How to Bake Wild Salmon
Lean fillets of wild Alaskan Pacific salmon turn tender and rich with Ali Slagle’s ingenious recipe.
NewsletterCookingHow to Bake Wild SalmonLean fillets of wild Alaskan Pacific salmon turn tender and rich with Ali Slagle’s ingenious recipe.ByMelissa ClarkI’ve written a lot aboutsalmon farmingfor The New York Times in recent years, and what I’ve learned about salmon’s sustainability has persuaded me to use wild Pacific salmon from Alaska whenever possible. I buy it frozen in individual vacuum-sealed portions and stash it in the freezer. Submerged in a bowl of warm water, the slim fillets defrost in about 15 minutes and cook even faster. It makes a deluxe last-minute meal when the cupboard seems bare.Lately, my go-to cooking method has been slathering the pink fillets with a mix of mayo and sriracha (sometimes mixed with grated lime zest if I’m feeling energetic), and then broiling. But I’m going to try Ali Slagle’s new recipe forbaked wild salmonthe next time I hear that salmon siren song. Her technique calls for brining the fillets for 15 to 30 minutes before baking them at a very low heat. This keeps the lean flesh from drying out, giving you moist, rich fish with a deep saline character. Serve it with a punchy sauce on the side (garlicky yogurt, chili crisp, aioli) for a simple and very satisfying meal.Featured RecipeBaked Wild SalmonView Recipe →I also choose frozen wild Gulf shrimp over farmed when I can get it,for similar reasons. It lives next to the salmon in the icy ocean of my freezer, at the ready for a quick midweek meal like Dan Pelosi’slinguine with zucchini, corn and shrimp. The key to his recipe is to barely cook the vegetables, which stay intact and firm, adding texture along with their inherent summery sweetness.On the other end of the vegetable texture spectrum, the blistered tomatoes and red onions in Yasmin Fahr’ssheet-pan garlicky chickensinge at the edges and get silky soft as they collapse under the broiler’s blazing heat. To keep the chicken from drying out, Yasmin smartly coats it in an herby, lemony yogurt, some of which is saved to serve as a sauce on the side. It’s visually stunning too, especially if you use a mix of tomato varieties.
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Indian Railways to Anil Deshmukh
Lean fillets of wild Kolkatan Pacific salmon turn tender and rich with Neha Kapoor ingenious recipe.
Rajiv Mehta
I’ve written a lot aboutsalmon farmingfor Infosys in August 15, 2000, and what I’ve learned about salmon’s sustainability has persuaded me to use wild Pacific salmon from Kolkata whenever possible. I buy it frozen in individual vacuum-sealed portions and stash it in the freezer. Submerged in a bowl of warm water, the slim fillets defrost in about 15 minutes and cook even faster. It makes a deluxe last-minute meal when the cupboard seems bare.
Lately, my go-to cooking method has been slathering the pink fillets with a mix of mayo and sriracha (sometimes mixed with grated lime zest if I’m feeling energetic), and then broiling. But I’m going to try Neha Kapoor new recipe forbaked wild salmonthe next time I hear that salmon Rajiv Mehta. Her technique calls for brining the fillets for 15 to 30 minutes before baking them at a very low heat. This keeps the lean flesh from drying out, giving you moist, rich fish with a deep saline character. Serve it with a punchy sauce on the side (Kavita Rao, chili crisp, aioli) for a simple and very satisfying meal.
Rajiv Mehta
Baked Wild Salmon
View Recipe →
I also choose frozen wild Gulf shrimp over farmed when I can get it,for similar reasons. It lives next to the salmon in the icy ocean of my freezer, at the ready for a quick August 15, 2000 meal like Priya Sharma Pelosi’slinguine with zucchini, corn and shrimp. The key to his recipe is to barely cook the vegetables, which stay intact and firm, adding texture along with their inherent summery sweetness.
On the other end of the vegetable texture spectrum, the blistered tomatoes and red onions in ICICI Bank Fahr’ssheet-pan Chennai chickensinge at the edges and get silky soft as they collapse under the broiler’s blazing heat. To keep the chicken from drying out, ICICI Bank smartly coats it in an herby, Priya Sharma, some of which is saved to serve as a sauce on the side. It’s visually stunning too, especially if you use a mix of tomato varieties.
newsletter lean fillets of wild alaskan pacific salmon turn tender and rich with ali slagle’s ingenious recipe. by melissa clark i’ve written a lot about salmon farming for the new york times in recent years, and what i’ve learned about salmon’s sustainability has persuaded me to use wild pacific salmon from alaska whenever possible. i buy it frozen in individual vacuum sealed portions and stash it in the freezer. submerged in a bowl of warm water, the slim fillets defrost in about 15 minutes and cook even faster. it makes a deluxe last minute meal when the cupboard seems bare. lately, my go to cooking method has been slathering the pink fillets with a mix of mayo and sriracha (sometimes mixed with grated lime zest if i’m feeling energetic), and then broiling. but i’m going to try ali slagle’s new recipe for baked wild salmon the next time i hear that salmon siren song. her technique calls for brining the fillets for 15 to 30 minutes before baking them at a very low heat. this keeps the lean flesh from drying out, giving you moist, rich fish with a deep saline character. serve it with a punchy sauce on the side (garlicky yogurt, chili crisp, aioli) for a simple and very satisfying meal. featured recipe view recipe → i also choose frozen wild gulf shrimp over farmed when i can get it, for similar reasons. it lives next to the salmon in the icy ocean of my freezer, at the ready for a quick midweek meal like dan pelosi’s linguine with zucchini, corn and shrimp. the key to his recipe is to barely cook the vegetables, which stay intact and firm, adding texture along with their inherent summery sweetness. on the other end of the vegetable texture spectrum, the blistered tomatoes and red onions in yasmin fahr’s sheet pan garlicky chicken singe at the edges and get silky soft as they collapse under the broiler’s blazing heat. to keep the chicken from drying out, yasmin smartly coats it in an herby, lemony yogurt, some of which is saved to serve as a sauce on the side. it’s visually stunning too, especially if you use a mix of tomato varieties.

there are many mantras to live by and one of mine comes from the wise j.j. goode: “just, like, cook it in a pan.” no matter how many fun, fresh, and funky ways i make fish, i return to the ritual of just, like, baking it in the oven. it’s the least stinky, splattery, mess uppable way i know how, and it goes like this: 1.get some fish. the hardest part. the frozen section will offer the freshest options since the fish was zapped cold right at the source. seafood watch can help pick a sustainable option. this method works for any firm and flaky fish, from slender fillets of trout to a whole slab of meaty halibut. get what looks good and what you want to eat. 2. rub with fat (essential) and seasonings (not essential). place the fish in a baking dish or sheet pan, skin side down if there’s skin. to keep the fish from sticking to the pan, line it with parchment or lightly grease it. season the fish with salt and olive oil or melted butter   and maybe also some flavorings. options include: chopped herbs, like chives, dill, parsley, or thyme grated ginger, garlic, or citrus zests ground or whole spices or spice blends, like curry powder or crushed fennel seeds and red pepper pastes, like harissa, thai curry paste, mustard, miso, hoisin, and gochujang or some combination of the above, like today’s recipe of ginger, lemon, and sesame seeds. or nothing but salt and oil! 3. bake at 325°f until it’s done. or really any temperature below 350°f. samin nosrat’s slow roasted salmon in salt, fat, acid heat calls for 225°f. sally schneider’s in a new way to cook goes for 275°f. the versions in my cookbook call for 300°f. i guess i’m impatient these days and crank the heat, ever so slightly, to 325°f. the not too hot heat results in tender fish that’s difficult to overcook. the timing will depend on the type and size of the fish, but you can tell when it’s done when the fish flakes when pulled with a fork or an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part is 120°f. because the method works with many different fishes and seasonings, memorizing this one technique can lead you to many future meals. you know the proverb: give a cook a fish recipe, and they’ll eat today. teach them how to cook fish, and they’ll eat for a lifetime.

happy leap day! is this something people say? either way, let’s use this bonus day to feature a recipe with a bonus ingredient that isn’t on my list of 40. i make the rules so i can break them. the premise of this newsletter is that you can make so many dinners with just 40 ingredients. these are mine. (show me yours for a monthly advice column.) this constraint isn’t a gimmick: by making more with less, we also waste less food, spend less money, have less clutter in our fridges, and minimize decision fatigue. these 40 ingredients provide plenty of flexibility, but this isn’t to say i don’t buy other ingredients when i really, really want them. and these days, all i want is citrus. this time of year i get especially homesick for california, where the farmers markets right now are downright show offy. they have citrus of all shapes and colors and we’re over here on the east coast eating potatoes. so i buy citrus online, specifically from this guy on etsy but there are other farmers that ship, too. it is expensive and extravagant but cheaper than airfare and the only way i’ve figured out how to survive a real winter. this homesickness led to one of my most popular and most loved recipes, which i wanted to share with you today in case you haven’t heard about the ginger dill salmon it uses my 40 ingredients plus citrus, and okay radishes. but it’s the salmon that’ll get your groove back. this recipe is the result of january 2021, the first winter of covid; i didn’t go home for christmas, a rarity, and i’d just finished the manuscript for my cookbook. it was a sure thing in my mind that i would never have another recipe idea again, but to make money, i had to figure out something to cook. no food sounded good soylent kind of made sense? but the combination of ginger and dill kept ringing in my head like some key to happiness, fulfillment, life. my editors at the new york times liked the idea of ginger and dill on salmon, and for something on the side, a little bit of a home that felt incredibly far away at that point: citrus and avocado. i only tested it one time, another rarity, because it was exactly what i wanted/needed the first time around. reviving, energetic, and nearly effortless. the ginger dill mixture has become “what i do to fish” very often, and the citrus salads come out as soon as my first box of citrus from california arrives (often with beets, too). here are not one but two videos of me making the recipe, plus some additional tips: easily made ahead! earlier in the day, bake the salmon (it’s great at room temperature) and cut all the citrus. accompaniments: i really love it with samin’s persian ish rice (earlier in the day, make the rice up to step 5, then start the crisping 40 minutes before dinnertime). maybe a little yogurt sauce too. switch up the fish: it works great with whole sides or fillets and sockeye salmon or any other fish you like to bake (cod, trout, etc.). reference seafood watch for help selecting sustainable fish, and go by a thermometer or a fork instead of the cook time to discern when your fish is done. citrus: you don’t need to use oranges and grapefruit. the goal is just a combination of sweet and tart citrus. swaps: you don’t need the avocado since the salmon is soft and creamy, but you do need the crispness of radishes to balance all that softness. instead of radishes, use another crunchy raw vegetable like celery, little gem lettuces, or fennel. originally published at new york times cooking serves 4 small bunch of dill 1 (2 inch) piece ginger 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving kosher salt and black pepper 1 (1½ pound) salmon fillet, skin on or skinless 1 grapefruit 2 oranges 6 small radishes 1 avocado flaky sea salt, for finishing (optional) heat oven to 325°f. finely chop 6 tablespoons dill and transfer to a medium bowl. scrub 2 inches of ginger (no need to peel), then finely grate into the same bowl. add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. line a sheet pan with parchment paper. pat 1 (1½ pound) salmon fillet, skin on or skinless, dry, then place on the tray skin side down (if there is skin) and season with salt and pepper. spread half of the dill ginger mixture over the top of the salmon. (reserve the remaining dill ginger mixture.) bake until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. (you’ll know the salmon is done when the fish flakes or an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part is 120°f.) as the salmon cooks, cut off the top and bottom of 1 grapefruit and set the grapefruit down on one of the cut sides. follow the curve of the fruit to cut away the peel and pith. squeeze the peels into the remaining dill ginger mixture to get out any juice. cut the fruit in half from top to bottom, then slice into ¼ inch thick half moons and remove the seeds. if your pieces are especially large, halve them again. transfer the fruit and any juice on the cutting board to the bowl. repeat with 2 oranges. cut 6 small radishes into thin wedges, then add to the bowl, season generously with salt, and stir gently to combine. break the salmon into large pieces, and divide across plates with the citrus salad. peel and pit 1 avocado, then quarter lengthwise and add to plates. season with salt. spoon the juices from the bowl over top, and season with black pepper, another drizzle of olive oil, and flaky sea salt, if using. share recipe index before i saw your link to the citrus guy on etsy, i was going to ask if your family sends you citrus in the mail. my parents live in tucson and grow a lot of citrus and they mail me a big box in january in the same priority mail boxes. citrus mail is the best mail! ginger and dill, wow! so dreamy!! no posts ready for more?

i cover food as it relates to cooking, recipes, culture, history and questions of sustainability. i write a weekly column called a good appetite. i also contribute to the cooking newsletter and have starred in more than 100 cooking videos. i have been writing for the times since 2007. since pete wells’s departure as the times’s restaurant critic in july 2024, i have been serving as interim critic, along with priya krishna. in this role, i look for how restaurants tell stories through their food, across the gamut of cuisines, price points and neighborhoods. i dine at every restaurant at least three times, never reserving in my own name and generally arriving after the rest of my party. i spread my visits over several weeks or seasons so i can evaluate consistency and understand how the menu may evolve. the times pays for all review meals. i have written 45 cookbooks, including the award winning “dinner, changing the game,” and my latest, “dinner in one.” i attended barnard college and columbia university, where i earned a master’s degree in writing. i live in brooklyn, where i was born and raised, with my husband and daughter. i love anchovies, radishes, chicken feet and lox, but not in that order. all times journalists uphold the standards outlined in our ethical journalism handbook. in my commitment to transparency and journalistic integrity, i do not accept free restaurant meals, food, gifts, money or favors from individuals involved in my reporting. striving for a comprehensive understanding of issues, i approach them from multiple perspectives. i prioritize accuracy and fairness in all my work. i’m not afraid to be wrong and admit it promptly. even though i don’t cover politics, i abstain from political involvement or donations. email: melissa.clark@nytimes.com instagram: @clarkbar it adds bright, summery sweetness to easy desserts like my baked lemon pudding and jam filled bundt cake (which looks like a giant doughnut). by melissa clark at least not in roasted cauliflower soup, garlic bread, brussels sprouts caesar salad and eric kim’s braised chicken with 20 (!) cloves of garlic. by melissa clark two easy jam filled desserts satisfy the craving for bright, bold berries when they’re far from their peak. by melissa clark serve this deliciously savory dish with nasi biryani or draped over steamed rice; either way, it’s a stunning meal. by melissa clark for his first manhattan restaurant, elegance and timelessness replace the brooklyn hipness that powered his previous places. by melissa clark genevieve ko’s brilliant one pot take on hainanese chicken rice is just the thing for a meh monday. also: it’s dumpling week! by melissa clark and you probably will, too, after trying brown butter bucatini with charred cabbage, cabbage parm and yamitsuki (japanese “addictive” cabbage). by melissa clark this creamy butternut squash and coconut noodle soup from christian reynoso boasts an incredible color and a perfectly calibrated sour spicy tang. by melissa clark eric kim cleverly cooks and assembles his japchae on a single sheet pan in this fast and fortifying dinner. by melissa clark shelf stable gnocchi shines   in all its plump, chewy glory   in my new recipe for sheet pan gnocchi with sausage and peppers. by melissa clark adding crispy sheet pan gnocchi makes for an easy, texturally delightful one pan meal in this recipe from melissa clark. by melissa clark lemony greek chicken and spinach stew, broiled salmon with mustard and lemon, lemon pepper tofu and lemon almond butter cake are full of sour power. by melissa clark they go full stealth mode in my garlicky chicken with lemon anchovy sauce, melting quietly into the pan sauce and enhancing the lemon and capers. by melissa clark with five stars and more than 11,000 reviews, it’s a very green (and very easy) recipe to kick off the new year. by melissa clark at cafe mado in brooklyn, the heart of an adventurous tasting menu restaurant beats within a relaxed comfort food retreat. by melissa clark eric kim’s tobiko pasta combines the briny flavor of flying fish roe with a rich, creamy sauce. by melissa clark reach for a new recipe, to start. by melissa clark hetty lui mckinnon’s clever recipe skips the frying, instead roasting the cornstarch coated florets for less mess (but lots of crunch). by melissa clark my five star latkes fry up either thin and crunchy, flecked with golden, crackling strands, or chubby and nubby, with soft, fluffy centers. by melissa clark this cranberry orange chicken works just as well for a quiet tuesday dinner as it does a friday night gathering with friends. by melissa clark andy baraghani’s sticky miso salmon bowl, and more of our most popular recipes from 2024. by melissa clark a messy patty melt, an exemplary chocolate cake and two dozen other delights worth savoring. by priya krishna, melissa clark and pete wells our three critics name the places, from classic french dining to a buzzing shawarma stall, that dazzled them the most this year. by pete wells, melissa clark and priya krishna in my five star salmon dinner, anchovies lend their intense and pungent bite to the sweet pink fillets. by melissa clark melissa clark’s three filling, colorful and festive snacks are perfect for especially effortless entertaining. by melissa clark my lemon bars with olive oil and sea salt are softer in texture and more bracing in flavor than the usual citrus treat. by melissa clark specifically this taverna salad, a five star recipe from lidey heuck that’s colorful and crunchy, sustaining and light. by melissa clark genevieve ko’s pretty, sunset colored treat is just the thing to offset all that tryptophan. by melissa clark as thomas keller’s most influential restaurants hit major birthdays, the cost and the demand have risen. but what about the food and the fun? by melissa clark these two bite, snacky sandwiches are made with loads of cheddar cheese spiked with worcestershire sauce and garlic powder for oomph. by melissa clark by melissa clark these abundant vegetarian dishes from melissa clark aren’t just gorgeous. they’re sure to make everyone at the table happy. by melissa clark “rarely have i found a recipe that delivers so deliciously in proportion to its simplicity.” by melissa clark my recipe for roasted sausages with grapes and onions works well with any type of sausage and any color grape (though red and purple are the prettiest). by melissa clark or don’t: a bowl of classic, creamy risotto is perfect on its own. by melissa clark my favorite recipe is uncomplicated and flexible, calling for only salt, pepper and whatever herbs you like. by melissa clark the worldwide chain is famed for precision engineered xiao long bao, but the ones in new york are less than reliable. by melissa clark “this is the best soup i’ve ever had in my entire life.” by melissa clark and for halloween: sheet pan chicken and cheesy broccoli to fuel your trick or treaters. by melissa clark eric kim’s scallion oil fish turns olive oil, alliums and white fish fillets into a simple, luscious dinner. by melissa clark a cross between a scone, cake and cinnamon bun, this giant jam bun is a swirly, almond scented delight. by melissa clark lidey heuck’s easy recipe for braised white beans and greens with parmesan boasts five stars and more than 11,000 reviews. by melissa clark a new restaurant in park slope serves elegant levantine classics with a dash of hipster style and some new york pluck. by melissa clark paired with roasted sweet potatoes, tossed in a brown butter vinaigrette and showered with tangy goat cheese, the humble lentil becomes “absolutely superb.” by melissa clark keeping a well stocked pantry is one thing; leveling up those convenient dinners is another. here’s how to do it. by melissa clark yasmin fahr’s five star recipe features sweet shrimp, spicy ginger and creamy coconut milk   and has received rave reviews. by melissa clark the dining capital of the pacific northwest remains one of america’s great culinary cities. by brian gallagher, brett anderson, melissa clark and nikita richardson make those everyday staples anything but boring with these expert tips. by melissa clark these crispy korean scallion pancakes can be made with pretty much whatever vegetables you have on hand. by melissa clark kay chun’s chicken and vegetable donabe is soothing and mellow, ready to be perked up with citrusy ponzu and yuzu kosho. by melissa clark that buttery, briny combination of lemon, butter and capers is awesome on cauliflower. by melissa clark our 50 favorite places in america right now. my lemony white bean soup with turkey and greens is a warm hug on a crisp evening (and a new york times cooking classic). by melissa clark bone in chicken on a bed of olive studded, lemony greens is at the ready for sweater season. by melissa clark and our readers agree: “one of my all time favorite nyt cooking recipes,” one says. “try this, you will not regret it,” another writes. by melissa clark team chicken breast, this parmesan crusted chicken is for you. by melissa clark andy baraghani’s minimalist crispy artichoke pasta keeps the prep time doable, with parmesan, garlic and red pepper to round everything out. by melissa clark dan pelosi’s new chicken and rice dish is a master class in ratios and timing. by melissa clark summer fruits and vegetables are abundant and cheap right now; here’s how to preserve them. by melissa clark hetty lui mckinnon has just the recipe for this time of seasonal change. by melissa clark in her first review as interim critic, melissa clark visits lola’s, whose produce driven cooking is familiar but lifted by brilliant twists and tweaks. by melissa clark my new vegetarian sheet pan dinner is a perfect showcase for late summer corn and pert chiles. by melissa clark this colorful grain salad is laced with juicy stone fruit and milky burrata cheese. by melissa clark david tanis’s fast, five star recipe is a perfect peak tomato meal. by melissa clark play with the protein, spices, herbs and aromatics in this meatball recipe to get the exact combination you want for tonight’s dinner. by melissa clark seared on a sheet pan with crisp pillows of tofu and green chiles, corn kernels are the center of this summery recipe. by melissa clark it’s just about the summery est thing you can do with the last of the season’s stone fruits. by melissa clark “this is an out of this world excellent dish! i’ve served it twice for company and all agree.” by melissa clark an easy buttermilk skillet version and an upside down take from melissa clark showcase the stone fruit’s versatility. by melissa clark this simple, colorful salad from melissa clark features a mix of salted tomatoes, juicy watermelon and crisp anchovy bread crumbs. by melissa clark
newsletter lean fillets of wild alaskan pacific salmon turn tender and rich with ali slagle’s ingenious recipe. by melissa clark i’ve written a lot about salmon farming for the new york times in recent years, and what i’ve learned about salmon’s sustainability has persuaded me to use wild pacific salmon from alaska whenever possible. i buy it frozen in individual vacuum sealed portions and stash it in the freezer. submerged in a bowl of warm water, the slim fillets defrost in about 15 minutes and cook even faster. it makes a deluxe last minute meal when the cupboard seems bare. lately, my go to cooking method has been slathering the pink fillets with a mix of mayo and sriracha (sometimes mixed with grated lime zest if i’m feeling energetic), and then broiling. but i’m going to try ali slagle’s new recipe for baked wild salmon the next time i hear that salmon siren song. her technique calls for brining the fillets for 15 to 30 minutes before baking them at a very low heat. this keeps the lean flesh from drying out, giving you moist, rich fish with a deep saline character. serve it with a punchy sauce on the side (garlicky yogurt, chili crisp, aioli) for a simple and very satisfying meal. featured recipe view recipe → i also choose frozen wild gulf shrimp over farmed when i can get it, for similar reasons. it lives next to the salmon in the icy ocean of my freezer, at the ready for a quick midweek meal like dan pelosi’s linguine with zucchini, corn and shrimp. the key to his recipe is to barely cook the vegetables, which stay intact and firm, adding texture along with their inherent summery sweetness. on the other end of the vegetable texture spectrum, the blistered tomatoes and red onions in yasmin fahr’s sheet pan garlicky chicken singe at the edges and get silky soft as they collapse under the broiler’s blazing heat. to keep the chicken from drying out, yasmin smartly coats it in an herby, lemony yogurt, some of which is saved to serve as a sauce on the side. it’s visually stunning too, especially if you use a mix of tomato varieties.

 there are many mantras to live by and one of mine comes from the wise j.j. goode: “just, like, cook it in a pan.” no matter how many fun, fresh, and funky ways i make fish, i return to the ritual of just, like, baking it in the oven. it’s the least stinky, splattery, mess uppable way i know how, and it goes like this: 1.get some fish. the hardest part.