[robyn]

I live in the greater Jacksonville area. We have a few Fresh Markets - and one Whole Foods (the latter is pretty far away from my house - like 15 miles). Anyway - yesterday I was in our local Fresh Market - and it was offering fresh wild sockeye salmon. Presumably from someplace far removed from Florida. And it was fabulous (also on sale for $14.99/pound - not a big deal when you're 2 people and eat less than a pound for dinner). Perhaps there is better to be had elsewhere - but this is the best fresh salmon I have ever bought at a grocery store in our area.

Any recommendations from you people in salmon country about the best stuff to look for when those of us on the east coast are buying salmon? Robyn

[tighe]

I live in the greater Jacksonville area. We have a few Fresh Markets - and one Whole Foods (the latter is pretty far away from my house - like 15 miles). Anyway - yesterday I was in our local Fresh Market - and it was offering fresh wild sockeye salmon. Presumably from someplace far removed from Florida. And it was fabulous (also on sale for $14.99/pound - not a big deal when you're 2 people and eat less than a pound for dinner). Perhaps there is better to be had elsewhere - but this is the best fresh salmon I have ever bought at a grocery store in our area.

Any recommendations from you people in salmon country about the best stuff to look for when those of us on the east coast are buying salmon? Robyn

Copper River and Yukon River Chinook (King) salmon is probably the best and most expensive. Yes, these fisheries have managed to enhance prices through branding, but it doesn't change the fact that these are great products. By the time they get to FL however, it's likely to be upwards of $40/lb. Sockeye from these rivers is great too, but less fatty, than Chinook.

[robyn]

I think I've seen chinook salmon here - but generic - not the brand names you mention. Is there such a thing (perhaps I am not remembering correctly)? About $22/pound regular price - as opposed to $18/pound regular price for the sockeye. Don't think even Whole Foods could push much fish here at $40/pound. I'll have to look more carefully next time I shop. From what you say - the chinook is fattier than the sockeye. Is it as tasty?

BTW - here is my simple salmon summer recipe (easy to make - not much to clean). Take portion of salmon (skin on bottom) - about 6-7 ounces - regular shaped rectangle. Brush with olive oil on the bottom. Place on tin foil square (I buy the packages of squares). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Put a layer of seeded tomatoes on top (recipe calls for cherry tomatoes - but I get whatever I think looks best). Top with a couple of basil leaves and drizzle with more olive oil. Put another foil square on top and crimp edges - leaving room for heat expansion. Cook at 500 degrees (in oven pan with low edges) for 17 minutes. Serve with dill sauce (sour cream with lots of dill and a bit of lemon juice - I don't have fresh dill in the summer - too hot - so I use the dried stuff out of a jar - it tastes fine after soaking in the sour cream for an hour or more). Goes well with couscous (big or small - depends on your favorite recipe).

FWIW - this is an old recipe from the NYT. Which called for 12 minutes cooking time. IMO - the salmon comes out mushy - not flakey - with 12 minutes. 17 minutes is cooked so fish is not overdone - but flakey. Individual taste preferences (and oven variations) will govern. I am in the camp that says fish should be served raw (sashimi) - or cooked flakey (but not overdone and dry). Nothing in between.

But I can't tell you how much tastier the sockeye was compared to the normal farm raised stuff - only stuff that used to be available here. I don't recall seeing salmon like this here in prior years. Whole Foods opened here less a year ago - and I guess Fresh Market and Whole Foods are now competing with one another to bring new kinds of products into our area. Within certain price points (we're not a wealthy area in general and economic conditions aren't great). Robyn

[tighe]

Whether you prefer sockeye or chinook is a personal preference thing. Chinook is fattier, therefore richer/oilier, with a more subtle flavor. Sockeye has a stronger 'salmon' flavor, IMO. I love both.

I agree with you on cooking. The best is when its just barely cooked through. Leaving salmon rare/raw in the middle fails to develop the full flavor of the fish. I'm a salmon puritan, so the type of recipe you describe doesn't appeal to me, but again, that's just a question of personal preference. Also, I've found the margin for error with those high temp cooking methods are razor thin.

[robyn]

So how does a salmon puritan cook salmon? You could probably just leave off the tomato and basil from my recipe (perhaps I'll try that next time - I'm not sure they add anything to the basic cooking technique). But don't you dare take away my sour cream dill sauce .

I find that there is some margin for error when you're cooking at high eat in a foil packet (but you might ruin one before you get the right time for your oven - my "500 degrees" might be your 475 or 525). One reason I like this recipe is there is very little room for error when pan cooking fish - and no room for error on the grill at high heat. Even with grilled meat - which is why I'll never cook steak without cutting one open 1 or 2 minutes ahead of when I think it should be done. I grill in outdoor temperatures ranging from the 50's to the 90's - and that can make a big difference in terms of cooking times even if I am cooking identical things.

We'll be going to Los Angeles for a week in July - and I hope I'll find both kinds of salmon (I know Los Angeles isn't "salmon country" - but it is closer to salmon country than I am). Will also look in my local stores.

Sounds like the chinook might make for a better sashimi salmon because of the fat content - and the sockeye better for cooking due to the flavor which develops in cooking.

I am glad someone agrees with me about how to cook fish. All too often these days - I get mushy undercooked fish in high end restaurants. I'd rather have a nicely fried catfish fresh from the fryer at Golden Corral. Robyn

[Daisy]

I'm pretty much a salmon puritan as well, but a smashing deviation from that purity is the famous Troigros saumon a l'oseille. This is one of the world's great sauces.

My favorite method by far for cooking a salmon filet is Michel Bras' oven- steaming method. Preheat the oven to 275F, put a skillet of boiling water in the bottom third of the oven and a piece of salmon filet on an oiled cookie sheet in the top third. Takes roughly 20 minutes for a piece of fish around two pounds. The salmon remains moist and brilliantly colored with this method. I like to serve it with a lemony salsa verde on the side, or simply a couple of pieces of lemon. I don't like my fish mucked about much with heavy sauces or toppings.

[tighe]

I'm pretty much a salmon puritan as well, but a smashing deviation from that purity is the famous Troigros saumon a l'oseille. This is one of the world's great sauces.

I love the Troigros sorrel sauce as well, though I prefer to cook the salmon separately and then serve with the sauce. Cutting the fish into such thin pieces doesn't make sense to me. I don't have a problem with salmon being served with sauces, per se, more with the idea of covering with a bunch of stuff while cooking or marinating it before hand. Salmon teriyaki is very popular around here and I think its an abomination unless the piece of fish is of such mediocre quality that you're trying to dress it up.

My favorite way to cook salmon is to use a low temp grill to slow roast on cedar planks. Usually season the fish with just salt and pepper with some shaved onion or fennel on top of the fish.

[Suzanne F]

That is indeed a fabulous sauce. Also works with mackerel, cooked separately. The tart sorrel works so well with rich fish.

I haven't been to a fishmonger lately (other than at farmers' markets), so I've missed the fancy salmon. But then, there are so many other good fish, I don't miss it all that much. We just had some kingfish steaks that were lovely, and much less expensive than good salmon would have been.

[robyn]

I'm pretty much a salmon puritan as well, but a smashing deviation from that purity is the famous Troigros saumon a l'oseille. This is one of the world's great sauces.

I love the Troigros sorrel sauce as well, though I prefer to cook the salmon separately and then serve with the sauce. Cutting the fish into such thin pieces doesn't make sense to me. I don't have a problem with salmon being served with sauces, per se, more with the idea of covering with a bunch of stuff while cooking or marinating it before hand. Salmon teriyaki is very popular around here and I think its an abomination unless the piece of fish is of such mediocre quality that you're trying to dress it up.

My favorite way to cook salmon is to use a low temp grill to slow roast on cedar planks. Usually season the fish with just salt and pepper with some shaved onion or fennel on top of the fish.

Are you using a gas or charcoal grill? If gas - what temp? Whenever I have tried to use cedar planks on my gas grill - I wind up with well done planks and raw fish <sigh>. Robyn

[robyn]

That is indeed a fabulous sauce. Also works with mackerel, cooked separately. The tart sorrel works so well with rich fish.

I haven't been to a fishmonger lately (other than at farmers' markets), so I've missed the fancy salmon. But then, there are so many other good fish, I don't miss it all that much. We just had some kingfish steaks that were lovely, and much less expensive than good salmon would have been.

FWIW - if you've never tried it - you can cook up king fish like tuna fish and make it into kingfish salad. Just simmer it in water with some aromatics (like onions) - until it turns white and flakes. Chill and make a salad of your choice. My late mother used to catch a lot of kingfish - and hated eating bloody fish. So this is the way she cooked it. Robyn

[Suzanne F]

Thanks, I'll try that sometime. That was the first time that I'd ever bought kingfish. Usually I eat it stewed at Jamaican restaurants.

[tighe]

I'm pretty much a salmon puritan as well, but a smashing deviation from that purity is the famous Troigros saumon a l'oseille. This is one of the world's great sauces.

I love the Troigros sorrel sauce as well, though I prefer to cook the salmon separately and then serve with the sauce. Cutting the fish into such thin pieces doesn't make sense to me. I don't have a problem with salmon being served with sauces, per se, more with the idea of covering with a bunch of stuff while cooking or marinating it before hand. Salmon teriyaki is very popular around here and I think its an abomination unless the piece of fish is of such mediocre quality that you're trying to dress it up.

My favorite way to cook salmon is to use a low temp grill to slow roast on cedar planks. Usually season the fish with just salt and pepper with some shaved onion or fennel on top of the fish.

Are you using a gas or charcoal grill? If gas - what temp? Whenever I have tried to use cedar planks on my gas grill - I wind up with well done planks and raw fish <sigh>. Robyn

Do you soak the planks in water first? If not, that's probably the problem. I soak them for at least 4 hours prior to cooking. Heat gas grill to high, put the planks on, turn down to low, maybe even turn 1 burner off if you have 3 or more. After the planks start smoking and heat up, put the salmon on and wait...

I tried using the planks on a charcoal grill, but found the the cedar smoke plus the smoke from the charcoal was just too much. You can cook salmon over hardwood charcoal (sans planks) and get a nice smoky flavor. A friend recently served me some salmon cooked over charcoal with apple chips added and it was fantastic.

[robyn]

I did soak the planks - but only for an hour. And I put the fish on a cold plank - not one that had been pre-heated in the grill. I'll try your suggestions - and see what happens. Thanks. Robyn