Cookbook:Salmon

Salmon
Category	Seafood

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Salmon is a very popular fish, being large and high in omega-3 fatty acids. Canned salmon is high in calcium because the bones have been softened and are eaten with the meat. Salmon is particularly popular in the American Jewish community. The eggs are sometimes eaten as a caviar substitute.

The line-caught variety is especially prized and expensive. Much like flamingos, wild salmon gain their pink or red color from the krill (small shrimp-like animals) that they eat. Color differences indicate food source differences. Farm-raised salmon are artificially colored by feeding them a dye that tends to remain in flesh. The dye has been shown to remain in humans, including the retina, which can be damaging to eyesight. Farm-raised salmon taste somewhat like corn, likely due to the feed being used. Farm-raised salmon can be recognized by the wider fat-filled or goo-filled gaps between the flakes of meat.

When purchasing fish, freshness is important. The fish should not have a fishy smell, which actually comes from bacteria decomposing the fish. If purchasing whole fish, the eyes should be clear. Frozen-at-sea fish are often the freshest choice available.

Trout may be substituted for salmon.

Types of Salmon Products

• Lox - Salted salmon.
• Smoked Salmon

Recipes with Salmon

• Gravlax
• Salmon fried rice
• Honey Mustard Salmon
• Plank-Grilled Salmon
• Maple Syrup Planked Salmon
• Salmon with Rice and Sauce

• Canned Salmon Recipes by Alaska Packers' Association, 1900 e-book with color illustrations, available from Internet Archive

In culture

In Norse mythology there is a story about Loki, the god of mischief and strife: In order to escape punishment by the other gods for trying to trick the blind god Hod into killing Baldur, the god of beauty and light, Loki jumped into a river and transformed himself into a salmon. The other gods tried to catch him in a net. As Loki was trying to escape by leaping over the net, Thor grabbed him by the tail. This is why the salmon's tail is tapered today.

The fish with the tapered tail lives an interesting life. Born in fresh water, it migrates to the ocean and returns to fresh water to reproduce. It is said that later in their lives, salmon return to exactly the same spot where they were born. This could be the reason why the salmon tastes so fancy - this interesting lifestyle may have an effect on the flavor of the fish. And if you want your salmon dish to taste even more intense, use smoked salmon instead of fresh.