It doesn’t take much to cook salmon or to dress it up, and there’s no way simpler than this: cook fillets by any of a number of methods, then finish them with flavored oil. Here I focus on a spicy soy oil that contains slivered garlic, peanut and sesame oils, and soy sauce, but it’s easy enough to change the spirit from Asian to European. Although oil is the basis for this sauce, the quantity is minimal because heating the oil thins it, enabling even a small amount to coat and flavor the fish.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 tablespoons peanut oil

　　1 1/2 to 2 pounds salmon fillets in 4 pieces

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 tablespoon sesame oil

　　1 tablespoon slivered garlic

　　2 small dried red chiles

　　1 tablespoon soy sauce

　　1/2 cup chopped scallion, or 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Heat a 12-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, then add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil and swirl it around. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and put it, skin side up, in the skillet. A minute later, when the salmon has browned, turn and immediately transfer it to the oven.

　　

Step 2

Combine the remaining peanut oil in a small saucepan with the sesame oil, garlic, and chiles and turn the heat to medium. Cook, gently shaking the pan occasionally, until the garlic and chiles sizzle and the garlic colors lightly, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the chiles. (This step may be done in advance.) When the oil cools a bit, add the soy sauce.

　　

Step 3

The salmon will be medium-rare after about 6 minutes in the oven. Transfer it to a plate. Drizzle it with the oil, garnish if you like, and serve.

　　

Variations

Step 4

Salmon with Spicy Sherry Vinegar Oil: Use a total of 3 tablespoons olive oil in place of the peanut and sesame oils. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small saucepan with the garlic, chiles, and some salt. Cook, gently shaking the pan occasionally, until the garlic and chiles sizzle and the garlic colors lightly, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the chiles. (This step may be done in advance.) When the oil cools a bit, add 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar. Garnish with 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon.

　　

Step 5

Salmon with Soy and Black Beans: Before cooking the fish, soak 1 tablespoon preserved (Chinese) black beans in 1 tablespoon dry sherry or water. Drain the beans and add them to the oil along with the garlic and chiles.

　　From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books.Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.