How Do I Cook Salmon Fillets?

Our answer

Nigella has many recipes that include salmon, however for most of them the salmon tends to be either cooked in a frying pan on a high heat or it is poached. For Tarragon Salmon and Lemony Salmon With Cherry Tomato Couscous, the individual fillets are seared for 2-3 minutes on each side to give salmon that is still a vivid coral pink in the centre. You can cook the fillets for slightly longer on each side if you prefer the salmon to be slightly better done. For larger pieces of salmon fillet, increase the cooking time to 4-5 miniutes on one side, a minute on the second side and then rest the cooked fish for a while in a foil package, as for the Salmon With Sushi Rice.

For poaching, this can be also done on the hob by putting the salmon in a small frying pan and covering it with water, as in the recipe for Salmon, Avocado, Watercress And Pumpkin Seed Salad. If it is a very large piece of salmon then it is easier to poach the fish in the oven, as in in the recipe for Salmon Kedgeree With Lime And Coriander. So generally for most salmon fillets it is easier to cook them in a frying pan as it is quicker and saves having to heat up the oven for only a few minutes of cooking time. It also gives the opportunity to make a pan sauce or to glaze the salmon for recipes like Mirin Glazed Salmon.