Many people confide to me that they're afraid to cook fish for one reason: They have to flip it over.
Turning fish certainly can be tricky because it's so delicate. But if you roast fish, it doesn't need to be turned.
Roasting just means cooking something in a hot oven. When you roast fish, or anything else, the hot air circulates all around, cooking all sides.
I've chosen salmon here, but the recipe works equally well with any hearty fish such as swordfish or halibut.
When buying fresh fish, it's best to use it the same day. But good-quality frozen fish is available at most supermarkets. The night before you want to cook it, toss the fish in the refrigerator to thaw.
Here's another secret to roasting fish: It can be done on a grill. When a grill is covered, it basically works like an oven, circulating the hot air all around. When the weather is warm, I make this same recipe on the grill, although I put a piece of foil on the grill rack before I place the fish on it (to keep it from sticking).
Whether you roast the fish in the oven or on a grill, it's a delicious and almost effortless way to incorporate seafood into your diet. To add color and pizazz to the dish, I created a simple pineapple salsa to go with it.
robin.davis@dispatch.com
