This easy bake recipe for parmesan and herb crusted salmon will liven up your dinner plans and showcase a new way to enjoy a classic fish!
How do restaurants create these famous herb crusted fish?
To make a parmesan and herb crusted salmon or any other type of filleted fish is really quite simple and the base ingredients are usually pretty similar. If you follow this recipe and enjoy it you can use it to fashion your own creations. The idea is to bind your primary ingredients with breadcrumbs and fats. In this case we use panko which is famous for its breading capabilities. You can substitute other breadcrumbs or even make your own. However, some types may become soggy so be careful. For fats we chefs usually use an elastic binder such as cheese, but also the panko itself needs to be bound by some type of fat or liquid. Chefs often use butter and/or olive oil in this case.
- nuts such as pumpkin seeds, macadamia, pecan, and cashew
- other savory vegetables such as scallion, ramps, garlic, even cauliflower
- dried fruits such as apricot, plum, and fig
- stay away from gooey cheeses as they often collide with fish. For this reason firm grating cheeses tend to work better.
Im not a huge salmon fan. What other things can I test this recipe with?
Parmesan and herb crusts can work on various proteins simply because in this recipe we use very neutral herbs that lend themselves to other meats and fishes. Firmer white fish filets such as halibut and seabass work well as do scallops. You can even use this on poultry such as chicken or more tender cuts of beef such as filet. Stay away from chewier cuts that will ruin the crust. The crust does tend to bake into a type of shell that protects the protein but you don’t want a brittle tortoise-like piece that doesn’t bind to the meat. In the event that you are using a larger piece of meat, poultry, or fish you may need to sear the top side then flip before carefully pressing the raw crust on top, simply so that it cooks evenly.
Chef’s Tip:
This recipe for parmesan herb crust is sort of fool-proof for those worried about overcooking salmon, chicken or meat. Since it provides a protective layer this helps keep moisture within. For this reason we recommend this as a recipe you can prepare in advance of a dinner party without concern for overcooking the meat. Simply divide the portions and preassemble the filets with the crust and refrigerate. You can pre-cook ahead and reserve warm for half an hour or more without drying out the fish as it would without a crust!
parmesan herb crusted salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon it is preferable but not mandatory to leave the skin on
- .5 cups panko unseasoned breadcrumbs
- .5 cups parmesan preferably the shredded variety
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- .25 ounces chives about 4 tbsp finely chopped
- .5 ounces italian parsley about 4tbsp finely chopped
- 2 ea thyme sprigs, leaves only
- 1 piece lemon zest only, from microplane or box grater
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Assemble the ingredients!
- Season the fish with half of the sea salt and the pepper, on the flesh side that will be covered with the crust.
- Finely chop the herbs. Make sure to remove stems from parsley and thyme.
- Using a microplane, zest the lemon
- Using a food processor, make a paste with the butter, second half of salt, olive oil, and parmesan. Then add the herbs and process until it turns green and clorofil is released. Scrape down the sides as necessary.
- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Firmly press the crust onto the fish making sure to cover the entire filet. Place in a roasting pan. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. The cooking time will depend on the thickness and size of the filet. You should see fat and green clorofil leaving the fish and into the bottom of the pan.
