Parmesan & Herb Encrusted Salmon Recipe

Since we are still in the midst of National Heart Health Month, I thought it would be great to share a very easy and heart healthy recipe with you all today.   Parmesan & Herb Encrusted Salmon is a dish that I discovered a few years ago and have been a huge fan of this dish ever since!  In addition to the nutritional benefits of this dish, I also love that you can make the parmesan and herb mixture ahead of time, and then use it throughout the week to cook single or multiple servings (*the parmesan & herb mixture is enough for 8 filets).  Here is how I make this delicious, easy and healthy protein: 

Ingredients

• 5oz Container Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Fresh Dill
• Fresh Oregano
• Fresh Italian Flat Leave Parsley
• Salmon Filet (1-8)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit
2. Lightly pat salmon filets dry and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Then set aside.
3. In a mini food processor (or in a bowl with a pair of kitchen sheers) combine enough herbs to yield approximately 2Tbs of Chopped Parsley, 2Tbs Chopped Dill and 2Tbs Chopped Oregano.  
4. Pulse a few times in the mini food processor to ensure that all herbs are sufficiently chopped and combined. 
5. Add one 5oz Container of Grated Parmesan Cheese to the herb mixture and pulse a few times until all ingredients are well incorporated. 
6. Top each salmon filet with approximately 2-3 Tbs of the cheese and herb mixture, making sure to gently press the mixture into the salmon filet with your fingers.
7. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.  **Easy trick to test for doneness- If you gently press your finger onto the top of the salmon filet, it should easily flake apart.

Cooking Meat

Over the past few months my husband has been getting more interested in cooking (Yay!).  I think that this is probably in part the result of taking an array of cooking classes for a few date nights over the past couple of months and also because he has wanted to take a larger role in contributing to our Sunday sit down dinners at home.  

Last week while he was in the kitchen cooking up a pork chop and yelling to me across the house to confirm the various cooking steps, it occurred to me that it might be helpful to write a post on my basic tips for cooking meats (chicken, beef, pork and fish).  Today I have compiled a list of what I believe are the essential tips to keep in mind when cooking a protein.  

Room Temperature

This tip is geared towards chicken, pork and beef.  Before cooking anyone of these proteins, I suggest letting the meat sit outside of the refrigerator for at least an hour.  The reason being, throwing ice cold meat on the grill or into a hot pan will cause it to cook unevenly due to varying temperatures throughout the meat.  For a consistent/even cook throughout the meat, it is important to let your meat come up to just about room temperature.

Season Before Cooking

There are different schools of thought on this tip.  Personally I find that seasoning my pork and beef with salt and pepper 10 minutes before cooking creates a more tender and flavorful end product.  For chicken, the ideal is to season it at least 24 hours prior to cooking, using a technique known as brining.  While this technique is certainly fantastic, it's not something I typically have time to do, so generously salting and peppering poultry prior to cooking works well too.  Taking the time to properly season your meats before cooking will definitely yield a noticable difference.  

Thermometer

When I was first learning to cook meats, I would often slice into it the meat while it was cooking to check for doneness…I cringe every time I think about this rookie mistake I used to make for a few reasons.  First, when you hack into meat while it's cooking, all of the juices escape leaving your meat dry.  Second, serving meat that has been hacked up is not very appetizing.  Finally, why the heck didn't I have a meat thermometer!?! Meat thermometers are extremely accurate and will give you a perfectly cooked protein every time.  I am a huge fan of my All Clad Digital Thermometer, because I find that the digital read is more accurate than the dial.  In addition to my meat thermometer, I have my Joy of Cooking Cookbook permanently bookmarked on the USDA Recommended Cooking Temperatures Page, which is so helpful and something I would recommend having readily available in your own kitchen.  Thanks to the thermometer and Joy of Cooking USDA Meat Guide, I have perfectly cooked meat every time that doesn't look like it was Freddie Kruger's latest victim.  

Searing and Finishing

When I am cooking a pork or beef protein, I use the following method to ensure the flavors and juices are locked in and the meat is cooked evenly throughout.  Here is a breakdown of my go-to method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit
2. Heat oven safe pan on medium-high heat
3. When pan is hot and oil is flaccid, add season protein and let it sear/brown until the side that is in direct contact wih the pan naturally releases from the pan
4. When it naturally releases, flip to the next side and repeat browning until all sides are seared
5. While still in the pan, place browned meat directly into the oven to finish cooking, checking intermittently with the meat thermometer.  
6. When the meat has reached the desired internal temperature (even a degree or two below), remove from oven and lightly cover with foil to allow the meat to rest for approximately 10 minutes.

**Fish works well with the sear, but is more delicate so it will take less time and typically doesn't need to be finished in the oven.   

Which oil to use?

I have found that when cooking a beef or pork, which require a higher heat, canola oil works best (since it has one of the highest smoke points).  For fish, olive oil is great because it requires a lower cooking temperature.  When roasting  a chicken or any type of poultry, I am all about the melted butter because of the flavor.  

I really do credit these tips/suggestions/guidelines for all of my meat cooking success.   These are great concepts to remember the next time you are cooking a protein and will really make a difference with flavor and presentation of your finished product.  For any questions not covered in today's post, don't hesitate to e-mail me at redefiningdomestics@gmail.com.  

Smoked Salmon Platter

Today's post is relatively short, however I loved this idea so of course I felt the need to share my latest entertaining creation with you all.  Assembling a smoked salmon platter is easy to do and can be used when entertaining almost any time of day.  With the hot summer months just kicking off, this deliciously chilled platter couldn't be more perfect to serve.  Below I have listed the ingredients used to create this spread as well as resources for all of the suggested entertaining accessories.  There is always so much to do when prepping for a party or even a small gathering, why not serve something that only requires assembly and allows your guests to customize their dish according to their own palette preferences. 

Ingredients

• Smoked Salmon
• Lemon
• Red Onion
• Hard Boiled Egg
• Fresh Dill
• Fresh Chives
• Capers
• Caper Berries
• Creme Fraiche 
• 34 Degrees Natural Crisps
• Toast Points

Entertaining Accessories

• Serving Platter
• Small Sugar Tongs
• Spreaders
• Small Bowl
• Appetizer/Salad Plates
• Caspari Cocktail Napkins
• Cocktail Forks

Smoked Salmon happens to be one of my dad's favorite foods, so I surprised my dad with this platter on Father's Day.  He was thrilled! I especially loved the fact that even though I was outside of my element (my own home with all of my entertaining essentials), a spread like this one was easy to put together. Using standard serving pieces and fresh/high quality ingredients, a smoked salmon platter is a great entertaining staple to add to your repertoire.