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As most of you know, I do NOT care for seafood. I never enjoyed it, never cared for it, never would order it out. As I got older, I would eventually try to branch out and at least taste some seafood here and there….with the same conclusion, I did not like it, texture OR taste. Give me a good old fashioned canned tuna fish sandwich and that is all I need! *Insert husband’s corny joke here* “You can’t tune a piano but you can tuna fish….” Doesn’t make sense, you can totally tune a piano…moving on…

I would like to reiterate that I don’t like to eat fish. My first date with my husband he thought it would be awesome if he ordered dinner for BOTH of us. I let him, my mistake. He ordered tuna tartare and I swallowed every bite with a swig of my whiskey drink. Long story short, I was totally hammered AND didn’t enjoy my dinner which is awful for a so-called “foodie.”

For some reason I kept him around. Even after a trip to Colombia where his family was serving up their famous paella dish 5,000% engulfed in seafood. Honestly things were staring at me. There was squid and tentacles and FISH and whatever else goes into a seafood paella. It was truly a beautiful dish that looked like a masterpiece, everyone loved it, I however, cringed and tried to be polite eating this amazing dish that I absolutely despised. I had tears welling up in my eyes and had to excuse myself so I did not throw up at the table. I came back, chugged water and just moved stuff around on my plate. After dinner and a few hours later I was starving, clearly. Later hearing my stomach growl my husband asked why I didn’t just eat the Chinese food or pizza we apparently had in the kitchen. He forgot to relay that message to me in English AND forgot his *at the time girlfriend did not eat seafood. He felt awful. Guess he had to marry me to make up for it.

I am about to stop rambling I swear. In conclusion, after trying every restaurant in Florida and still not being able to eat seafood..I tried to purchase my own which was even worse. I have bought all different kinds; frozen, fresh, farm raised, etc…Everything tasted fishy no matter where I got it. Then one day I gave it ONE more shot. Costco answered my prayers. They have a salmon that is to die for and I have made it 500 different ways. It is one of my favorite go-to’s for a week night meal or serving up for a special occasion. I love you Costco. THE END.

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For salmon, I start with the basics. I cook it one of two ways. I rub salt and pepper, as well as, olive oil all over the fish. Then I either bake it or sautee it in a pan. For baking, I preheat the oven to 425 degrees and bake the fish for 10-12 mins. Easy! If I use a sautee pan, I just preheat the pan for a few mins on medium-high then simply place the fish skin side down in the pan and turn the heat to medium. I let the fish sit for about 4-6 mins to get crispy skin. Flip, and let it sear for just around 3 mins. Done!! I personally like to have the salmon a little crispy so after I bake or pan fry I add a touch of honey or more olive oil to the fish and pop it under the broil for just a few moments. SO GOOD! I have learned to enjoy this salmon so much that it really doesn’t need anything except the olive oil, salt, and pepper. I have just made it so often that I have had to switch it up.

Suggested ideas to top or season:

Lemon
Butter or Ghee
Dill
Capers
Garlic or shallots
Pistachios, almonds, or walnuts
Fresh Herbs
Honey
Pesto

With these great sides or as a meal:

Filet Mignon
Crab Cakes
Cauliflower “fried rice”
Mashed Potatoes
Salad
Salmon burgers
Whole wheat penne with lots of lemon and pesto
Roasted Veggies
Swiss chard and broccolini
Orzo with feta and tomatoes
Grilled corn on the cob and avocado slices
The possibilities are endless and I am getting hungry!

Any way you choose to eat your salmon, I hope you LOVE it. I am so grateful to have found a seafood I can actually enjoy preparing and eating. It is something I would like to keep perfecting and trying new things with. Who knows, maybe I will find another fish I can eat without chugging liquor or running away in tears. Fingers crossed for that day!