Tuesday Twister

Today there is Salted Salmon twisting in my kitchen!  You can find more great whole food recipes at Wardeh’s Tuesday Twister on Gnowfglins.

Salted salmon is easy to make, so easy that you’re probably going to wonder if its “all that”.  It is! I use salted salmon in onigiri and I cook it and serve it with simple side dishes.  What really surprised me is the fact that properly prepared salted salmon isn’t overly salty when you go to cook and eat it.

Onigiri…..

To make salted salmon you need either fresh or frozen, wild caught salmon filets or steaks.  You also need flaked or sea salt.

Pat the salmon filets dry. Place them on a bamboo drainer/strainer or on a layer of paper towels on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the filets liberally with sea salt.   Don’t be stingy!  Wrap the filets in peper towels, leave on the layer of towels or on the drainer.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the frig.  Allow the salmon to sit, undisturbed for at least 24 hours, but don’t leave it more than 3 days. The longer it sits the saltier it will be.  I normally only allow it to sit for about 10 hours.  That’s plenty salty for us.  Some cultures need it to sit in the salt longer because the salt helps to preserve the fish.

After it has been sitting for however long you like, unwrap the salmon, cut it into small pieces and wrap in plastic wrap or freezer paper.  Salted salmon can be stored in the freezer for months.

To cook the frozen filets: unwrap, place the frozen filet in a hot skillet with about a teaspoon of oil.  Or use a non-stick skillet and no oil.  Cover and cook until it is done throughout, turning a few times.

When its done you can flake it and stuff onigiri or serve it whole with a side of rice or quinoa and a salad.  Its delicious and needs no other seasoning.

Salted salmon is common in the cuisine of many cultures; Japanese, Finnish, Hawaiian and Eskimo just to name a few. Because it is so commonly used, its easy to find all kinds of recipes to use it in.