Simple Salmon

Fish is so easy to make.  Anyone who is just getting started with cooking should try fish.  It doesn't take a long time to cook, there isn't much fuss and the results are almost always satisfying.  Tonight I made Salmon, Sweet Potatoes, Plantain and Broccoli.

I started using this salmon recipe a while back and I don't remember where I got the idea.  The results are pretty good.

Simple Salmon
2 4-oz salmon fillets, fresh or fully thawed
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried basil
4 tsp olive oil

The key to this recipe is to make sure that your salmon is fresh or completely thawed.  If it's even a little bit frozen, you will likely not be pleased with the results.  Okay, here we go.  Turn on your broiler, you know that button on the oven that you never use.  Many of the ovens I've worked with have the broiler on the bottom.  However, the newer oven models use the same oven space where you bake everything else but concentrate the heat.

Place both pieces of salmon in a baking dish.  I use a medium size glass pyrex.  Sprinkle 1/2 of all the dry ingredients on one side of each piece of salmon then drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil on each piece.  Massage the oil into the salmon and use it to spread the ingredients.  Do the same thing on the other side.  

Put your baking dish into the broiler for 7 minutes.  After 7 minutes, turn the salmon over and let the other side cook for 7 minutes.  Once the 14 minutes are up, take your salmon out of the oven.  It's cooked!  Was that easy or what?  If you like your salmon medium well then you probably only need 5 or 6 minutes on each side.

As a side dish, I also made sweet potatoes.  These are also pretty easy to make.  Peel, cut and boil until tender but not too soft.  Drain and leave in the pot then mix in the same ingredients that you used to make the salmon.

Oh and I couldn't help myself so I made some chocolate chip cookies too!