Do you cover salmon when baking in the oven?
When baking salmon in the oven, whether you cover it or not depends on personal preference and the recipe you're following.
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Covering salmon: Covering salmon with aluminium foil or parchment paper can help keep it moist during cooking. This method is helpful if you're concerned about the salmon drying out or want to infuse flavours using ingredients like lemon slices, herbs, or marinades.
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Not covering salmon: Leaving the salmon uncovered allows the heat to circulate the fish more evenly, resulting in a slightly firmer texture and a crisper exterior. If you prefer a caramelised or crispy crust on your salmon, leaving it uncovered is the way to go.
How to make Colin's baked salmon recipe
Ingredients
2 Tbsp salt flakes
1 1/2 tsp whole fennel seeds
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
4 x 150g fillets of salmon, skin off, pin-boned
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
APPLE AND FENNEL SALAD
100ml extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 orange, plus extra 1 orange, segmented
Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season
2 Royal Gala or Envy apples
1 medium bulb fennel
6 round red radishes
50g mixed salad leaves
Method
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Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced (220°C conventional).
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Combine salt flakes, fennel seeds and lemon zest in a bowl. Put salmon on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush with oil and season generously with fennel salt mixture to taste. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until cooked to your liking.
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Meanwhile, for the Salad, combine oil, lemon juice, orange zest and juice in a jar with a lid. Season. Shake well to combine. Using a mandolin, thinly slice apples, fennel and radishes. Combine in a bowl with salad leaves and extra orange segments. Drizzle with dressing.
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Serve salmon with salad.