Let’s face it, I am not a fan of salmon alone, but pair it with potatoes, along with the health benefits, I will incorporate it in my dinner menu somehow.
My memories of salmon are distorted.
I remember my mother frying up salmon patties using canned salmon because it was cheap!
My husband is not going to eat canned seafood, other than tuna.
I wanted a salmon recipe that would be simple to prepare, delicious, and incredibly easy to clean up – Read on! I hit a home run!
Health Benefits of Salmon
Salmon is naturally loaded in Omega-3 fats.
Don’t worry these are the GOOD fats your doctor has probably told you about.
Omega-3 oils are a particular classification of fatty acids found in some plants, such as FLAX SEED and in the tissues of all seafood.
These special polyunsaturated oils are said to be particularly beneficial to coronary health, lowering cholesterol and stimulating brain growth.
Canned salmon and sardines are excellent sources of Omega-3 as well.
Salmon is naturally abundant in many essential nutrients and vitamins including Vitamins A, C, D, and E, niacin, and B-12.
As an excellent source of protein, salmon is low in saturated fats and low in calories.
READ ABOUT MORE WAYS TO CONTROL YOUR CALORIC INTAKE HERE
Setting a Caloric Threshold: Weight Loss Plan Step 2
Tips for Buying Salmon
If you are not going to cook it the same day as purchased, unwrap it, pat it dry and put it in a zipper-lock freezer bag.
Press out all the air and seal. Freeze it immediately, or if you are cooking it the next day…
Place the zip lock bag on a bed of ice in a bowl or other deep container, that can hold the water.
Place the bowl in the coldest spot in your refrigerator.
If the ice melts before you cook the fish, replenish it.
The fish should keep for one day.
Quick Grilled Salmon
Place skin-side down on a cedar plank, previously soaked in water for 1/2 hour.
Heat gas grill to medium heat.
Do not move fillets.
Allow to cook about 7 minutes or until well browned and cooked about three-quarters of the way through.
Turn fillets and cook about 3 minutes more, or until still just barely pink in the center.
Garnish with parsley. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice.
Grilling is an easy way to eat salmon; so is steaming and poaching; however, with the large side fillets I had, I knew oven roasting could deliver a succulent, moist dinner, without compromising the texture of the fish.
Since I was going to have the oven at high temperatures already, I decided to accompany the salmon with red potatoes, which could also be easily roasted.
The skin was removed from the fillets before I received them; however, if you are buying salmon at the supermarket, the fishmonger should remove it for you, if you ask.
Note: the skin is edible, although not typically desirable.
I hope you enjoy and comment if you try it for dinner.
Sheet Pan Salmon with Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- FOR THE POTATOES:
- Small red potatoes enough for 3-4 oz. per person
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Lowe's Foods Spice Mediterranean Dip Mix
- FOR THE SALMON:
- 2 - 4 Salmon fillets or 2 pound side of salmon
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- Fresh black pepper
- Lowe's Foods Spice Mediterranean Dip Mix
- 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
- FOR THE SAUCE:
- 8 oz. package of cream cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 4 Tablespoons honey
- 3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- Freshly chopped chives for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the potatoes
- Preheat oven to 375º.
- Pour 2 Tablespoons of olive oil on a large sheet pan. Use a basting brush to spread the oil all over the pan. Place the pan in the oven and allow to heat the oil.
- Meanwhile, wash the red potatoes. Cut each potato in half and place in a bowl.
- Add 2 Tablespoons of the Lowe's Foods Mediterranean Dip Mix to the potatoes, along with one Tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of Sea Salt with a few turns of a black pepper grinder.
- Using two spoons, thoroughly mix the potatoes, making sure to coat each with the dip mix and oil.
- Once the sheet pan is hot, remove from the oven. (The oil might be smoking).
- Carefully, place the potatoes, one at a time, on the sheet pan. Making sure the cut side of the potato is touching the hot oil. You will hear it sizzle.
- Place back in the oven on low/middle rack.
Prepare the salmon
- On a new large sheet pan, cover it with aluminum foil. Place a second sheet of foil vertically across the pan so it lays over the edges enough, so you will be able to wrap the salmon in a pouch.
- Place salmon in center of foil.
- Sprinkle with garlic salt and a few turns of a black pepper grinder.
- Sprinkle with 2 - 3 Tablespoons of Lowe's Foods Mediterranean Dip Mix.
- Pour any remaining oil from your potatoes onto the salmon and spread with a basting brush.
- Wrap salmon. Fold sides of foil so as to form a packet that you can seal.
- Place salmon in oven on middle rack, above the potatoes and turn up heat to 400º.
- Set timer for 15 minutes for sides of salmon (thicker), or 12 minutes for fillets.
Prepare the cheese sauce
- Place 8 oz of cream cheese in a small saucepan and adjust heat to medium/low.
- Add milk and melt cheese until blended.
- Once the cheese has completely melted, add honey, mustard and garlic. Whisk until all of the honey until it has completely melted.
- Turn heat as low as it will go and allow the sauce to stay warm.
- Check potatoes. Test by sticking a potato with a fork. If it goes in easily, they are done. Remove from oven.
- Salmon must be cooked to 145º. Once it reaches 140º, open pouch, exposing fish. Place back in the oven under the broiler. Allow to reach 145º, then remove from oven.
- Allow to rest about 5 minutes. Serve salmon with sauce drizzled over the top.
