Pink salmon is in season right now

IF you’re looking for a budget-friendly fish to feed family and friends, think pink. Pink salmon, that is, a West Coast catch in-season now. This silver-grey skinned fish, the smallest of the Pacific salmon species, is called "pink" salmon because its flesh ranges in colour from light pink to a deeper rose. It’s true, at first glance, it doesn’t visually stimulate the appetite as other species do, such as brilliant-red sockeye, or plump, full-flavoured spring.

For me that feeling changes quickly in the store when I see the cost of the fish often at well under $1 per 100 grams. That’s a bargain, to say the least, particularly when you factor in how the fish’s culinary flexibility and delicate taste and texture allow you to create something quite delicious to eat.

Pink salmon are most often sold whole, gutted with the head removed. The fish you’ll see for sale usually range in size from one to two kilograms. Because of that smaller size, pink salmon is great for cooking whole, by methods such as steaming and poaching or, as I did in today’s recipes, roasting and barbecuing.

Some retailers might also sell pink salmon fillets, steaks and smaller, roasting-sized chunks of the fish. If you’re handy with a knife, you could also cut a whole fish yourself, as I did today’s pink salmon steak recipe.

According to the informative website bcseafood. ca, when purchasing whole pink salmon, choose fish with shiny skin, tightly adhering scales and a faint, ocean-fresh aroma. The flesh should be firm to the touch and bounce quickly back when gently pressed. Fillets and steaks should be firm with moist, translucent flesh.

For maximum freshness, it’s best to buy fresh salmon the day you’ll eat it, but if very fresh, it can be stored in the coldest part of your refrigerator for a day.

Pink salmon has a lower fat content than other species. Because of that, it helps to keep the fish moist during cooking, which in one of today’s recipes meant topping and cooking it with olive oil and lemon juice, and in another by sopping it with a maple syrup and whisky mixture.

The old fisherman’s rule of thumb for cooking fish is to allow 10 minutes of cooking time per inch of thickness. To get that thickness, you set the fish flat on a work surface and measure it at its thickest point.

This method seems to work well when trying to calculate how long to cook a whole fish. However, the most accurate way to gauge doneness is to insert an instant-read kitchen thermometer into the thickest part of the flesh. According to the B.C. Salmon Marketing Council website, wildbcsalmon. org, the fish is done when the temperature reaches 125 F (52 C) to 135 F (57 C). Other sources suggested a higher temperature of 140 F (60 C). Obviously, the higher the temperature the more thoroughly cooked the fish will be.

If you don’t have a thermometer, another way to tell if the fish is cooked is by touch. If you press on it with your finger at its thickest point and it feels firm, with a tiny bit of give, it should be done. If the fish feels soft, you know it is not cooked through, and if the fish feels very firm, looks dry and is pulling apart, you’ve overcooked it. The touch method can also be used to judge when fish fillets or steaks are done.

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Wild B.C. pink salmon baked with tartar sauce. (HANDOUT / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Three Chili BBQ Salmon

Ancho chili powder, chipotle chili powder and fresh jalapeño pepper combine to give the salmon a three-chili taste. Those types of chili powder are sold in the bottled herb and spice aisle of many supermarkets.

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus some for brushing

1 (2 ½ lb.) whole pink salmon

½ small to medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 large garlic clove, halved and thinly sliced

2 tsp finely grated lime zest

3 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp chipotle chili powder

1 large jalapeño pepper, quartered lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced

¼ cup chopped cilantro or thinly sliced green onion

Preheat barbecue to medium-high (temperature in the chamber should be about 450 F). Slightly overlap 3, 2-foot long sheets of aluminum foil and set on a work surface. Brush the centre of the foil with a little olive oil.

Rinse the salmon with cold water and pat dry. Trim off a little from the head end of the fish, creating a clean line.

Now trim off the tail and fins. Set fish, lengthwise, in the centre of the foil. Make ½-inch deep slits into the top of the fish, spacing them about 1 ½ inches apart.

Stuff the fish with the onion and garlic.

Combine the 2 Tbsp olive oil, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, chili powders and jalapeño in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture evenly over the salmon. Fold the foil over the salmon and crimp at the top to seal. Place the foil package on one side of the barbecue and turn the heat off directly underneath it, leave the other side set at medium-high. Close the lid and cook 25 minutes, or until the fish is cooked (see story for advice on gauging doneness). Open the foil and carefully transfer the salmon to a platter. Carefully pour any juices in the foil over top. Sprinkle with cilantro or green onion and serve.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Makes: 4 to 6 servings

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Three Chili Salmon Barbecued in Foil Jalapeno, chipotle and ancho chili accent the pink salmon cooked in foil. (LYLE STAFFORD / POSTMEDIA NEWS ARCHIVES)

Maple Whiskey Pink Salmon Steaks

This for-adults-only recipe requires you to cut a whole pink salmon into steaks. With a good sharp knife, it’s not difficult to do.

2 Tbsp Scotch or Canadian whisky or bourbon

2 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 (2 lb.) whole pink salmon

* salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley * lemon slices for garnish

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Rinse the salmon with cold water and pat dry.

Trim off a little from the head end of the fish, creating a clean line. Now trim off the tail and fins.

Set fish on a cutting board. Cut the fish, at a slight angle, into 1-inch-thick steaks; you should get 8. (If you have more than that or small end pieces, cook those, too. Someone will enjoy them.) Set the steaks on the baking sheet. Spoon the whiskey mixture over the fish; season with salt and pepper. Bake the fish 12 minutes, or until just cooked through. Arrange fish on a platter or individual serving plates. Drizzle with pan juices, sprinkle with parsley, garnish with lemon and serve.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 12 minutes Makes: 4 (2 small steaks each) servings

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Pink salmon steaks bathed and baked with maple and whisky. (LYLE STAFFORD / POSTMEDIA NEWS ARCHIVES)

Roast Pink Salmon with Homemade Tartar Sauce

Make a nice summer meal by serving the fish with small boiled potatoes, corn on the cob and a green or caesar salad.

2/3 cup mayonnaise

3 Tbsp finely chopped sweet mixed pickle

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

1 green onion, thinly sliced 1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 (2 ½ lb.) whole pink salmon

½ small to medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 large garlic clove, halved and thinly sliced

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

¼ tsp paprika

* salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Make the tartar sauce by combining first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Sauce can be made several hours before needed.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Rinse the salmon with cold water and pat dry. Trim off a little from the head end of the fish, creating a clean line.

Now trim off the tail and fins.

Set fish on the baking sheet. Make ½-inch deep slits into the top of fish, spacing them about 1 ½ inches apart. Combine oil, lemon juice and paprika in a bowl. Brush this mixture on the fish; season with salt and pepper. Roast salmon 25 to 30 minutes, or until just cooked through (see story for advice on gauging doneness). Carefully transfer salmon to a serving platter and serve with the tartar sauce.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20-25 minutes Makes: 4 to 6 servings

— Postmedia News