Salmon

Take versatile and flavorful wild salmon far beyond the fillet.

The narrow tails are often overlooked at the fish counter because they are quite thin, which makes cooking them a bit tricky. Here, the tails remain intact, which results in evenly cooked meat that stays juicy because it’s cooked on the bone. Plus, the fin gets delightfully crispy. Note: Salmon fillets can also be used in place of salmon tails for this recipe.

The collar of salmon—as well as well as other rich fish—is full of flavorful meat that’s hidden among the bones and fins. When broiled, it stays succulent and stands up well to bold flavors like the soy-based sauce here. Cut from the head end of the fish, just behind the gills, they are rarely sold at fish counters since they are often taken home by the fishmonger who knows they’re delicious. Note: Salmon fillets can be used in place of salmon collars for this recipe.

Salmon steaks are essentially two fillets attached by the spine of the fish. Less expensive, and easier to grill than a fillet, these steaks are quickly cured in a brown sugar-based dry cure that’s also wonderful on fillets. Note: Salmon fillets can be used in place of salmon steaks for this recipe.

Spoon salmon is the meat that’s scraped from the carcass of a freshly butchered fish. It would normally go to waste, but its rich flavor and silky texture make it perfect for this lemony, pistachio-studded tartare.

Often when I cook, I like to tackle all my mise en place before I turn on the stove or oven, but this salmon sheet pan dinner is different. With this recipe, you have just enough time to prep each step as ingredients each take their turn in the oven. Get the radishes, carrots, and shallots going while you work on the mustard glaze (which takes less than a minute!) and season the salmon, and then prep the asparagus and snap peas while the fish cooks. If you’re not used to roasting radishes—get used to it! They take on an entirely different character when roasted, becoming juicy and soft, not at all sharp like they are when raw. Now, let’s talk equipment. Having the right tools in your kitchen is as important as having the right ingredients. Even if you’re short on money or space, I promise that having the right items on hand will up your kitchen game, making you a more adaptable cook. A prime example of this is a restaurant-style sheet pan. If you don’t have one, get yourself one. They are perfect for this dish, and myriad other easy one-pan dinners. They’re just a smidge bigger (about 18 x 13 inches) than the cookie sheets you might already have, which can crowd ingredients, causing them to steam instead of brown. They are also a bit heavier, which helps with browning. You can easily adapt this party-ready recipe to feed a larger group—just double the recipe and use two sheet pans instead of one. Of course, you can also adapt to what you have in the refrigerator: Just follow the recipe, dividing vegetables into the slow-cooking (first to go into the oven) and quick-cooking ones (the last to go into the oven). Try leeks or garlic scapes or green garlic instead of the shallots; use baby potatoes cut into coins (they’ll cook faster that way) in place of all or some of the radishes; use Broccolini instead of asparagus. Have fun with it, and just make sure not to crowd the pan too much!