By: Jessica Ivaska | August 18 2010
Posted in Seattle - Cook It - Seattle

The Locks
We’ve all seen salmon at the market, at the store—and on plates, but it isn’t often we get to see them swimming in their natural environment. That is, unless you live near Ballard, a Scandinavian neighborhood in Seattle. Yes, it’s that magical time of year when the salmon start running through the fish ladder at the Ballard Locks.

Photo: Jessica Ivaska

The locks, built to allow boats to pass from the salty waters of Puget Sound into the fresh waters of the Ship Canal, has a special bypass route for salmon who are fighting their way home to spawn. Viewers are invited to press their noses up to the glass to watch as the fish make their way upstream. It’s quite inspiring to watch. If you’re nearby, stop by to take a peek at the homeward-bound salmon, since right now large groups of fish can be seen making their way up the ladder.

I recently stopped by and was amazed at the number of fish headed upstream. Seeing all those shimmering salmon got me thinking about my dad, who goes fishing every chance he gets. Lucky for me, he is generous with his catch, and recently I tried out a new recipe on one of his salmon fillets—cilantro pesto. It was citrusy, delicious and the perfect summer supper.

But, before we dive in to the recipe, here’s a word on picking out salmon, from my dad, Craig, who knows his fish: “Oil content tends to increase the flavor of fish. King salmon has the most oil content and is usually stronger in flavor. Sockeye is also very oily and has great flavor. The other types of salmon are milder in flavor. The most important thing about cooking salmon is NOT to overcook it! It needs to be moist and just start to flake away when prodded with a fork.”

Get the recipe for Baked Salmon with Cilantro Pesto.

Other Ways to Prepare Salmon
If cilantro just isn’t your thing, here are a few more recipe ideas from good ol' Dad:

• Grill it with salt, pepper and lemon juice
• Marinate it in Italian salad dressing, soy sauce, apple juice, Ponzu sauce and orange juice combined with mayonnaise.
• Poach it with white wine
• Bake it with sauce
• Grill or cook it on a cedar plank

So as the salmon are running, it’s time to get out your favorite salmon recipe and enjoy some of the bounty the Northwest has to offer.

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