Spicy Slow-Roasted Salmon With Cucumbers and Feta

Salmon was perfectly cooked and the oil was delicious. We put the fish and cucumbers over a bed of baby kale for a full meal. The only thing missing was acid- this really needed some lime juice to bring it alive.

I doubled all the spices except the smoked paprika and hot peppers, added a tablespoon of cumin, toasted the spices first in a dry skillet, ground them gently in a mortar and pestle and then warmed in the oil and let it infuse for half an hour before roasting the salmon. Added last of the summer sungolds to the cukes, and a healthy squeeze of lime over all. Total keeper.

This looked so delicious! But I was underwhelmed by the flavors. You could taste the coriander and a bit of the red pepper flakes, but the only saving grace was a squeeze of lemon when served. Seemed like a waste of good oil although if I do this again, I would infuse the oil, then let sit out to blend and intensify the flavors before using. Could be tasty on all sorts of dishes.

I make a very similar dish, actually 2-3 variations with touches of Indian spices, esp. using onion seeds in one such dish. Paprika, red chili peppers, cilantro garnish are a must. The flavor of salmon and the spices, and the aroma of the dish are mind blowing! Nothing such can be found in any restaurant.

Delicious! Added: -lemon zest to the oil - chili paste to the oil (in addition to chili flakes- it won’t get too spicy) - brown rice as a bed below the salmon - spooned spices from the oil over the fish when plating - squeeze of lemon over cucumbers - diced green onion with the cucumbers Replaced parsley with diced fresh basil

We found this to be less than the sum of its parts. Oil was good, salmon was fine (regional, wild-caught Copper River salmon), cucumber/feta combo was fine; nothing added up to anything super special. Reviewers who insisted on acid are 100% correct. Lemon and more salt pumped up the dish. There are other salmon dishes on NYT that are far better.

I laid a bed of mixed greens on each of our plates and topped with the crumbled feta and cucumbers along with some pickled red onions (to add that needed acid). Salmon on top, drizzled with extra spiced oil plus a squeeze of lime. Small bowl on the side filled with extra spiced oil - we dipped in pieces of homemade no-knead bread with black olives. Winner winner salmon dinner.

Looked at notes and added a tablespoon of cumin. Let the oil infuse for 5 hours and added fresh lemon juice over the fish before serving. Fabulous. Had for a dinner party where even the guest whose not wild about salmon loved it.

This recipe resulted in very moist, tender salmon. The spices were very nice with the fish. We ate it warm, but I think it would be equally tasty chilled in a salad.

Made this with roasted baby potatoes, added feta and balsamic to the cucumbers. The salmon was perfectly cooked and the oil had just the right amount of heat. Delicious with a glass of chilled rose.

Love this recipe! I’ve used the technique with different herbs weekly for the last 4 weeks! Texture of the salmon is perfectly tender! I’ve also saved the spiced oil in a jar refrigerated for future use in a seafood dish or toasted bread or a seafood dip!

My own experience vis salmon and spices is this: unless the fish is getting fish-y, fresh, less is more. A little basil is nice. Salmon is done when salmon fat, like white beads of sweat, pops out over the whole filet, including the thickest part.

Cooked sous vide with oil mixture at 122F for one hour. Added 3 Tbsp of oil mix and 2 Tbsp of white wine vinegar to stripe peeled English cucumber salad for acid and used sheep’s milk feta for brighter flavor. Served over hot Carolina rice pilaf for juxtaposition of temperature. Fantastic

This is a wonderful recipe. I’m not a fan of using crushed coriander seeds, though. There’s something about the texture and potency that is off putting to me. I substituted ground coriander. On the other hand, crushed fennel seeds are fine. Who knows why. I upped slightly the crushed red pepper flakes and smoked paprika because I prefer the added heat. I also added some ground cumin. I think I stayed within the spirit of the recipe.

Add lime or lemon.