Fresh Salmon Medallions

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Servings:

Yield:

2 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

I'm not a fan of buying pre-packaged fish at the market. Sure, you can look through the plastic wrap and pick out something that looks decent. But I'd much rather go to the counter and tell the monger exactly what I want and watch them cut it before my eyes. This doesn't cost anything extra and you'll almost always end up with something better (especially when it comes to salmon, where the location of the cut is critical).

When I buy salmon fillets, I always ask for center cuts, since they're the thickest and most uniform part. That means they're the easiest to cook and are less likely to dry out. However, sometimes this isn't an option and we end up with the much thinner tail piece. When that happens, this medallion technique will turn a challenge into a triumph. Besides overcoming the inconsistent thickness issue, these things just look very cool on the plate.

Plus, above and beyond their "high-end" appearance, the technique is quite easy to tweak flavor-wise by simply changing up the ingredients in the mayo-based glaze. By the way, even if you skip the medallion technique and you're fine eating the less remarkable tail section "as is," baking your fish sauced as shown it a great idea. It really does help keep the fish moist. Plus, your main course and sauce are done in the same step. However, while these two techniques will work just fine separately, they are fabulous paired together, which is why I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

For more Chef John, be sure to subscribe to Food Wishes on YouTube! Click the "Join" button there to get Chef John's bonus video footage and behind-the-scenes pictures, live chats, and other Food Wishes member exclusives.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless salmon tail fillet
aluminum foil
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (Optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Place salmon tail skin-side down onto a paper towel. Place a knife at the point of the tail; use a sawing motion to carefully cut the salmon away from the skin. Trim off any connective tissue. Cut salmon in half lengthwise into 2 equal pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise into 3 long strips.
Place 1 strip of salmon on the prepared baking sheet. Wind the strip into a spiral, with the thickest part in the center. Overlap the thin end of a second strip over the first; wrap around the spiral. Position the third strip in a way that maintains the circular shape. Repeat with the other 3 strips to form the second medallion.
Fold a 15x4-inch piece of aluminum foil a few times to make a long strip about 1 1/2-inches wide. Rub the foil with the remaining oil and wrap it around the outside edges of a salmon medallion, creating a collar. Pinch foil together and make sure salmon is as round and uniformly thick as possible. Repeat with the second medallion.
Mix mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice together in a small bowl.
Season the tops of the medallions with salt; spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over each one.
Bake in the center of the preheated oven until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Carefully remove foil.

Chef's Notes:

Feel free to use a skinless piece of salmon tail instead of cutting the skin off yourself.

Make sure you mix and match larger and smaller salmon slices in each medallion, so that each is fairly even.

Your favorite vinegar will work in place of fresh lemon juice in the mayonnaise mixture, or a nice garlic aioli would work as well.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

509	Calories
38g	Fat
1g	Carbs
39g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 2
Calories 509
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 38g	48%
Saturated Fat 7g	34%
Cholesterol 117mg	39%
Sodium 265mg	12%
Total Carbohydrate 1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 39g	79%
Vitamin C 12mg	13%
Calcium 32mg	2%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 706mg	15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

You’ll Also Love

Add to collections

New Collection