Saying so long and slow roasting salmon

BY Betty Williams

I can’t help but hear the Von Trapp children sing in my head, “So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu!” as I write this, my last column for The Friday Flyer. Circumstances dictate that it is time for me to move on to new endeavors.

It has been a blessed decade writing for past Editor Sharon Rice and current Editor Donna Ritchie. They have both been gracious, encouraging and kind in so many ways and I thank them for the opportunity to write to you, dear reader.

Many thanks also to the publisher and staff at The Friday Flyer. It’s easy to take for granted that a copy of the newspaper is put together, printed and delivered on time each week. They have all done a great job over the years in keeping our community informed.

A friend of mine has an unwritten but well-understood rule in her family: they never say goodbye. As her children have grown up, moved out and gone to live halfway across the country, she reminds them that it’s never goodbye, it’s always “see you later” when they part.

Most languages have goodbye alternatives, a parting sentiment that isn’t so final. In my 10th grade French class, we learned “au bientot” means “see you soon” and doesn’t have the finality of “adieu.” Actually, French also has “au revoir” which translates as “until we meet again.”

Italians also have multiple ways to say goodbye. Everyone is familiar with “arrivederci,” aren’t they? Until recently, I didn’t know it means “until we meet again” and implies a temporary parting. By contrast, “addio” is a more final farewell.

Maybe the most famous way to say see you later is “hasta la vista.” How can we forget Arnold Schwarzenegger making this one-liner into a catchphrase in the early 1990s? We can thank the movie “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” for adding “hasta la vista, baby” to popular vernacular.

In addition to “hasta la vista,” which translates as “until the next sighting,” Spanish also gives us “hasta luego.” I particularly like “hasta luego” because it means “until whenever.” How fun and casual is that?

Speaking of casual, this week’s recipe is from my newest cookbook crush, Alison Roman of the New York Times. Her 2017 cookbook, “Dining In,” is a treasure of highly cookable recipes that are casual but never boring. She is a SoCal native, so she brings fresh and unpretentious flavors to the forefront of her recipes.

I’ve always cooked salmon at higher temperatures or on the grill, so slowly roasting the fatty fish at a lower temperature intrigued me. And having it bathe in over a cup of oil downright astonished me. So, I had to try it.

The results were a silky, rich, perfectly done piece of fish. No hard, dried out areas and no mushy, underdone areas. It was perfect. The citrus and herbs flavor the oil nicely and I think other spices or chiles would work too. I paired it with an easy avocado, red onion and orange salad for a delicious mid-week dinner.

I wish there was a “Sound of Music” song that had “au bientot, arrivederci, and hasta la vista” in the lyrics, but there isn’t. So, I say thanks for reading and “hasta luego” to you all.

Photo by Betty Williams

Slow Salmon with Citrus and Herb Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 to 2 lb. piece of skinless salmon
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• Sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, or oregano
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil
• 2 cups fresh parsley, cilantro and dill
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Flaky sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Pat the salmon with paper towels to dry, then season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place in a 9 x 13 pan or rimmed baking sheet. Place lemon and orange slices on top of salmon along with herb sprigs. Pour olive oil over everything. Salmon should be almost completely submerged. Bake at 300 until salmon is starting to turn opaque at the edges and is nearly cooked through, about 25 minutes. Roughly chop the herbs and toss with the lemon juice and salt. Serve alongside the salmon.