterol, 42 grams protein, no carbohydrates, no fiber, 105 milligrams sodium.
Asparagus and Roasted Pepper Penne Pasta
1/4 pound whole-wheat penne pasta
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup bottled/canned sliced roasted red pepper, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bring a large saucepan with 3 to 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the penne and boil 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and continue to boil 3 to 4 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente.
Drain, leaving about 2 tablespoons of the boiling water in the pan. Add olive oil to the water in the pan and return the pasta to the pan. Toss well. Add the red pepper and salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: 2 servings
Nutrition per serving: 260 calories, 3.5 grams fat (0.5 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 11 grams protein, 50 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams fiber, 85 milligrams sodium.