27 Feb Fried Salmon with Cornmeal Crust
Fried Salmon with Cornmeal Crust
Here is another signature recipe from the webmaster. I must admit, this is one of my favorite ways to prepare salmon. Don’t think that because the fish is fried that it will be greasy. If you heat the oil properly before putting the fish into the skillet, the oil will seal the surface of the fish and create a crispy crust so that the oil will not penetrate the fish.
Ingredients:
•4 salmon fillets or steaks, about 8 to 10 ounces each, about 1 inch thick.
•Corn meal seasoning (see below).
•Cooking oil, peanut oil preferred.
•4 Tbsp. butter.
•4 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley.
•1 lemon, quartered.
Seasoned Corn Meal Breading:
•1 lb. yellow corn meal
•1 tsp. salt
•1 tsp pepper
•1 tsp. cayanne
•1 tsp. paprika
•1 tsp. garlic powder
•1 tsp. onion powder
•Other spices as desired
•2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
•2 Tbsp. corn starch
Combine all of the ingredients above into a large zip lock bag. You may refrigerate it for storage and future use. Remove any skin from fish fillets, if necessary, before coating. Drop the fillets or steaks into the zip lock bag with corn meal breading and zip the bag closed. Shake to coat all of the pieces and then transfer to the skillet with hot oil.
Directions:
Heat oil, about 1/4 inch deep, in a large skillet over medium high heat. Test the oil for temperature by dropping a drop of water into the oil before heating. When the water stops “popping,” from the water evaporating, the oil is the correct temperature for cooking the fish. Do not overheat the oil to the smoking point!
Carefully place the corn meal breaded salmon into the hot oil, and reduce the heat to medium-high. Check the fish about 3 minutes into the process to make sure it isn’t burning on the surface. A little blackening is okay and adds flavor, but don’t let the crust burn. When it appears that the salmon has cooked about half way through, about 5 to 7 minutes, turn the fillets carefully and cook for an additional 5 minutes. The fillets should have a golden brown crust with a little blackening on the surface. Do not overcook!
Remove the fillets from the skillet and immediately top with a tablespoon of butter. Serve on individual serving plates. Garnish with chopped parsley and a lemon wedge. A hollandaise or bernaise sauce would be good on the side.
Comment: Many people think that if food is fried, then it must be greasy. This simply isn’t true. If the oil is at the proper temperature when the food is immersed, the surface of the food will form a seal, trapping moisture inside, and little or no oil we be absorbed. Fried food can be very moist and not greasy at all when prepared correctly. The key is to make sure that the oil is hot enough to form a seal, and that any coating or seasoning aids in the sealing process.
Of course, the best salmon in the world comes from the rivers of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. If you want to experience Alaska salmon fishing for yourself to catch your own fish so you can try this delicious recipe, contact us today to book your Alaska fishing trip!