Skillet Salmon

Just as with any seafood, it is best to purchase salmon from a store that has a good reputation for having a fresh supply of fish. 

Get to know a fishmonger (person who sells the fish) at your grocery store, so you can have a trusted resource from whom you can purchase your fish.

Fresh whole salmon should be displayed buried in ice, while fillets and steaks should be placed on top of the ice. If you are purchasing a whole fish and want to eat the skin, have the salmon scaled.

Smell is a good indicator of freshness. Since a slightly "off" smell cannot be detected through plastic, if you have the option, purchase displayed fish as opposed to pieces that are prepackaged. Once the fishmonger wraps and hands you the fish that you have selected, smell it through the paper wrapping and return it if it does not smell right.

When storing all types of seafood, including salmon, it is important to keep it cold since fish is very sensitive to temperature. Therefore, after purchasing salmon or other fish, make sure to return it to a refrigerator as soon as possible. If the fish is going to accompany you during a day full of errands, keep a cooler in the car where you can place the salmon to make sure it stays cold and does not spoil.

The temperature of most refrigerators is slightly warmer than ideal for storing fish. Therefore, to ensure maximum freshness and quality, it is important to use special storage methods to create the optimal temperature for holding the fish. One of the easiest ways to do this is to place salmon, which has been well wrapped, in a baking dish filled with ice. The baking dish and fish should then be placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, which is its coolest area. Replenish ice one or two times per day.

The length of time that salmon can stay fresh stored this way depends upon how fresh it is, i.e. when it was caught. Fish that was caught the day before you purchased it can be stored for about four days, while fish that was caught the week before can only be stored for about one or two days.

You can extend the shelf life of salmon by freezing it. To do so, wrap it well in plastic and place it in the coldest part of the freezer where it will keep for about two to three weeks.

By http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=104

Great weeknight dinner. 4 ingredients and less than 10 minutes you can have a wonderful dinner on the table. 

Skillet Salmon

Copyright 2012, Christine’s Pantry. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

garlic powder, to taste

Directions:

In skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Season salmon with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place salmon in skillet, cook about 4 minutes, until golden brown, turn salmon, cook about 3 minutes, until salmon flakes easily with fork. Enjoy!