In this week’s installment of Monica-experiences-a-culinary-aha-moment, I invite us to have fun with the word personality — as in Big Personality, because that is precisely how some of the most delicious salmon flavor profiles are consistently expressed.
This little revelation really clicked for me when I heard a local Alaskan chef remark that, contrary to popular belief, the robust flavor of salmon pairs exquisitely well with other big, bold flavors — and that rather than choosing milder flavors to offset the unapologetic salmon flavor, we should instead amp up said boldness with even more unapologetic flavor.
It felt like an affirmation of not only my blatant zodiac-in-Leo, maximalist tendencies and sensibilities, but also my love for and reliance on the arsenal of the following flavor superstars, all of which make regular appearances in our salmon meals.
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Mustard — Bright, tangy and creamy, mustard brings a special kind of cut-to-the-chase character to the table. See for yourself with this Quick and Easy Mustard Baked Salmon.
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Miso — I’ve never met a miso marinade I didn’t like, and it’s probably because this umami powerhouse has the ability to level up almost any protein or vegetable all on its own.
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Horseradish — A flavor with sass — a little goes a long way. If you’re not sure how to work it into your routine, check out our recipe for Sockeye Salmon with Creamy Dill-Horseradish Sauce.
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Maple Syrup and Honey — Big flavor is also viable on the sweeter end of the spectrum with these two nectarous ingredients. Case in point, our recipe for Easy Miso-Maple Broiled Coho Salmon.
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Cheese — There are tons of parmesan crusted salmon recipes out there and likewise for salmon served with feta. This is because, in my opinion, cheese brings not only personality to every dish, but also swagger. (Fun fact: my husband and our founder/CEO Arron always requests a slice of cheese on his salmon burger, which is how he always ate it on the boat growing up).
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Capers — Brine and shine with these salty gems. Admittedly, it took me a while to love capers, but these days a good 90% of the salmon around here gets routinely finished with a bright caper- y sauce.
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Garlic — The OG flavor-bringer, it’s no surprise garlic shows up in so many amazing salmon dishes, somehow carrying all of the accompanying flavors forward.
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Citrus — I attest to the zest, because there are few things like the big and effortlessly sunny flavors of lemon, lime, grapefruit and orange to turn up the salmon flavor essence. Our recipe for Quick and Easy Citrus Glazed Salmon proves it.
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Sesame — Toasty, cozy and true is the trio of words that come to mind when I think of how the flavor of sesame affects my salmon.
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Ginger — Behold a flavor that brings unexpected heat, pow to the palette that somehow zips it complete. Give these Ginger-Chili Glazed Salmon Cakes with Quick Pickled Radishes a whirl and you’ll see what I mean.
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Dill — There’s really no other way to say it: dill and salmon is one of the greatest kitchen love stories of all time (see Sockeye Salmon with Creamy Dill-Horseradish Sauce).
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Tarragon — And apropos love stories, tarragon is a fun herb that wraps your salmon dish in a warm aromatic embrace.
The bottom line is that the common denominator between all of the above flavor elements is unique character and personality, and together with the very specific and succulent flavor of salmon — they elicit greatness.
Live wild!...and go big!
Monica
Pictured above: a closeup on a sockeye fillet glistening with big, bold, briny herbaceous bliss.
