Marination and Salmon Rest Time (at Room Temperature) 20 minutesmins
Total Time 45 minutesmins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 4people
Equipment
4 sheets of parchment paper if baking the fish in the oven
1 meat thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
4filletssalmon
Herb Mix
2clovesfresh garlicminced
1handfulchivesminced
6sprigsfresh thymeminced
1tbsplemon zestfrom about one lemon (save the juice!)
1inchfresh ginger (optional)zested
1lemonjuiced
4pinchesfine salt; or to tastesea salt or kosher salt
black pepperto taste
4drizzlesolive oilextra virgin
Instructions
Prepare the Herb Mix
Finely mince together all of the aromatics: garlic, chives, thyme, lemon zest and ginger.
Prepare the Salmon
Remove salmon fillets from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you plan to cook it. Salt and pepper the tops of the salmon fillets.
Distribute the herb mix evenly between the salmon, coating the top of each filet. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice to the top of each fillet as well.
Let Salmon Rest at Room Temperature
Let the salmon rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes. The 20 minutes it takes to bring the salmon to room temperature is the right amount of time for the herbs to season the salmon as well.
Grill or Bake the Salmon
To Bake: Place each herbed salmon fillet on a piece of parchment paper large enough to fold over and seal. Fold the parchment paper over the salmon, and cinch the paper together by folding it over itself along the edges.Bake the salmon fillets on a baking sheet at 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius) in a pre-heated static oven. Bake them for about 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. Generally, you want to aim for an internal temperature of 145° degrees Fahrenheit (63° degrees Celsius) as recommended by the FDA.
To Grill: Cook each side of the salmon (starting with the skin-side up) for 3-4 minutes. Generally, you want to aim for an internal temperature of 145° degrees Fahrenheit (63° degrees Celsius) as recommended by the FDA. Cook times depend on the thickness of the fillet.
Notes
When grilling salmon fillets, it's generally recommended to start with the top-side down (skin-side up) first. Here's why:
Better Presentation: The first side that you cook tends to look better because the grill is clean and at the right temperature. Since the top side of the salmon is usually the side that's presented, you'll want it to have those nice grill marks.
Easier to Flip: Salmon skin can help hold the fillet together and prevent it from falling apart. By starting with the top-side down, you can flip the fillet once and then leave it skin-side down for the rest of the cooking process.
Crispy Skin: If you like crispy skin, leaving the skin-side down for the majority of the cooking time can help the skin get nice and crispy.
Remember to oil the grill grates well before adding the salmon to prevent sticking, and try to flip the salmon only once to keep it from falling apart. The general guideline for grilling salmon is about 4-5 minutes per side, but this can vary depending on the thickness of the fillet and the heat of the grill.