Easy Ginger, Chili and Lemon Salmon

September 19, 2014

Easy Ginger, Chili and Lemon Salmon


Okay, yes, we’ve all heard about how good fish oil is for us: it promotes joints and heart health, improves the brain and memory, and reduces inflammation.
We also know that it's important to eat at least two servings of seafood a week as part of a balanced diet — because taking fish oil capsules is not the same as eating the real thing.
But we’ve also got to be considerate of the fact that we’re not alone in this world, and that by bringing to the office (or other professional setting) something that smells like a Port-A-John on a hot summer day, we can seriously damage workplace productivity and our reputation too.
I, for instance, had this co-worker once who insisted on bringing and microwaving fish that smelled like it was marinated in cat food.
The kitchen was centrally located, so it ensured that the entire office would smell like a fishing dock in 90° heat.
No one ever complained to him about it, because technically he wasn’t doing anything wrong. We just resented him and plotted for revenge. He was also referred to as the “effin fish guy!”

Easy Ginger, Chili and Lemon Salmon
On his last day at the company, I confronted him and he said "Dude, at 4 different jobs, not a single person told me or put a passive aggressive note on my fish. You’re the first one that has ever complained!”
First off, where has honesty in the workplace gone?
Secondly, it’s clear that you’ve got no sense of smell my friend. When have you ever heard someone say "Wow, that fish really smells great!"
Yeah, I thought so.
After he left, a strict microwave policy was implemented at the company.
Basically the people in my office would rise in anarchy if anyone used the microwave for anything that wasn’t water for tea.
It was one of the most relaxed office environment I’ve ever worked in; but the second someone "abused the microwave", all hell broke loose.
It was very scary to see a lovely woman who wore pastel colours and pearls, her hair in a perfect perm and who baked gingerbread cookies for Christmas, announce to the whole office that she was launching an investigation on who popped popcorn that afternoon.

Easy Ginger, Chili and Lemon Salmon
In other words, fish should be banned from offices everywhere.
If you want to eat fish for lunch get it out of the office.
Unless it’s sushi, sushi is acceptable.
Swedish fish and goldfish crackers are also admissible, and you can even nuke them if you want to.
Cooking fish at home is different though, there are plenty of tricks you can use to get rid of the smell.
Such as crack your windows before you get started cooking, and leave them open throughout and after cooking for as long as possible. Or lighting a scented candle. Or simmering a pot of water with a few cinnamon sticks or other great-smelling spices.
Unless you're making this fantastic ginger, chili and lemon salmon. It smells so amazing no one will complain about it.
The flavours are wonderfully intense, as the salmon fully soaks in the marinade to give it fantastic hints of tangy lemon, bold garlic, spicy chili and soothing ginger.
It always looks and tastes impressive, yet it is surprisingly easy to make.
Pre-marinating the fish and baking it with so much liquid also ensures that it remains beautifully soft and moist.
Rest assured, there will be no risk of bringing leftovers to the office… because there won’t be any leftovers.

Easy Ginger, Chili and Lemon Salmon
Easy Ginger, Chili and Lemon Salmon                                                                                      Print this recipe!

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 ½ lbs / 680 gr (or four 6-oz pieces) salmon fillets, skin on or off
Juice of 2 lemons
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
2 - 3 chili peppers (or jalapenos), seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Directions

In a bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, ginger, chili peppers, garlic and salt.
Place salmon fillets (skin side up) in a shallow dish and pour marinade over it. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and place a rack in the middle.
Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and lightly grease it with olive oil (alternatively you can use a cast iron skillet).
Place salmon fillets onto the prepared baking sheet, skin side down, and drizzle some of the marinade over them.
Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 15 minutes, turn on the broiler, remove foil, and broil for further 3 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 388 calories, 23 grams of fat, 7 grams of carbs and 42 grams of protein.

26 comments:

  1. Haha - Mike, that pastel lady and her popcorn-popping-investigation had me cracking up!

    It's much the same at my office - I think people put honesty on the backburner as they don't want someone coming in and going postal. No kidding, but this actually happened about 10 or 11 or 12 years ago at my office - even a security guard got grazed! Clearly I need to eat more fish so I can better remember exactly how many years ago this did happen! Loving the ginger and salmon combo!

    Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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    1. A security guard got grazed? Really? I want to hear that story now!

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    2. Welll....apparently an employee's spouse got wind of his wife's "flirting" with some other dude (guess someone was a little too honest with him) and came to the job site with a gun - threatened security downstairs and opened fire when he was told he couldn't get upstairs...it was crazy! Other than the grazed guard, no one else was hurt that day - peeps can get crazy!

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    3. OMG, that's some pretty scary sh..
      Living in NYC I tend to forget that in other parts of the country carrying a gun is not-so-uncommon (to put it mildly!)

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  2. Salmon is my favorite fish and this is making me so hungry right now. I made something similar recently but didn't use enough chilis - I should follow your recipe instead!

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  3. Way behind reading your blog, trips are not easy to negotiate with net-surfing....

    THat cauliflower noodle is calling my name, and the zucchini, super creative recipe too... you should think about a cookbook, Mr. Iron Man! Seriously....

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    1. What about The Iron Cookbook? Sounds like a good title?

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  4. You are hilarious! I have definitely heard of offices with a "no fish" policy in the lunch room. It's just common sense. I also feel like fish is one of those things that you just shouldn't microwave at all, ever, not even the privacy of your own home. I don't know, maybe I'm just nuts. Thanks for the great story and the wonderful recipe! Have a good weekend!

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    1. I agree with you, never ever microwave fish. It's one of the worst things you can do!

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  5. Hi Mike, salmon is my favorite, love how you treated it here. Funny thing about working in an office you always have to think about how you affect others, but some people don't think like that. Have a great week-end!

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  6. Simply delicious!!!
    but your photograph is truelly stunning..................

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  7. Haha! You speak truths, Mike. We often shy away from making fish at home for the sake of our nostrils. It tastes delicious, but then we have to smell it for the next 2 days. This salmon looks so good though that I might just have to suck it up. Or maybe I'll microwave some goldfish crackers while I'm making the salmon...will those cancel each other out? #WolfpackEats

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    1. I advise to nuke goldfish crackers no matter what you're cooking. It the way to go!

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  8. Smiling the entire time I'm reading this. There's a guy in our office who likes to eat canned kippers at work. Boy, does it make the entire office smell. He's the boss but we tease him about it anyway and now he knows to pack up the empty can and throw it away in the dumpster outside the building.

    Salmon makes a regular appearance in my kitchen--love the flavors you've incorporated here.

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    1. OMG, canned kipper? How could he eat that??? It's so....gross (am I allowed to say it?)
      Thanks for stopping by Jean!

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  9. OMG you're so funny Mike and that salmon looks beautiful! YUM!

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  10. I have a friend who always takes boiled eggs for snacks on planes - you had me cracking up, thinking of her with the no fish in the microwave bit. Love the flavor combo you've put together with this salmon. Yum!

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  11. I rarely cook fish indoors because of the smell - I'll have to open the windows and light a candle next time! My fish problems are solved by the grill - smell stays outside! :)

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  12. Who would microwave fish at work? I would also say tuna fish sandwiches are okay as well. I hope that dude is annoying a whole new crop of colleagues at his new job with his microwave habits hahaa.

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  13. I'm sure you're right about there being no leftovers on this one!

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  14. What annoys me is that this ruckus could be avoided by a coffee cup of vinegar,a cracked window and a good wiping up with light bleach water and leftover lemon from the fish.

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  15. Can you substitute the chili peppers with red pepper flakes, by any chance?

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  16. I just made this dish for my family for dinner and they all loved it - including my very picky little brother :) So delicious! Thanks for sharing

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