Fish aren’t just for Fridays: Gluten-free Salmon

So, it was Mardis Gras yesterday. Sadly for me, I found this recipe for gluten-free King Cake from the Gluten Free Girl and the Washington Post a day too late.

Next year, gluten-free King Cake. Next year, you and I have a date. I’ve already got the tiny plastic baby (don’t ask).

Today is not Mardis Gras, however. It’s the first day of Lent, which means fish on Fridays for some of us.

If you’re like me, you’ve been faced with a conundrum. Preparing gluten-free fish is fairly simple, since fish itself is of course gluten-free. Preparing good fish – gluten-free or not – is less simple. Has it cooked it too long, or not long enough, is it bland, is it overseasoned? What’s a celiac to do?

They say the best thing to do when faced with a big problem is to break it into smaller problems. So today, instead of dealing with the ocean, I just want to deal with one of it’s inhabitants: the salmon. Lent or not, this is one delicious fish – so how to make it gluten-free at home?

Generally speaking, both wild-caught canned salmon and fresh wild salmon (preferably Alaskan) are considered environmentally responsible fish choices. And both are tasty!

Let’s start with the canned salmon. Technically this shouldn’t be a scary thing to cook with – it’s already cooked, after all. What to do with it?

• You could make salmon croquettes. Here’s a recipe from Oprah that requires some substitution – use your favorite gluten-free flour. And here’s a clever one from Food.com that uses gluten-free potato chips in place of breadcrumbs.
• You could make a curry. Here’s a delicious Caribbean fish curry that’s naturally gluten-free. And here’s a modified Indian salmon curry from Hungry Kittens.
• It’s still cold enough to be soup weather – why not a chowder? Here’s a salmon chowder from FishEx that uses cornstarch as a thickener

And fresh salmon?

• Wegmans has a simple recipe for gluten-free cedar plank salmon with brown sugar and black pepper.
• Elana’s Pantry prepares their gluten-free salmon with lime and chipotle.
• FishEx to the rescue again. This recipe for salmon filets buried in potatoes manages to sound both whimsical and delicious.
• Use your gluten-free grocery guide to find some gluten-free breadcrumbs, and check out this baked salmon recipe from Jacques Pepin. Hazelnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, mayo…yum.
• If you have a trusted fishmonger in your area and you’re able to get sushi-grade fish, you could always make your own gluten-free sushi. Just be sure to find gluten-free soy sauce!

How do you like to prepare gluten-free salmon at home?