
Grilled Coho Salmon with Lemon Ginger Marinade
Grilled Coho Salmon with Lemon Ginger Marinade
Ingredients
- 4 coho salmon (about 8-10 inches each), cleaned, with heads on
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for brushing grill
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 scallions, trimmed and cut lengthwise
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges
Directions
To make the marinade, combine the lemon juice, garlic, ginger, olive oil, and vegetable oil. Rinse the salmon and pat them dry. Generously salt and pepper the cavity of each fish and place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 split scallion into each cavity. Place the salmon in the dish with the marinade, turn to coat, and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Light a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to medium high. Generously brush the grill with lots of vegetable oil. Remove the salmon from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, gently turning the fish and brushing liberally with the marinade, until the fish flesh is opaque and flakes lightly.
Serve each fish garnished with chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
Recipe credit: Lucia Watson, Chef/Owner – Lucia’s in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Grilled Sockeye Salmon with Huckleberry Compote
Grilled Sockeye Salmon with Huckleberry Compote
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons shallots, minced
- ¾ cup merlot wine
- 1 ½ cups huckleberries, frozen
- ¾ cup blueberries
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ cups huckleberries, fresh
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- Sea salt to taste (about 1/8 teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (preferably tellicherry)
- 1 ½ teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 8 7-ounce portions sockeye salmon
Directions
In a heavy bottomed stainless steel pan combine the shallots and merlot. Bring to a slow boil and reduce to about 3-4 tablespoons. Add the frozen huckleberries, blueberries and sugar. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the fresh huckleberries, honey, sea salt and pepper. Gently mix the compote together. Add the sherry vinegar. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and honey to your preference. Best served at room temperature, but refrigerate between uses.
For the sockeye salmon, season it lightly with kosher salt (just a pinch) and a little crushed fennel seed (about ½ teaspoon per 7-ounce portion). Grill it over a BBQ grill, or bake in the oven. Health code recommends cooking all fish to 145°, but if you prefer your salmon cooked medium-rare, cook it to 120°.
Top each portion of salmon with about 2 tablespoons of the huckleberry compote and the side dishes of your choice. (Serving suggestion: with a wild mushroom gourmet rice blend, steamed broccolini, and spaghetti squash with honey & butter).
Notes: You can use either fresh or frozen huckleberries for the entire recipe. You can also substitute the huckleberries with blackberries to make a Blackberry Compote instead.
Recipe credit: Chef David Buchanan - owner of Chef's Resources

Salmon with Spiced Broccoli, Currants, and Pecan Sauce
Salmon with Spiced Broccoli, Currants, and Pecan Sauce
Salmon Ingredients
- 8 - 5-ounce salmon fillets, skin on
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Salmon Directions
Season fillets with salt. Heat cast iron pan on high heat. Add cooking oil. When oil is hot, carefully place fillets skin side down in pan. Gently press each fillet down to ensure skin is in even contact with pan before adding next fillet. Cook until skin begins to crisp and take on golden brown color (about 3 minutes). Gently flip fillets and turn off heat. Let sit for about 2 minutes to continue cooking.
Spiced Broccoli and Currants Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup diced onion
- ½ cup currants
- 1 teaspoon chili
Spiced Broccoli and Currants Directions
Preheat broiler. Bring heavily salted water to a boil. Put broccoli in water for 90 seconds. Strain and place on a rack to cool to room temp. In a large sauté pan brown butter and add diced onion. Cook until soft. Add in chili, currants, and broccoli. Toss to combine. Place in oven. Cook until edges of broccoli begin to char and crisp (about 3-5 minutes).
Pecan Sauce Ingredients
- 3 cups olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 16 cloves garlic
- 1½ cups pecans
- 5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 cup water
Pecan Sauce Directions
Add onion, garlic, and olive oil to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 7 minutes, until onions and garlic are soft. Add pecans and simmer for 5 minutes, until it has a toasty, nutty smell. Add lemon juice and molasses. Pour mixture into a blender. Add water. Puree on low speed, gradually increasing the speed until mixture is smooth. Pass through a fine mesh strainer using the back of a spoon.
Recipe credit: Chef Barton Seaver, NOAA Chef, 2008 Great American Seafood Cook-off

Slow-Roasted Sockeye Salmon on a Fennel and Herb Salad
Slow-Roasted Sockeye Salmon on a Fennel and Herb Salad
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds sockeye salmon fillet, skinned
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb
- 1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion
- 6 tablespoons seasoned rice-wine vinegar
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves, gently packed
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, gently packed
- 1/4 cup tarragon leaves, gently packed
- 1/4 cup spearmint leaves, gently packed, torn if large
- Coarse sea salt
Directions
Trim salmon of any gray fat and pull out pin bones with fish tweezers or needle-nosed pliers. Holding a knife at a 30° angle to the cutting board, cut the salmon into 6 wide slices, about ½-inch thick. Arrange them in a shallow baking dish. Lightly crush the coriander and fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle or by putting them in a skillet and using the bottom of a heavy pot to crush them. Sprinkle seeds over the fish, then pour on ½ cup olive oil. Marinate the fish in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Toss the fennel and onion with the vinegar and let the salad sit at room temperature while the fish is marinating.
Preheat the oven to 225°F. Remove the fish from the oil and use your fingers to wipe off most of the marinade, but allow some of the oil and seeds to remain on. Arrange the fillets on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fat between the layers of fish just begins to turn opaque and the fish flakes slightly when nudged with your finger. It will appear to be underdone because the color will be vivid, but it will be fully cooked.
Meanwhile, finish the salad: tip the bowl with the fennel and onion to drain any excess liquid. Toss in the herbs, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and toss again.
Spread the salad onto plates and carefully place a fish fillet in the center of each. Sprinkle the fish with a pinch of sea salt. Serve right away.
Recipe credit: Jerry Traunfeld, Executive Chef of The Herbfarm in Woodinville, Washington
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