Exceptional recipes for heart-healthy salmon

Dramatic and foolproof, this dish is made for entertaining. Cover the grill while cooking and you won’t need to stress about flipping the fish — the results will be perfect all the way through.

• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• 1 skin-on side wild salmon (about 1  1/2 pounds and 1 inch thick)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into rounds
• Fennel fronds (optional)
• Fennel-olive relish (recipe follows)

1. Heat grill to medium; brush grates with vegetable oil. Drizzle both sides of salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on grill, skin side down, and cover. Grill, without moving fish, until just opaque in center and skin is crisp, 7 to 9 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, transfer fish to a platter.

2. Drizzle lemon rounds with olive oil and grill until lightly charred, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer to platter and sprinkle with fennel fronds. Serve with relish.

Fennel-olive relish

Reserve the fennel fronds for garnishing the salmon, if desired.

•  1/2 small fennel bulb, cored and finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 10 large brine-cured green olives, such as Castelvetrano or Cerignola, pitted and chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 dried chile de árbol, stemmed and crumbled
• Coarse salt

Combine first seven ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt.

Nutritional analysis per 1-tablespoon serving: 64 calories, 6 grams fat, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, no cholesterol, 49 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 86 percent of calories from fat.

Nutritional analysis per serving (salmon only): 230 calories, 9 grams fat, 2 grams carbohydrates, 34 grams protein, 89 milligrams cholesterol, 114 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber, 37 percent of calories from fat.

Forget traditional breadcrumbs — the salty flavor of ground-up pretzels brings these canned-salmon patties to life. (Don’t use thin pretzels in this recipe — they’ll make the cakes too salty.)

• 3 ounces large hard pretzels, such as Pennsylvania Dutch
•  1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 chopped fresh dill, plus more for sprinkling
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions (from 3 or 4)
• 2 lemons — 1 zested, 1 cut into wedges for serving
• 1 can (14 ounces) wild salmon, drained
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Break pretzels into pieces; pulse in a food processor until finely ground (you should have  1/2 cup).

2. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, egg, dill, scallions and lemon zest. Fold in ground pretzels and salmon until just combined. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Using a 1/4-cup measure, form mixture into 8 cakes, each about 1/2 inch thick.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Cook 4 cakes, flipping once, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes a side. Repeat with remaining oil and cakes. Sprinkle with dill and serve with lemon wedges.

Nutritional analysis per salmon cake: 204 calories, 17 grams fat, 2 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams protein, 57 milligrams cholesterol, 138 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber, 75 percent of calories from fat.

This easy riff on a Thai staple gets big flavor from four basic ingredients: curry paste, coconut milk, yellow bell pepper and bok choy. It’s even more hearty ladled over short-grain brown rice or Asian noodles.

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 piece fresh ginger (1 inch), peeled and thinly sliced
• Coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
• 1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 heads baby bok choy, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch slices
• 2 frozen wild-salmon fillets (each 6 ounces and 1 inch thick), thawed, skins removed
• Lime wedges, for serving

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring until softened, about 6 minutes. Add curry paste and cook 1 minute. Add coconut milk and 1  1/2 cups water; bring to a simmer. Add bell pepper, cover and cook 10 minutes. Add bok choy, cover, and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, 2 minutes more.

2. Season salmon with salt; add to curry. Remove pan from heat and cover. Let stand until salmon is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Gently break up salmon into large pieces. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 285 calories, 19 grams fat, 11 grams carbohydrates, 20 grams protein, 45 milligrams cholesterol, 331 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber, 58 percent of calories from fat.

Flaked hot-smoked salmon stands in for bacon in this twist on an always-popular dish. Toss it in a lemon-Dijon dressing, then add soft-cooked eggs. This may also become a favorite breakfast.

• 2  1/2 pounds small potatoes, scrubbed and halved
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces hot-smoked salmon (available at specialty stores and some supermarkets), flaked
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon, for serving

1. Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring potatoes to a boil in a large pot of water; season generously with salt. Slowly add eggs to water. Cook eggs 7 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to ice-water bath. Continue to cook potatoes until easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 3 minutes more. Drain and let cool slightly.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together mustard, lemon juice and onion. Gradually whisk in oil. Fold in potatoes and salmon; transfer to a platter. Peel eggs, halve crosswise and arrange on top of salad. Season eggs with salt and pepper; sprinkle with tarragon and serve.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 309 calories, 14 grams fat, 36 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams protein, 146 milligrams cholesterol, 269 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber, 39 percent of calories from fat.