Recipe for Wild Salmon Roasted in Olive Oil and Herbs with Tomatillo, Black Bean, Avocado Salsa

This fantastic method for roasting salmon in a sizzling hot pan came from cookbook writer and New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman. Bittman cooks the way I like to, with the emphasis on good ingredients but simple preparation methods, and I've had pretty consistent success with his recipes. This recipe called for the salmon to be roasted in butter, but when I read farther and saw that Bittman said you could use olive oil, I knew I wanted to try it. He recommended fresh chervil, parsley, or dill for the herb, but said that basil or thyme could also work. I used a blend of dry herbs called Claudia's Fantastic Fish Blend, which I got as a present from Christine. Obviously you can use lots of different herbs in this recipe, so use whatever appeals to you.

After I took these photos (and eaten the salmon!) I realized this was going to be a recipe for wild salmon roasted in olive oil and I should have used less of the Tomatillo Black Bean Salsa so you could see the fish! I do think wild salmon is the perfect fish for this cooking method, since it's so flavorful. Luckily I have step-by-step photos that show how the salmon looked when it was done, so scroll down for that.

Rub the fleshy side of the salmon with herbs and let sit at room temperature while a roasting pan with olive oil is preheating in the oven.

When the oil in the pan is sizzling (about 5 minutes) put salmon in pan, skin side up. Put roasting pan back in oven and roast 4-5 minutes, or until skin lifts off easily.

Take pan out of oven and remove skin from salmon. (Bittman says if the skin doesn't come off easily, roast 1-2 minutes more, but I didn't need to.) Removing the skin from the hot salmon was the hardest part of this recipe for me.

Season skin side of salmon with salt and pepper, then turn fish over, season with salt and pepper on flesh side, put back in oven, and roast about 3 minutes more, or until fish is done to your liking. Here's the photo I promised to show you how the salmon looked without the salsa. Cooking the fish in a pre-heated pan browns it beautifully without overcooking.

Wild Salmon Roasted in Olive Oil and Herbs
(Makes 2-4 servings, depending on what else you serve with it. Recipe adapted slightly from Mark Bittman's Salmon Roasted in Butter. Can be served with Tomatillo and Black Bean Salsa if desired.)

2 pieces skin-on wild salmon (about 8 oz. each)
2 T olive oil
chopped fresh herbs or dried herbs of your choice, enough to cover salmon (Recipe suggested fresh chervil, parsley, or dill but said basil or thyme could be substituted. I used Claudia's Fantastic Fish Blend which is a dried blend of lemon basil, chives, dill, thyme, and celery.)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Remove salmon pieces from refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Turn on oven to 450F and coat the roasting pan with olive oil and place it in the oven. (Bittman recommended 475F, but I was using my toaster oven which only goes to 450F.) While it heats, rub the fleshy side of the salmon with herbs and let sit at room temperature.

When oil in the pan is sizzling (about 5 minutes) remove pan and place salmon on it, skin side up. Put pan back in the oven and roast 4-5 minutes, or until skin lifts off easily. Pull off skin carefully, and season skin side of fish with salt and pepper.

Turn salmon over with herb side up and roast about 3 more minutes, or until it's as done as you like it. (Total roasting time of about 7 minutes seemed perfect to me.)

Serve hot, with Tomatillo and Black Bean Salsa if desired.

South Beach Suggestions:
This method of cooking salmon with olive oil is great for any phase of the South Beach Diet or any type of low-glycemic eating plan.

More Delicious Ways to Cook Salmon:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Grilled Salmon with Asian Dipping Sauce
Herb Encrusted Grilled Salmon
Grilled Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato, Olive, and Caper Relish
Friday Night Grilled Salmon Two Ways
Grilled Salmon with Maple Syrup Glaze
Agave and Lime Salmon from Karina's Kitchen
Black Pepper Salmon with Spinach from Gluten-Free Mommy
Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa from Laylita's Recipes
Glazed Salmon with Dijon Mustard Sauce from Beyond Salmon
Cilantro Chile Salmon from Daily Unadventures in Cooking

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