Answer: No oil.
I don't use oil. I use a non-stick pan or I grill it in oven.
I don't understand why people are using oil to do injustice to salmon. I want the salmon to be firm and not mushy. I already face the problem of having to take care of the juice/oil flowing out of the salmon. I don't want more fluid added which would further mushify the fish.
Pan-poaching:
- Place the slice of salmon on its skin, on the pan.
- Gradually turn the heat up to moderate.
- As the skin-side gradually becomes firm, turn the slice over.
- When the other side also becomes firm, turn the slice back to face the skin-side down to brown the skin on strong heat.
The problem I face is too much juice/oil exuding from the salmon.
Continually notice if salmon juice/oil is flowing out, to drain the juice/oil into a bowl. After cooking salmon is complete, place salmon into serving plate and the pour salmon juice back into pan. Add diced garlic, chopped cilantro and onions. Or use pre-fried onions bought from Vietnamese store. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Resultant is a nice gravy to be used as topping for the salmon. Sprinkle blue cheese bits.
Broiling (set the oven to broil):
- Place salmon skin facing up on oven pan.
- For soft steak: use a smaller pan so that the juice/oil that flows out would not spread out to be being burnt away by the heat. So that the juice/oil keeps the salmon moist and soft.
- For firm poach: Drain the pan frequently.
- Use various apparatus to elevate the pan so that the salmon is 1 inch away from the top heating element of the oven.
- Turn oven to 180 F for 30 minutes. This is to firm up the salmon and let its initial flow of juice/oil out of the salmon.
- Then turn the oven up to 240F till the fish is cooked.
- Gently separate the skin from the fish without injuring the flesh.
- Broil the skin at 350F till it becomes crispy.
Crispy salmon skin biscuit = heavens!
The crispy salmon skin must be eaten within 30 minutes - otherwise, it would soon absorb moisture and becomes flaccid.
See, no oil involved (other than the oil exuding from the fish).