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The sapphire waters of the Inland Passage are the lifeblood of Southeast Alaska.\u00a0 Winding through a magnificent landscape of dense forests, deep fjords and glacier-carved peaks mantled in snow, the icy seas teem with marine life that has sustained the native Tlingit people and fed the bears, bald eagles and migrating whales for millennia.<\/p>\n
Today, the maze of inlets, channels and sounds serves as a watery highway to the outside world for fishing camps and towns hugging its shores for the more than 200 miles from Ketchikan to Juneau. The waters support a vast commercial fishing industry.\u00a0 They\u2019re a primary draw, too, for throngs of tourists, who sail in aboard cruise ships and ferries throughout the summer, hoping for a glimpse of wild life that lives off the ocean\u2019s bounty.<\/p>\n
Lucky me, I\u2019ve arrived during the King salmon season, when it seems every fishing crew is racing to get its share of the lucrative catch. Fishermen sell whole fish off boats in the harbors and local papers publish notices of salmon fishing derbies.<\/p>\n
King salmon, with its luxuriously moist red flesh and rich flavor, is my favorite fish.\u00a0 Since we\u2019re camping, I\u2019m not equipped to handle a whole one, so I\u2019ve been buying fillets and steaks from the markets. Although I haven\u2019t found any bargains ($16.99 a pound appears to be the going price), the salmon has been incredibly fresh and satisfying.<\/p>\n
This is fish without guilt.\u00a0 Wild salmon are plentiful here and the fishery is managed to ensure that enough mature salmon are left to swim back upstream and spawn at the end of their life cycle.\u00a0 Forage for the eagle and bear populations is factored into the equation.<\/p>\n
The Monterey Bay Aquarium\u2019s Seafood Watch program ranks wild Alaskan salmon as a best fish choice for diners.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, it\u2019s one of the poster children for a sustainable fishery,\u201d says Geoff Shester, senior science manager for the aquarium\u2019s sustainable seafood initiative.<\/p>\n
When salmon is wild and straight out of the sea, it needs little embellishment.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been cooking it very simply.\u00a0 Fillets were excellent pan-fried quickly in butter then finished with a tablespoon of capers and a splash of red wine vinegar a la Nigel Slater.\u00a0 But a thick steak, cooked in a foil packet over hot coals in a campfire ring, was sublime.<\/p>\n
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All I added to the steak were a few cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced scallions and a generous pinch of dried thyme.\u00a0 This recipe, adapted from Mark Bittman\u2019s \u201cQuick and Easy Recipes,\u201d should work just as well in a hot oven or on a grill.\u00a0 Fresh sprigs of thyme would be a nice addition.<\/p>\n
For camping, cooking in foil can\u2019t be beat. The fish stays moist and is hard to overcook. It definitely produced the best salmon we\u2019ve tasted in Alaska.<\/p>\n
Still, the pan-fried salmon comes in a close second.\u00a0 So I\u2019m including that recipe here, too.<\/p>\n
If you can\u2019t find perfectly fresh salmon, try some of the flash-frozen fish sold in better markets for these dishes.\u00a0 When the fish is thawed slowly in the refrigerator before cooking, the texture and flavor remain quite good.<\/p>\n
About \u00bc cup extra virgin olive oil
\n4 pieces salmon fillet or steak (1\u00bd-2 pounds)
\n12 cherry tomatoes, halved
\n4 scallions, thinly sliced
\nSalt and freshly ground black pepper
\nAbout 1 teaspoon thyme<\/p>\n
For each packet, cut 2 sheets of aluminum foil about 18 inches long and stack together, dull side up.\u00a0 Drizzle the top sheet of foil with about 2 teaspoons of olive oil and layer with a piece of salmon, 6 cherry tomato halves, a quarter of the scallion slices, salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of thyme.\u00a0 Drizzle 2 more teaspoons of oil over all.\u00a0\u00a0 Fold the foil over a couple of times on top and sides to form a seal and crimp edges together tightly. Repeat.<\/p>\n
Place packets on a bed of medium hot coals. After they start to sizzle, cook for about 4 minutes. Flip packets over and cook for 4 minutes more. Remove packets from fire and let sit for a couple of minutes before slitting the package open to let steam escape.\u00a0 Place fish on plates and spoon sauce over all to serve. PAN-FRIED SALMON WITH CAPERS AND VINEGAR<\/strong> 6 tablespoons butter In a heavy frying pan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter.\u00a0 When it starts to bubble, add salmon and fry until fish starts to turn golden around the edges, about 3 minutes per side.\u00a0 Fry for 2 minutes longer to cook through, if you prefer.<\/p>\n Transfer fish to a plate.\u00a0 Melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the same pan and stir in capers.\u00a0 Add vinegar and cook for a couple more minutes, scraping up the crunchy bits off the bottom of the pan.\u00a0 Pour sauce over fish and serve.<\/p>\n From \u201cReal Fast Food,\u201d by Nigel Slater (The Overlook Press, 1995)<\/em><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The sapphire waters of the Inland Passage are the lifeblood of Southeast Alaska.\u00a0 Winding through a magnificent landscape of dense forests, deep fjords and glacier-carved peaks mantled in snow, the icy seas teem with marine life that has sustained the native Tlingit people and fed the bears, bald eagles and migrating whales for millennia. Today, … Continue reading Salmon in Alaska<\/span>
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\nAdapted from \u201cQuick and Easy Recipes,\u201d by Mark Bittman (Broadway Books, 2007)<\/em><\/p>\n
\nServes 2<\/em><\/p>\n
\n2 pieces salmon fillet
\n2 tablespoons capers
\n1 tablespoon red wine vinegar<\/p>\n