Recipe category Main Dish: Easy Whole Fresh Salmon

EASY WHOLE FRESH SALMON
An original recipe by BumbleBeeBoogie

I love salmon; I love whole salmon better than salmon steaks or fillets. My method is so easy and the salmon is so moist and delicious, you will wonder why you didn't think of it yourself. I also often use basil leaves instead of the traditional dill because I like the flavor it adds to the salmon.

I bought a long fish-shaped lidded clay pot, whose bottom inside is glazed for easy cleaning. I soak the pot and lid in water for about 15 minutes before using.

I buy whole salmon of a length that will fit into my special clay pot (the pot will fit into my microwave oven).

1 whole fresh or frozen salmon, cleaned with skin left on
1 bunch of fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 fresh lemon, sliced into thin slices

Thaw the salmon if frozen. Wash the salmon inside and out. Wash and drain dry the basil leaves. Fill the salmon's cavity with the basil leaves, lemon slices; sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Place the stuffed fish in the clay pot, put the lid on and place in the microwave oven. Cook as directed for your oven and the weight of your salmon. Do not overcook. Remove the salmon every 5 minutes to test for flakiness and light pink, not raw, fish.

When cooked, you may move the salmon to a fish platter or leave it in the bottom of the clay pot and bring to the table. I usually leave the salmon in its clay pot bottom.

Before serving, you may optionally remove the basil leaves and lemon slices. With a knife or spoon, gently scrape the black skin off the top side of the salmon to expose the light pink flesh. To serve, simply flake off large chunks of the salmon from the bone structure (the rib bones we all hate will remain attached to the spine bones so you obtain bone-free salmon chunks.) Provide additional lemon wedges.

When the top part of the salmon has been eaten, turn the salmon over and repeat on that side so all the salmon is exposed for eating.

NOTE: You can cook the salmon in your oven in a conventional clay pot, buying a salmon that will fit into the size of your pot, and bake it in the oven at the temperature required for your clay pot.