Instructions
Most things I know about salmon come from a National Geographic documentary I saw when I was in primary school. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in this.
The film consisted of those classic images of hatchlings careening down rivers out to the ocean, only to begin their homeward journey a couple of years later. Obsessed with the idea of returning to their birthplace they fought the rapids and waterfalls, and tried to evade the gnashing teeth of hungry bears. The salmon expended all this energy just to spawn and die, so that the great cycle might begin again.
Kind of like commuting from the Northern Beaches if you ask me.
As happens so often, real life is much more interesting. Most salmon are anadromous, meaning they travel from freshwater to saltwater, then back to fresh to spawn. Yet some salmon live their whole lives in land-locked lakes, never feeling the spray of the ocean. And not all salmon die after spawning. Half the world’s species are capable of up to five spawning trips, although only half of those will survive the swim back to sea. As a general rule Pacific salmon species will die after spawning (a trait called semelparity), while Atlantic salmon varieties are likely to swim off to spawn another day (called iteroparity).
But back to those bears. The reason bears like salmon is the same reason people do: they’re flavoursome and rich in natural omega-3 fish oils. Farmed salmon are even richer in omega-3 oils than wild salmon, strangely enough. Oh, and the pink colour of the flesh? Well that’s the result of a powerful anti-oxidant that is great for heart health.
In Australia all Atlantic salmon is farmed, mostly in Tasmania. There are some local species of salmon, known as blackback or cocky, but while they are great sport fish, they’re not much on a plate. Salmon can be steamed, poached, grilled or baked. But nothing beats a perfect piece of crispy-skinned salmon, cooked to medium and partnered with crisp green vegetables.
Crispy skinned salmon with broccolini