Weeknights are hard for so many of us.  How many people do you know who think they don’t have time to prepare a healthy meal at home on a weeknight?  Probably a lot.  This is one reason I love fish!  There are few things that cook as quickly as fish.  Salmon is one of my favorite types of fish.  Sadly, my husband really doesn’t care for it.  I am always working to find ways to prepare fish that are versatile enough to be used at the SAME TIME on two different types of fish.  If variety is the spice of life, why should anyone have to compromise?

I started with two 8-ounce pieces of fish (and one small one for the kids to share).  I chose Organic Salmon for myself and Halibut for the rest of the family.

The first thing I did was chop up some garlic and grate some fresh Parmesan cheese.  My end goal here was to combine these ingredients with mayonnaise.  I happen to be very fond of a certain lemon-flavored mayonnaise so that is what I used here.  You could use any kind of mayonnaise though… just add your own lemon juice.  The sky is the limit here.  You could add fresh herbs, bacon, pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes… anything.

After everything is combined, get your fish ready!  It shouldn’t need to be rinsed off but if there are any stray scales on the flesh, go ahead and rinse those away and pat it dry with a paper towel.  Dry fish is easier to spread the topping on.

I like all salmon, but I really find myself always going back to the Organic Salmon.  It is farm-raised in ocean pens in very cold, clean water.  The feed contains no animal byproducts and they are not treated with hormones or antibiotics.  It is certified Organic by the E.U. (European Union) because the U.S.D.A. does not have a program for such labeling just yet.  I just find that the flavor is good, it has a lot of fat, and it stays very moist during cooking.  (While it is true that wild salmon have more of certain antioxidants than farmed salmon, farmed salmon actually have more Omega-3’s… so you can feel great about choosing either one!)

I like to put my fish in the baking dish or on the baking sheet before proceeding to the next step.  I used a big glass baking dish and lightly sprayed it with Coconut Oil spray and placed the fish in it.  Make sure you leave some breathing room around each piece of fish.  I spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on each piece of fish.  Into the oven it goes.

Next up… the question everyone asks.  How long do you cook fish for?  Try the 10-minute rule.  Measure the fish at its thickest point and cook it for 10 minutes per inch.  One thing you will either love or hate about me… I don’t use timers.  I have to say I don’t measure or time many things in the kitchen.  Measuring is for baking.  Cooking is an art.  Don’t be afraid.  For fish, I can usually tell when it is done by touching it.  Like a cake.  If it springs back at you and is firm to the touch, you’re there.  With practice, you will know when it’s ready.  Err on the side of caution.  You can always put it back in for a minute or two, but overcooked fish can be dry.

I cooked these at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes and turned on the broiler for a minute at the last second.

I served this with Saffron Risotto and Caesar Salad.

One plate with Salmon.  One plate with Halibut.  Everyone is happy.  This entire meal was prepared in around thirty minutes!