perfect salmon

I made salmon last night for me & Tim... and it was AMAZINGGG. When we were eating I had the biggest smile on my face because it was perfectly cooked and little things like that make me happy.

Here's what you do...

1) Buy fresh salmon - cook it the same day you buy it. I used 8 oz. steaks from Wegman's.

2) Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

3) Drizzle the bottom of a baking dish with a little EVOO.

4) On whatever they were wrapped up in, drizzle one side of your salmon steaks with a little EVOO and rub it in with your fingers. (Ew, you have to touch fish, I know, get over it, that's what real cooks do.)

5) Sprinkle on salt, pepper, garlic powder and whatever other spice you want. We used curry 'cause we're on a curry-kick lately.  Repeat this process with the other side of the salmon.

6) Now, here comes the fancy part. You're going to get a frying pan HOT (add EVOO if it's stainless) and you're going to sear your steaks on each side for about 30 seconds. GO.

7) After you sear them to lock in all that salmony goodness, transfer to the baking dish and pop them in the oven for 15 minutes - uncovered.

Then, prepare your sides! You could do a nice side salad & cous cous. I did some simple sauted veggies (leeks, onions & carrots) in the same pan that I seared the salmon in. Then drizzled 2 rounds of Naan with EVOO, sprinkled with garlic powder, and heated them in the oven for the last 3 minutes of the salmon cook time.

Salmon seems hard, but it's so easy & cooks up quick! Experiment with different seasonings and glazes (honey-mustard, anyone?) and people will think you're a pro.