Yield: Serves 4 , Prep Time: 20 Minutes , Cook Time: 30 minutes
About Baked Salmon Fingers
Baked salmon fingers may surprise you with their non-pungent flavor since the fish here is salmon!. This healthy finger food is packed with nutty flavor and crispy crunch. When they are hot out of the oven, it takes one bite into that nutty crust, and you’d want to eat more. Just be sure to have tartar sauce on hand to keep dipping! haha
I admit that fried breaded fish is delicious, but it’s been ages that I’ve decided frying is against my religion. The calories and consequences are simply not worth it, and it pays off to make traditionally fried food, with baking methods.
Baking though instead of frying, requires some subtleties. Frying is often forgiving and masks imperfections, but baking brings out all that food constitutes. Nonetheless, keep your eyes on the prize, and bake the breaded salmon fingers to believe how good they can be.
Hardware
Baking sheet
Aluminum foil (optional)
Pastry cooling rack (preferably with wide wire mesh, see picture)
Cooking oil spray
Oil bottle with a narrow pourer spout for olive oil
Ingredients
3 lb. salmon
Extra virgin olive oil (use it with a narrow bottle pourer)
For flour mixture
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tbsp lemon & black pepper seasoning (recommended: McCormik)
1 tsp cayenne pepper or Aleppo pepper
Pinch of turmeric (optional)
1 tbsp kosher salt
For egg mixture
2 extra large eggs
1 tsp cayenne pepper or Aleppo pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
For breadcrumb mixture
2 cups of breadcrumb, Italian style
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp cayenne pepper or Aleppo pepper
Directions
Prep the hardware. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the cooling rack with generous amount of oil, so all the surface & facets are covered. Place the rack on the cooking sheet. set aside.
Prep the salmon. Cut the salmon into 1.5" square chunks(cuboid).
At three separate containers/bowls, mix the ingredients of each mixture. Beat the eggs with the spices. set them aside.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Begin the assembly.
Coat each salmon piece with flour mixture, shake off the excess, dip each piece into egg mixture and then coat them with breadcrumb mixture.
Place each coated salmon piece on top of the rack, allowing one inch space between them. Drizzle both sides of each salmon piece with olive oil, so they can brown nicely. Make sure to use an oil bottle with narrow pourer for even distribution. If preferred, use oil spray instead of olive oil.
Bake them in the first rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
10 minutes left towards the end of baking, you can take them out and turn each one over and place them back in the oven.
Serve hot with a side of tartar sauce and fresh lemon segments.
Note
Tips
Baked salmon fingers may surprise you with their non-pungent flavor since the fish here is salmon!. This healthy finger food is packed with nutty flavor and crispy crunch. When they are hot out of the oven, it takes one bite into that nutty crust, and you’d want to eat more. Just be sure to have tartar sauce on hand to keep dipping! haha
I admit that fried breaded fish is delicious, but it’s been ages that I’ve decided frying is against my religion. The calories and consequences are simply not worth it, and it pays off to make traditionally fried food, with baking methods.
Baking though instead of frying, requires some subtleties. Frying is often forgiving and masks imperfections, but baking brings out all that food constitutes. Nonetheless, keep your eyes on the prize, and bake the breaded salmon fingers to believe how good they can be.
Hardware
Baking sheet
Aluminum foil (optional)
Pastry cooling rack (preferably with wide wire mesh, see picture)
Cooking oil spray
Oil bottle with a narrow pourer spout for olive oil
Ingredients
3 lb. salmon
Extra virgin olive oil (use it with a narrow bottle pourer)
For flour mixture
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tbsp lemon & black pepper seasoning (recommended: McCormik)
1 tsp cayenne pepper or Aleppo pepper
Pinch of turmeric (optional)
1 tbsp kosher salt
For egg mixture
2 extra large eggs
1 tsp cayenne pepper or Aleppo pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
For breadcrumb mixture
2 cups of breadcrumb, Italian style
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp cayenne pepper or Aleppo pepper
Directions
Prep the hardware. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the cooling rack with generous amount of oil, so all the surface & facets are covered. Place the rack on the cooking sheet. set aside.
Prep the salmon. Cut the salmon into 1.5" square chunks(cuboid).
At three separate containers/bowls, mix the ingredients of each mixture. Beat the eggs with the spices. set them aside.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Begin the assembly.
Coat each salmon piece with flour mixture, shake off the excess, dip each piece into egg mixture and then coat them with breadcrumb mixture.
Place each coated salmon piece on top of the rack, allowing one inch space between them. Drizzle both sides of each salmon piece with olive oil, so they can brown nicely. Make sure to use an oil bottle with narrow pourer for even distribution. If preferred, use oil spray instead of olive oil.
Bake them in the first rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
10 minutes left towards the end of baking, you can take them out and turn each one over and place them back in the oven.
Serve hot with a side of tartar sauce and fresh lemon segments.
Note
- Oil spraying the cooling rack is crucial. If you miss this step, a) don’t force to turn them over through the cooking, b) to prevent crust from sticking to the rack after cooking, position your fingers underneath the bottom of the rack and push up each piece, then remove salmon pieces from the rack.
Tips
- Parmesan cheese can be replaced with Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Lemon & black pepper seasoning can be replaced with other house seasoning that has onion and garlic powder and herbs.
- Aleppo pepper is more corse and sweeter than cayenne pepper. Feel free to use it generously.