Baked beast of a salmon

Salmon with garlic mayonnaise (aïoli) served with grated carrots and sliced cucumber salad

I probably could have come up with a more appetizing title for this recipe, but that would fit as well? We bought a whole salmon (minus head and innards) that weighed about 3 lbs. It barely fit in our little oven! What a beast. A delicious beast.

3 lb fresh salmon* (bones in - better flavor and more calcium)
5-6 thin lemon slices
4 pats of butter
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

Rinse the salmon well under cold water. Layer the lemon slices, garlic and butter inside the fish. Place in a large baking dish and bake in preheated oven at 475° for about 20 minutes.

Here's an excellent guide from Beyond Salmon:

Check the fish for doneness by inserting a knife between the backbone and the top fillet and lifting the fillet slightly off the bone. If the flesh does not want to separate from the bone, cook the fish a few minutes longer and check again. Remember that the fish continues to cook after it’s off the heat, so it should be removed from the heat when a trace of translucency still remains in the center and you encounter a bit of resistance near the backbone bone when you try to lift the fillet.

Once your fish is done, cut along the backbone to separate into two flat halves. Cut each half into serving size. Serve with garlic mayonnaise. What a beast.

* If you buy a frozen fish, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge.