Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1500 g whole salmon, cleaned, scaled, and gutted with head intact
- 30 ml olive oil
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 2 lemons, divided use
- 15 g fresh dill, roughly chopped, divided use
Pantry Staples
- 10 g kosher salt
- 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 593 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbohydrates
- 4 g
- Fat
- 39 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 798 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Cholesterol
- 138 mg
- Potassium
- 997 mg
- Calcium
- 42 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 75 mg
- Phosphorus
- 612 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 155 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 30 mg
- Vitamin D
- 27.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 9.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 8.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.54 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.39 mg
- Niacin
- 21.8 mg
- Folate
- 73 mcg
- Water
- 212 g
- Alcohol
- 2 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Score the skin of the salmon with shallow cuts every 5 centimeters along both sides to prevent the skin from tearing during cooking.
Rub the exterior and interior cavity of the salmon evenly with the olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Slice one of the lemons thinly and stuff the slices into the cavity of the salmon along with half of the fresh dill.
Place the salmon in a large roasting pan and roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 52°C/125°F at the thickest part.
Carefully transfer the roasted salmon to a serving platter to rest, ensuring you leave all the accumulated juices and rendered fat in the roasting pan.
Place the roasting pan directly on the stovetop over medium heat, pour in the dry white wine, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
Transfer the liquid to a small saucepan and simmer vigorously until the volume is reduced by half.
Strain the reduced sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a serving bowl or measuring jug, then stir in the freshly squeezed juice of the remaining lemon.
Garnish the rested salmon with the remaining fresh dill and serve immediately alongside the warm pan sauce.
Chef's Notes
- Ask your fishmonger to scale and gut the salmon, leaving the head and tail intact. This makes for a dramatic presentation and helps the fish retain moisture during the high-heat roasting process.
- Choose a crisp, high-acid white wine that you would genuinely enjoy drinking. The acidity is crucial for cutting through the natural richness of the salmon and the savory roasting juices.
- Do not skip the resting phase. Resting allows the muscle fibers to relax and the internal juices to redistribute, preventing them from spilling out across your serving platter when carved.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store sauce and salmon in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze wrapped tightly in foil and placed in a heavy-duty freezer bag.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a 135C oven covered with foil to prevent drying out, or enjoy cold flaked over salads.
Troubleshooting
Fish is dry and chalky
Cause: The salmon was overcooked and left in the oven past the optimal temperature
Fix: Flake the fish off the bone and toss generously with the pan sauce and an extra drizzle of olive oil to restore moisture
Prevention: Use an accurate meat thermometer and pull the fish at 52C/125F, allowing carryover cooking during the rest period to finish the job
Pan sauce is too thin and watery
Cause: The wine and juices were not reduced enough on the stove
Fix: Return the strained sauce to the saucepan and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes
Prevention: Allow the liquid to simmer until noticeably reduced in volume before straining
Cultural Context
Roasting fish whole is an ancient culinary practice favored across the Mediterranean, prized for retaining the delicate moisture and flavor of the seafood. Serving it with a simple pan sauce honors the philosophy of utilizing every part of the ingredient, transforming savory roasting drippings into a bright, elegant accompaniment with zero waste.
