Roasted Salmon with Butter

Name: Roasted Salmon with Butter
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter; Coarse salt and ground pepper; 1 salmon fillet (2 to 3 pounds), skin on; Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Recipe photo courtesy of Romulo Yanes

Best-selling cookbook author Mark Bittman says, "This basic recipe is easy and reliable, and the results taste great. You can use any thick fillet or fish steak in place of salmon -- swordfish and halibut are also good." This recipe is adapted from Bittman's "How to Cook Everything: The Basics."

Source: Everyday Food, April 2012

20 mins 5 mins 8

Total Time Prep Servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 salmon fillet (2 to 3 pounds), skin on
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place butter on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Place sheet in oven until butter melts, about 1 minute.
2. Carefully remove sheet from oven and place salmon on top of butter, skin side down; season with salt and pepper. Return sheet to oven.
3. Roast until salmon is just cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes, checking frequently. It will flake easily when done. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Cook's Notes

How-To Tips: Roast Salmon

Heat the Sheet
Watch the butter in the oven: It will bubble for a few seconds, but when the foam subsides, carefully remove the sheet. Tip it to coat the bottom, then add the salmon.

Checking the Fish
Insert a paring knife between the layers of flesh to check for doneness: Salmon is dark pink or orange inside when raw, even though the outside might be opaque.

Knowing It's Done
Perfectly cooked salmon separates into big, soft flakes and has some bright pink in the center. It will continue to cook a little more out of the oven.

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Reviews

180

How would you rate this recipe?

180

MrsE9510

24 JUN, 2014

This is delicious. I followed another reviewer's recommendations and flipped the non-skin side into the butter before putting it in the oven, as well as adding lemon zest. Super simple and very tasty.
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BaxtronLife

7 DEC, 2013

Delicious and easy recipe. I added minced garlic to the butter as well.
Reply
alaskaamyhtist

7 AUG, 2013

I love salmon prepared this way! I've added these steps. Before placing the salmon fillet skin side down on the hot seasoned butter, I roll the top of the fillet in it. Then I grate lemon zest over the fillet before baking as described. Yummy!
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