A wealth of options with salmon

Salmon offers a wealth of simple options in the kitchen, and if you're lucky you'll have fish fresh from the roiling waters to enjoy, writes Kate Fraser.

For the next couple of months salmon anglers will be down where the river meets the sea, seeking the elusive fish as it roils ashore for the journey upstream to the spawning beds in shallow, gravelled rivers.

Whether the fish will fall for the lure is a matter of luck and timing for both fish and fisher.

Those who fish for the pot will have favourite recipes, but there is always room for more.

Salmon with butter and honey

Early-season salmon needs little in the way of embellishment and this simple preparation is built for good-quality, wild-caught salmon. If that doesn't happen, or fishing is not your thing, try the recipe with the best farm-raised salmon you can buy.

Serve with a kholrabi and celery remoulade and new potatoes. Baby newbies will cook in about the time it takes to prepare the salmon, so start with them first.

Season them with salt and pepper, then toss them with butter and some finely chopped basil. Adapted from Colman Andrews' The Country Cooking of Ireland (Chronicle, 2009).

Serves 4

4 x 1.7cm to 2.5cm-thick skin-on salmon fillets or steaks

2 tsp coarse sea salt (try Marlborough Flaky Salt)

1/2 lemon

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp honey

Position the top oven rack 10cm to 14cm from the grilling element; preheat the element.

Place the salmon cuts skin side down on a grill pan or in a roasting pan with a wire rack inside. Sprinkle the sea salt evenly over the fish, pressing the crystals into the surface.

Squeeze the half lemon (1 or 2 Tbsp of juice) into a small saucepan. Add the wine and butter. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the butter melts, then add the honey and stir to incorporate.

Use all of the mixture to brush on the salmon. Place under the hot grill and cook for 6 to 9 minutes (for a fairly rare interior) or longer to the desired degree of doneness, until slightly caramelised on top and just done. Divide the fillets among individual plates; spoon pan juices over the fish, if desired. Serve hot.

Pineapple-crusted salmon

As the season swims along and the salmon get slower and older, a fruity, sparky topping enhances the flavour of fish. Finely chopped pineapple forms a wonderful crust when baked onto salmon fillets. Lime zest and crushed red pepper flakes add a little kick. This is also a great choice for a quick meal; it takes less than 45 minutes to prepare, including 20 minutes for the pineapple mixture to sit before coating the fish.

The recipe doubles easily. Serve with oven- roasted baby tomatoes and a rocket salad with a lime vinaigrette (use the juice of the zested lime, below, instead of wine vinegar).

Serves 2. 4-5 Tbsp finely chopped pineapple, well drained

Finely grated zest of 1 medium lime

1/4 tsp crushed red chilli flakes

1 Tbsp creme fraiche

Pinch salt

1 Tbsp breadcrumbs, finely crushed and mixed with a scattering of finely chopped parsley

2 x 170g to 225g salmon fillets (each about 2.5cm to 3.5cm thick at the thickest point), skin on and pin bones removed

Combine the pineapple, lime zest, chilli flakes, creme fraiche and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to blend.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a shallow roasting pan, large enough to comfortably hold the fish, with cooking foil or parchment paper and lightly grease it with nonstick cooking oil spray.

Place the fillets in the pan skin-side down with a decent-sized gap between. Sprinkle each fillet lightly with salt then top with the pineapple mixture, evenly coating the tops.

Bake for about 10 minutes per 2.5cm of thickness, until the fish is just cooked through, but not dry.

Scatter with herbed crumbs and either place under an oven-grill for 1 to 2 minutes to brown, or use a chef's blowtorch to produce a golden crust. Serve hot.KATE FRASER

PICKLED SALMON

This family recipe was first printed in the Food pages of The Press in 2000. It is not a preserving method, but more of a marinade that over three days slightly pickles the fish. Keep the jar/s in the refrigerator 350ml white-wine vinegar

125g sugar

1 Tbsp whole allspice

350g fresh salmon, skin and pin bone removed

1 carrot, peeled and "ribboned" (use the peeler or a guillotine)

1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 fresh bayleaves

A few sprigs of dill

Put vinegar, sugar and allspice in a saucepan over medium heat and heat gently, stirring all the while, to dissolve the sugar. Let the mixture boil vigorously for one minute then remove and put aside until cold.

Cut the piece of salmon into neat chunks and place in sterilised jar/jars, alternating with the carrot and onion slices. Add the cold vinegar to cover and push the bay leaves and dill sprigs under the liquid. Cover tightly and refrigerate for three days.

Good piled on toasted ciabatta, or served with a bowl of new potatoes and a crisp lettuce salad.KATE FRASER

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