Broil-Bake Salmon

Stan & Gwen’s Broil/Bake Salmon

*******

Serves 10

We fixed this countless times when we lived in Bellingham, WA.  Some local fishermen used to pay Stan for his legal services with salmon.  It has become a staple in our family menu.
  

1 (4-8 LB) salmon, filleted w/ backbone removed
1/4 C butter (use olive oil if you can't have dairy)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C olive oil
2 TBL fresh lemon juice
4 green onions, chopped
3 TBL minced fresh parsley
1 tsp dried dill, or 1 TBL fresh dill sprigs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
*

Lemon wedges
Parsley sprigs

1.     Preheat broiler.  Place oven rack in second position from top.

2.     Find a glass or ceramic baking dish just larger than the large salmon fillet.  Otherwise, make a “baking dish” with heavy-duty foil or two thicknesses of regular foil by turning up 1-inch edges of foil to form a tray just larger than the salmon.  Place this foil tray on a jellyroll pan to hold the salmon. (If you are barbecuing, make a double-thick foil tray big enough to hold the salmon with a 1-inch edge turned up around the perimeter.

3. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter and sauté garlic about 2 min. Do NOT brown. Add next 7 ingredients and keep warm.
4. Spoon a few tablespoons of butter mixture in baking dish or foil tray.  Spread it where salmon will be.  Place salmon in dish, skin side down, and spoon remaining butter mixture over fillet.
5. Broil with oven door ajar, approx. 10 min. or until surface is nicely browned. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
6. Close oven door; set oven controls at 350. Bake for 15 min. more or until fish flakes when pierced w/ a fork. Remember that fish gets tough if over-cooked, so don't be afraid to take it out of the oven a time or two to check for delicate flakiness.  Just press it and if the fish separates on the visible lines it’s done.
7. Remove from oven and place salmon on a heated platter; garnish w/ lemon wedges and parsley.
   
   

(If barbecuing, place foil tray directly on rack over hot coals, spoon few TBL. of butter mixture on tray, place salmon, skin side down on tray, and cover w/ remaining butter mixture. B-b-que for approx. 10 min. check salmon for flakiness.)