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If asked to recommend a salmon recipe – whether for a midweek dinner or a special occasion – it is far from guaranteed. I recommend Kitchn’s foolproof herb salmon. And I’ll not only suggest it, I’ll rave about how impressive it looks, how buttery and light it tastes, how easy it is peeled off, and how the leftovers make the perfect addition to a salad the next day.
I vividly remember the first time I made this recipe. It was about six years ago, shortly after The Kitchn Cookbook was published, and I was having a Sunday meeting in my apartment where the entire menu was taken from the book. This salmon was the main course. Although I’d cooked salmon at home many times before, I wasn’t sure, and I was incredibly nervous about over-cooking it.
I shouldn’t have worried. Not only has it turned out to be great, but it has forever changed the way I cook salmon and made me more confident about cooking fish than ever before. That’s because I learned about slow-boiling salmon, the most forgiving and foolproof technique there is. Cooking the salmon over low heat leaves a lot of margin for error. Even if it’s left in the oven for a few minutes too long, it won’t overcook. The salmon comes out of the oven with the most tender, buttery, flaky texture covered in light, fresh taste.
The easiest and most impressive salmon you can make
The beauty of this recipe is that not only is it forgiving, but it also requires minimal effort for such a huge reward. You start out by chopping a shallot and some herbs, either by hand, in a mini chopper, or in a food processor. The recipe suggests dill and parsley or tarragon, but any green leafy herb will work well. And if you like garlic, throw in some chopped cloves.
You combine this mixture with a few drops of olive oil and then spread the herb paste over the salmon, which is cooking in a baking dish with more olive oil. Preparation (which can be done in advance) takes a maximum of five minutes, and once in the oven it does not require any further attention. Just do it once and you’ll quickly see why it’s my all-time favorite.
At Kitchn, our editors develop and debut brand new recipes on the website every week. But at home we also have our own tried and tested dishes that we prepare again and again – because it’s easy? We love her. Kitchn love letters is a series that shares our favorite recipes over and over again.