Oven-Roasted Salmon

By MooK

To ensure uniform pieces of fish that cook at the same rate, buy a whole center-cut fillet and cut it into 4 pieces. If your knife is not sharp enough to easily cut through the skin, try a serrated knife. It is important to keep the skin on during cooking; remove it afterward if you choose not to serve it. To serve, top with any of the related relishes.

Ingredients

• 1 skin-on salmon fillet (1 3/4 to 2 pounds), about 1 1/2 inches at thickest part (see note)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Relish
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 4 medium Tangerine
• 1/4 cup Green Onion
• 2 tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt-fine
• 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp Ginger Root

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from americastestkitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Following step by step illustrations below, use sharp knife to remove any whitish fat from belly of fillet and cut into 4 equal pieces. Make 4 or 5 shallow slashes about an inch apart along skin side of each piece, being careful not to cut into flesh.

2. Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Rub fillets evenly with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees and remove baking sheet. Carefully place salmon skin-side down on baking sheet. Roast until centers of thickest part of fillets are still translucent when cut into with paring knife or instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of fillets registers 125 degrees, 9 to 13 minutes. Transfer fillets to individual plates or platter. Top with relish (see related recipes) and serve.

3. Remove rind, pith, and seeds from each tangerine segment and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Place in fine mesh strainer over small bowl and allow to drain for about 15 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the tangerine juice. Whisk in the scallion, ginger, lemon juice and olive oil. Stir in the tangerines, salt, and pepper


Technique
Preparing Salmon for Roasting

1. Hold a sharp knife at a slight downward angle to the flesh and cut off the whitish, fatty portion of the belly.

2. Cut the salmon fillet into four pieces of equal size to help ensure that they cook at the same rate.

3. Make four or five shallow slashes along the skin side of each piece of fish, being careful not to cut into the flesh.