horseradish crusted salmon - thekarpiuksAs I mentioned last week, we’ve been really inspired by the fresh selections at our new local organic grocery store. Especially in the meat and seafood department! It’s been awhile since we’ve made fish, and I came across some beautiful salmon fillets today when Liam and I went shopping, so we picked up a couple. Now what to do with them?

A lot of times (and in previous recipes we’ve shared) we’ll use mayo to coat chicken prior to baking to help adhere a coating and lock in moisture. (Especially important when we’re using chicken breasts, which can get dry quickly.) I applied this same principle with the salmon fillets, but with a smooth horseradish cream. The horseradish became the perfect glue for a panko bread crumb mixture on top! Want to try? Here we go…

Horseradish Crusted Salmon by The Karpiuks

Ingredients:

Directions:

horseradish crusted salmon - thekarpiuksPreheat your oven to 450F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and lay your salmon fillets on the sheet skin-side down. Dollop a tablespoon or so of horseradish cream onto the salmon and spread it out evenly on the top. (No need to coat the sides.) In a small bowl, combine the panko, parmesan, parsley, and other spices. Mix thoroughly. Add in the oil and mix thoroughly again to evenly distribute the oil. Sprinkle the panko mixture on top of the salmon and press it into the horseradish to help it stick.

Bake your salmon in the preheated oven for about 10-13 minutes, depending on the thickness. Ours were around an inch thick and I made sure they were fully cooked. You’ll know it’s ready when the fish flakes with a fork easily. It’ll still be pale pink inside, but firm and no longer glossy.

We served ours with steamed potatoes this time, but I think salmon over a bed of rice would be even better for next time. I don’t like my fish to taste especially fish-y, and this was perfect. Even Liam liked it; you should have seen the look on his face when he got a little horseradish. He loved it, but we loved his expression even more.  Any other suggestions for cooking salmon (or other fish) that is simple and tasty? (And not too fish-y of course!) Enjoy. :)