Treat yourself to some tasty salmon

Tricia Buice/For The Madera Tribune Salmon, cream cheese and red onion make a delicious topping for your favorite type of bread.

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It drives me a little bit nuts to have to buy salmon, since we have an ocean fishing boat, but the fact remains, the last couple of years haven’t provided the time or opportunity to take that boat out and do some fishing.

So, rather than go without, I buy fresh salmon when the price is right and if the quality and freshness meet my requirements.

After you have had fish fresh from a lake, stream or ocean, you start getting really picky about quality.

If I can smell anything other than that fresh ocean briney scent (if shopping for ocean fish), I don’t buy it.

Fresh fish are not supposed to smell bad, period. If you smell something funny, stay away from it. (Well, if your spouse comes in from a hard day of farming, you might give him a break! Or her, as the case may be.)

Throw out a line and reel in some tasty salmon dinners. I hope the following recipes will help. Smoked salmon on bagels

1 6-oz. bagel (I like the onion-flavored ones)

3 thin slices of red onion

3 oz. thinly sliced smoked salmon

1 1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber

2 tblsps. cream cheese (chives flavor is good)

1/2 tsp. drained capers

1. Slice the bagel in half and spread the cream cheese on the cut sides.

2. On one half, layer the red onion, smoked salmon, cucumber and capers.

3. Place the other half, cream cheese side down, over filling. Makes 1 serving. Brown sugar glazed salmon

From Taste of Home Magazine 1 tblsp. brown sugar

2 tsps. butter

1 tsp. honey (I prefer maple syrup)

1 tblsp. olive oil

1 tblsp. Dijon mustard

1 tblsp. soy sauce

1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 salmon fillet (2 1/2 lbs.) 1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the brown sugar, butter and honey until melted. Remove from the heat; whisk in the oil, mustard, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cool for 5 minutes.

2. Place salmon in a large foil-lined baking pan; brush with brown sugar mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Makes 8 servings. Caramelized salmon with cherry salsa

1 1/2 lbs. fresh salmon fillet with skin

3 tblsps. packed brown sugar

1 tblsp. grated orange peel

1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

1 ripe mango or papaya, seeded, peeled and chopped

1 cup frozen, tart cherries, drained and halved (1/2 cup dried tart cherries can be substituted for frozen tart cherries.)

2 tblsps. chopped fresh mint, basil or cilantro

2 tsps. balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 1. Stir together brown sugar, orange peel and pepper. Place fish, skin side down, in a shallow pan. Rub sugar mixture over fish. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 8 hours.

2. Remove fish from pan, draining off any juices. Place salmon, skin-side down, on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium-hot coals. Grill for 20 to 25 minutes, or until fish flakes easily. Do not turn fish.

3. Meanwhile, toss together mango or papaya, cherries, mint (or basil or cilantro), vinegar and red pepper. Spoon fruit salsa over warm fish. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.