Set up a steamer:

You will need a heatproof bowl or deep platter that can hold the fish flat. I used a 9-inch/22-cm pasta bowl. Large woks, deep, wide saucepans, and roasters make good poaching vessels. You’ll need a rack: trivets, cake racks, wok racks (see above photo), or heatproof cups all work. Lacking these, you can roll tinfoil into balls and rest the bowl on that. Your steamer also needs a lid. Lacking one, you can use tinfoil.

Prepare the fish:

Place the fish in its bowl or platter.

Run your fingers down the center of the fillet. You will feel the pinbones. Pull them free using your very clean fingers, needlenose pliers, or tweezers. You probably won’t be able to completely debone the fish. Just do the best you can.

Season fish with salt and pepper. Squeeze a quarter of fresh lemon over the fish, tossing the exhausted quarter into the bowl if desired (or into the compost if not). Dot butter here and there in the bowl.

Scatter herbs around the fish.

Add the wine, pouring it down the side of the bowl. This will set some of the herbs afloat. That’s fine.

Set bowl atop steamer rack. Pour water into the steamer until it just reaches the top the of the rack. Don’t let the water reach bottom the bowl.

Toss a couple coins into the pot, add the lid, and turn heat to high.

When water reaches full boil, the change will rattle briskly.

Check fish for doneness: turn heat down. Wearing oven mitts, carefully lift steamer lid away from your face.

Check the salmon interior with a knife: it should still be a bit raw at the center, but not sushi raw. The fish will continue cooking off heat, so it should be close to done. If so, turn off heat and-again-carefully move bowl to a heat-proof surface. If not, cover steamer, turn heat to high, and allow salmon a scant couple minutes more before turning heat off.

Steamed salmon with lemon and herbs may be served from its steamer bowl, or moved to another dish. Either way, you may wish to add fresh herbs and the remaining lemon quarters.

Salmon partners well with numerous foods including rice, couscous, green salad, freekeh, peas, spinach, stir-fried greens, and orzo.

Leftovers may be refrigerated in a covered container up to three days or frozen up to three months.

Notes:

No fresh herbs? dried are okay, but use less.

The use of coins in the steamer comes from Carolyn Phillips, who shares it in All Under Heaven.

For three additional servings of salmon, add another 1/4 cup wine. Increase salt and pepper by a quarter teaspoon. I wouldn’t add more herbs lest they overtake the dish. The dish doesn’t need additional butter. To steam four pieces of fish, you can either cook in relays or set up one large steamer. Cooking time should not be impacted; again, check for doneness once water reaches full boil.

For timely information regarding ecologically sound fish purchases, see the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood Guide.

Salmon may be oven roasted: Preheat oven to 325F/160C. Place salmon, skin side down, in baking dish with all ingredients. Cook 3-8 minutes, checking for doneness at 4 minutes. Fish is done when coral colored and slightly raw inside: it will continue cooking off heat.

Salmon can also be sauteed: cook in lidded saucepan, covered, over medium heat, skin side down. Total cooking time depends on size of fish, but expect 3-8 minutes. Fish is done when slightly raw within; it will continue cooking off heat.

Finally, I highly recommend Mark Bittman’s Fish to anyone wanting to become a better fish cook.