– 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Sometimes you just have one of those weeks where you want to eat healthy but you also just REALLY don’t want to do anything to make that happen. When you’re feeling that way, the best thing to make is this baked lemon garlic salmon. It takes probably 5 minutes to prep (just melt butter, squeeze a lemon, and mince some garlic) and then just 10 minutes to cook. It takes such minimal effort that anyone with an oven can make it – even if you are feeling like all you really want is to eat a pint of ice cream on the couch.
For this recipe, you can bake the salmon in either parchment paper or aluminum foil. Baking the salmon encased in this way follows the traditional French style of cooking fish known as “en papillote”, meaning “in parchment”, (also called “al cartoccio” in Italian). Baking fish this way seals in all of the flavor of the salmon (and in this case also the butter, garlic, and lemon) and keeps the fish very moist. The most traditional way is to fold the parchment paper into an airtight container surrounding the fish, but you can much more easily create the sealed parcel with aluminum foil. And that’s something most people have already at home!
Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon cut into 2 even filets
- Juice from half a medium lemon about 2 tablespoons
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Tools: aluminum foil or parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, with the rack in the middle of the oven.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil (depending on which you will use to wrap your fish. For beginners - I recommend using aluminum foil.)
- In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, garlic, butter, salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
- Place salmon on the prepared baking sheet and lift the sides of the aluminum foil as to create a wall. (See image below)
- By folding up the sides of the foil, you are creating a barrier for the sauce that you are about to pour on[/caption]
- Pour the butter mixture over the salmon, ensuring that you pour evenly over the filets
- Fold the sides of the foil over the salmon, sealing the edges so no air can escape. You want to make sure your edges are tight, so you can steam the salmon in the parcel.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your filet and how cooked you like your salmon.
- Remove from the oven and unfold the foil.
- Before serving, spoon some of the remaining sauce from the foil over the salmon.
