Swimming a pool of fresh cream and seasoned with fragrant herbs, baked salmon makes for a satisfying and deeply nourishing supper. Simple food is often the best food. Indeed, good food needn’t be complicated. When you rely on wholesome ingredients of the best quality you can reasonably afford, the simplest of preparations will illuminate their natural beauty. In simple preparations, as in this 4-step recipe for baked salmon in cream and herbs, allow the full, but often quite subtle, flavors of individual ingredients to shine.
A sacred food in many cultures, wild-caught salmon is rich in life-sustaining nutrients particularly omega-3 fatty acids which play a role in multiple aspects of human health. Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to play a roll in emotional and cognitive health, cardiovascular health, proper vision, proper immune function and may even offer anticarcinogenic properties. Cream, particularly from cows fed exclusively on fresh and lush grasses, is rich in a substance called conjugated linoleic acid which is known for its anticarcinogenic properties while fresh herbs are remarkably good sources of antioxidants.
In this way, a simple preparation of salmon baked in fresh cream and herbs is as nourishing for your body as it is satisfying for your tastebuds. Real food tastes and feels good, as it should. Good health requires no denials, no deprivations; rather, it needs but an enjoyment of simple pleasures derived from food grown, prepared and served as nature intended.
Don’t forget that the 28-day Real Food Challenge begins this coming Monday, so sign up to participate. At the time of writing, nearly 300 real food lovers will be participating in the challenge. If you’re just beginning your journey into real and traditional foods, the challenge presents an excellent opportunity to delve into the movement step-by-step and with the support of an entire community. If you’ve loved and celebrated real food for some time, the challenge will give you the opportunity to reinvigorate your passion while also affording you the opportunity to support newcomers to the movement. We even have prizes for participants, so take the opportunity and sign up.
Recipe for Baked Salmon with Cream & Herbs
Wild-caught salmon, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, combines with fresh herbs and cream for a simply but deeply satisfying supper. Complete the meal with a vibrant, pepper arugula salad seasoned with unrefined sea salt and a fruity unrefined extra virgin olive oil.
Baked Salmon with Cream & Herbs: Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream, not ultrapasteurized
- 4 4 to 6 ounce wild-caught salmon filets (see sources)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
- ¼ cup chopped fresh thyme
Baked Salmon with Cream & Herbs: Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pour fresh, heavy cream over salmon filets.
- Sprinkle fresh dill and thyme over the cream-drenched salmon and bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 30 minutes or until salmon is firm and flakes easily.
- Serve immediately.
YIELD: 4 servings
TIME: 5 minutes (preparation), 20 to 30 minutes (cook time)
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Oh, I have got to try this! I love, love, love cream and salmon individually, what a treat to eat them together! We had Oriental Salmon last night out of Nourishing Traditions and hubby said it was a winner. He’s so funny. He always acts surprised when I serve him salmon and he likes it. It’s been more than a year since he didn’t like a salmon dish I made and I think I know why: I used to use canned salmon!!
Simple — yet decadent. Reminds me of the creamed salmon my mother used to make over toast. Of course, she used canned salmon… but all the better with fresh wild-caught! Luscious.
This sounds really good and will be something a little different for us. I have some salmon fillets, cream and herbs waiting for supper tonight.
This looks so good! It is lunchtime right now, and I am really wishing I had this to eat!
I, too, have wild-caught salmon, cream and herbs(although not fresh) just waiting in my pantry for this recipe— for tonight’s dinner. Thanks for posting this today—how timely. Love ya! Keep up the great work.
The dish is just beautiful… the herbs look great with the color of the salmon… great photo and recipe!
really lovely pic. anything bathed in cream is good by me!
I am a salmon FREAK and this is right up my alley
I made this last night only instead of the herbs listed I used tarragon – it was out of thi sworld!!!! :O
I am a big salmon fan! I can’t live without it. This is one nice dish and the herbs made it more presentable.
Jenny, I can’t tell you how absolutely marvelous this dish was when I made it last Friday night. The whole family gobbled it up so fast and thoroughly I didn’t even have to wash the dish.
I tweaked it a bit by adding salt and pepper to it before sprinkling on the herbs. Again thank you tons!
This recipe inspired me to try a similar recipe, since I didn’t have any cream on hand:
1. In a small pot, heat a can of coconut milk. Add about 1/2 tsp of chili powder (maybe more, maybe less…taste it). Grate in a garlic clove. I also added some lemon juice to the pot, but I don’t know if it made any difference.
2. Let this cool a little (or don’t?) so it won’t cook the salmon when you pour it on the salmon. Pour this over the salmon and bake. I used a casserole dish that would hold the coconut milk close to the salmon
3. While the salmon is baking, stack up a few basil leaves, roll them up, and slice them to form thin ribbons (chiffonade).
4. After you pull the salmon out of the oven, put it on a plate. Sprinkle the basil on top of the salmon. Then, spoon the coconut milk in the pan over the salmon so it steams the basil.
I probably would have added ginger and/or lemongrass, but I had neither. I used the Native Forest canned coconut milk, which does have that sweet coconut aroma. Mmmmmmmmm.
I love wild salmon, but I’m a very lazy cook. I just sprinkle some Wyler’s Instant Chicken Bouillon powder on it, and then I fry it slowly in butter. Delicious.
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You might check the ingredient list- I don’t think those bouillon cubes are too good for you
This looks great! We try to have wild salmon once a week, but the way I have been preparing is always on the dry side. I like the idea of the cream–adding tenderness and added wonderful fats and nutrients, for baking the salmon in. Thanks.
This is soooooooo good, but I have also tried it with coconut milk, yummy.
Thanks for the recipe, so simple.
I love your salmon recipes, Jenny! This one is another must try for me. Thank you! Those buttermilk biscuits you tweeted about earliery today look scrumptious as well
Do you cover the salmon while baking?
What would you suggest as a side dish with this?
Just made it! So delicious! I used a combination of dill, coriander seed, sea salt, fresh pepper, oregano, and tarragon! Thanks for the recipe! =]
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know. Isn’t it just so simple?
Just made this for dinner. I didn’t have any marjoram, but it was still really good. I also added a sprinkle of pink Himalayan sea salt and freshly ground pepper. We had it with sauteed kale.
Finally! I have found a salmon recipe that my husband and I love. I did changed it a little though, mainly because my oven was used for something else but I had to cook the defrosted salmon. I cut the filet in strips (skin and all), cooked it in ghee for a while in a skillet until browned, then added cream, sprinlked freeze dried thyme and dill, and simmered until the salmon stips flaked with a fork. It was so easy to make, and sooo yummy. I served it with cooked toasted buckwheat (available in russian or polish stores), the sauce was so good, I will be making this all the time now.
Mmm! Just made this for dinner tonight to serve our guests, and it was delicious! Thanks very much…