Tuesday's With Kris: Salmon, Friend or Foe? That depends...

I love Salmon... but, we have to be careful these days when it comes to what type of Salmon we buy! Farm raised Salmon is FRIGHTENING! Per Prevention Magazine, take a look at it's deadly weapons:

The problem: Nature didn't intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. "You could eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. "It's that bad." Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.

Opt for Wild Salmon, and most canned salmon, believe it or not, is Wild Alaskan and SO Cheap...  I didn't make a recipe with canned salmon, but this version on broiled salmon and veggie ragut will make you feel healthy and satisfied!

Wild Salmon and Veggie & Bean Ragut
{adapted from Ellie Krieger}

 Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil (1 for salmon, 1 for ragu)
1 small-medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large zucchini, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs tomato paste
4 cups chicken broth
1 15oz can chickpeas OR butter beans (I've made this 2x and like the butter beans)
1 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
1 tsp salt, extra for lightly seasoning fish
1 tsp black pepper, extra for lightly seasoning fish
4 6oz skinless salmon fillets (I had the skin on... YUM!)

Directions:
Heat half the oil in a skillet. Add in onion and let sweat for about 3 minutes. Add carrot, zucchini, and garlic. Cook for another 5 minutes or until veggies get a little tender. Add tomato paste and stir so all veggies are coated. Add chicken broth and beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat and let simmer covered for about 10 minutes. The liquid will thicken. Add more tomato paste for a thicker combination! Take off heat and add basil leaves (reserve a few ribbons for the salmon). Set ragu aside and keep warm with cover on or on very low heat.

For the Salmon: Preheat broiler for just a minute or two. Brush each side of salmon with a little olive oil, and sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Place fish under broiler and cook 8-10 minutes per inch thickness. Be sure to turn the salmon over half way through so both sides get crisp!

 

 

Serve your salmon over the ragu and top with extra basil. Amazing! Broiling salmon or any fish makes it so crispy and succulent!