Foil Baked Salmon for Garlic Lovers Everywhere

Salmon is an unusual fish in that I like salmon better than Hubby likes salmon. That says a lot when you consider it was Hubby who turned me around where fish was concerned. The last meal I ate in a hospital was salmon and it was good. Salmon is something delicious from the kitchen no matter who is doing the cooking.

There’s a good reason for hospitals to serve salmon to their patients, especially those in the cardiac wards. Salmon is one of the best sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. We need Omega-3 Fats, yet the only way to get them is through our diet. The body does not create these important fatty acids. Like Omega-3 Fats, Salmon is a great source of protein. Salmon makes you smart, too. At lease it feeds your brain with important B vitamins such as thiamine and folic acids. Finally, studies show that eating Salmon on a regular basis may protect us against heart disease. How? That brings us back to the benefits of Omega-3s. Salmon not only provides omega-3s, it helps decrease the levels of omega-6 fats and lowers triglycerides. All good stuff.

I am anything but a health nut. When it comes right down to it, I’d rather have a piece of chocolate cake than a spinach salad with a spritz of olive oil. That said, salmon is one of those “healthy” foods that I really like, as in seeking it out. That said, please realize as a non-health nut, I do tend to cook my salmon in a less-healthy way. I suppose you could substitute the butter for something more healthy such as butter substitutes or Smart Balance. And a little wine, we all know that’s a good thing. Hum, if you get rid of the butter, this baked salmon is very healthy. As for the butter, hey it’s only a few tablespoons. So I say go for it.

Garlic Foil Baked Salmon
2 lbs Salmon, boneless and skinless
4 tablespoons Butter
8 Garlic Cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 cup dry White Wine
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed Lemon juice, plus extra lemon wedges for serving
Kosher Salt and Cracked Black Pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian Parsley
1/4 cup thinly-sliced Green Onions

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drape a large piece of aluminum foil over a large baking dish. The foil will be used later to wrap the salmon, so leave it loose over the pan.

In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat until melted.  Stir in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in the white wine and lemon juice.

Using a silicone pastry brush, brush a tablespoons of the butter mixture on the foil until it is evenly covered.

Lay the salmon out on the foil and pour the remaining butter mixture over the salmon. Brush the salmon to evenly distribute the buttery garlic. Season the salmon evenly with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper.

Fold the sides of the aluminum foil up and over the top of the salmon until it is completely enclosed.

Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until the salmon is almost completely cooked through. Note: Thinner salmon will cook more quickly, so check at about 12 minutes to avoid over cooking.

Remove the salmon from the oven and carefully open and pull back the aluminum foil so that the top of the fish is completely exposed.

Switch the oven to broil. Return the salmon to the oven and broil for 3-4 minutes, or until the top of the salmon and the garlic are slightly golden and the salmon is cooked through. Keep an eye on the salmon to avoid the garlic from burning.

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This recipe was designed for the grill, but also works in the oven. For details, see the original recipe from Gimme Some Oven.