Grilled Salmon

Farmer’s Market in Cubao. Aurora market along Aurora Blvd. in Project 4. Bayan palengke or the Pamilihang Bayan in Marikina. The go-to markets in Quezon City and Marikina if one want the freshest produce, vegetables and meats, not to mention the best freshly made Filipino delicacies and kakanin like Biko. Let’s not forget the countless food stalls that sell delicious authentic Filipino dishes cooked right in front of you.

Saturday mornings is a much awaited day. I get to go with my father to Farmer’s Market in Cubao or to the other Fresh Market in and around Marikina and Quezon City. Whenever we go to Farmer’s Market as a young boy, I am just so mesmerized with the colors and smell of fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers whenever we pass through the flower stalls. I could still remember the smell of the different food coming from the different food stalls wafting through the air.

And after our ‘marketing’, we go to a restaurant just across Araneta Coliseum to get our fare of mami and jumbo siopao. Not the Ma Mon Luk. That was along Aurora Blvd..

Fish was a staple in our house every week. Galunggong. Hasa-hasa. Bangus. Tilapia. Matam Baka. Tambakol. Sardines. Shrimp and prawns. Never can I recall buying salmon. There is pating (shark), page (singray), Tuna and talangka but not salmon.

I did hear of salmon through the documentaries on tv, of their migration and spawning during fall. I could recall the first time I tasted salmon was in 2011 when my family and I moved to North America to immigrate. Salmon is abundant here. Not cheap though but there is a lot.

Salmon is has this pink orangey meat. Firm and flaky when cooked. Not too many bones or tinik as we call them back home. Since salmon is a relatively fish it either has to be sliced into one thickness (steaks) or filleted. Suprisingly, salmon can be cooked in so many and simple ways. One is grilled. Another is fried. You can also have it filleted. The head you can use for Sigang.

The first way I learned to cook salmon is to grill. It’s simple and easy.

Let’s cook!

Ingredients:

• Salmon
• Salt and Pepper
• Lemon
• Olive Oil
• Dried parsley

1. Season salmon fillet with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

2. Fry salmon fillet. Two minutes on each side to lock in flavor and moisture.

3. Place fried salmon on grilling pan. Add parsley.

4. Place grilling pan in oven and grill for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Serve. Kain na!