Know Your Salmon
Early humans ate animals that ate grass, which gave those animals a higher Omega-3 profile than today's grain-fed animals. Now, the most widely available source of EPA and DHA is cold water oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines. Oils from these fish have a profile of around seven times as much Omega−3 as Omega−6. Other oily fish such as tuna also contain Omega−3 in somewhat lesser amounts. Consumers of oily fish should be aware of the potential presence of heavy metals and fat-soluble pollutants like PCBs and dioxins which may accumulate up the food chain. Some supplement manufacturers remove heavy metals and other contaminants from the oil through various means, such as molecular distillation, which increases purity, potency and safety.
As for cooking a fillet, I recommend flesh side down first to give your salmon great grill marks and then flip over to the skin. Yes, I said, "Skin." I recommend that you leave the skin on the fish for a couple of reasons. The first is that most of the omega-3 fatty acids are near the skin. In fact, it is in the layer between the skin and the fleshy part of the fish. The second is when you cook fillets with the skin with the flesh side down first, when you flip the fillet, you are now cooking the oil into the meat. That's right. The fat is begin pushed up into the meat due to the heat. The third reason is that the skin keeps everything intact. You don't want your salmon falling apart.
What about seasoning? I am a purist when it comes to seasoning. A little salt, pepper, maybe some dill. My wife likes her salmon with lemon pepper. That's why I buy a whole fillet. I cut it to sizes for my wife and myself.
Safety tip. Before you cook, check for bones. Small bones called pin bones are sometimes messed. Just use a small pair of CLEAN needle nose pliers or a hemostat (you can buy them at tackle stores and most culinary stores). Pull them out and you are done.
The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L), which is also called as the ‘king of fish’, has long been known as a culinary delicacy.
Trout is a variety of the freshwater salmon and has two main breeds – rainbow and brown.
The growth of world fish farming has caused a lot of disputes. There is concern that this industry can became harmful to wild stocks because it can encourage parasites and may be a source of pollutants.
Although many would say that farmed fish have different flavor as their wild relatives, it is an important industry and last year Scotland, for example, exported more than 12 million salmon to 60 countries all over the world.
Salmon and trout are highly nutritious products, which containing the essential omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins and minerals necessary for our health. Scientists have found out that consumption of oil-rich fish helps to maintain a healthy heart, reduce blood pressure and improve skin vitality.
Although this fish can be frozen, it tastes best and doesn’t need a lot of cooking fresh. They are nice when pan-fried, poached, grilled, oven cooked or barbecued with herbs and lemon juice (as any other fish). Smoked salmon and trout are also popular as an entree, but take care onportions; Salmon is a very rich fish and can become very filling.
 salmon anatomy
Cold smoking
Most smoked salmon is cold smoked, typically at 30C (approx 80F). The cold smoking does not cook the fish, resulting in a delicate texture. Some smokehouses go for a deliberately 'oaky' style with prolonged exposure to smoke from oak chips, industrial production favours less exposure to smoke and a blander style, using cheaper woods.
Scottish and Irish smoked salmon is considered a delicacy, even with increased availability since the advent of fish farming from the 1970s. Smoked wild salmon is still available, but is very rare and very expensive and usually only available from specialist dealers. It is prized for its 'meaty' flavour and 'naturalness' compared to the 'flabby' texture of farmed salmon. There has been much overfishing of wild stocks and organisations such as the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization have tried to have all commercial fishing stopped; on the other hand there are concerns about the effects of salmon farms on the environment and on wild stocks, and about some of the chemicals and feeds that they use.
Cold smoked salmon is sometimes known in Canada and the United States as lox, particularly on the East Coast, the word being borrowed from German (lachs, G. for Salmon) or Yiddish.
Hot smoking
Normally used for trout, hot smoking 'cooks' the salmon making it less moist, and firmer, with a less delicate taste. It may be eaten like cold smoked salmon, or mixed with salads or pasta. Alaska Smoked Salmon.
Labeling Smoked Salmon
In the UK, under Food Labelling Laws, only Smoked Salmon produced totally in Scotland (from fishing or farming to packaging) can be called 'Scottish Smoked Salmon' . If salmon is sourced from elsewhere, then subsequently smoked in Scotland, it cannot be labelled as such, but may be labelled 'Salmon smoked in Scotland' . Alternatively, Scottish sourced salmon that is then smoked elsewhere, may be termed 'Smoked Scottish salmon'.
Smoked Salmon & Pregnancy
Some countries advise pregnant women not to eat cold meats or smoked fish (Salmon) because of the risk of listeria. The risk is very low. The risk of listeria is much higher with cheeses such as Camembert, Brie or chevre (a type of goats' cheese), and others that have a similar rind, or pâté, which you shouldn't eat during pregnancy. However, if you are concerned, you might also choose to avoid cold meats and smoked salmon (or any smoked fish products) while you are pregnant.
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