Introducing Salmon to Infants
You know how people always praise, say, a steak or fish dish by saying it “melts like butter” in their mouth? That’s what you’re going for here. Keep the temperature low; keep the doneness to just past medium rare–that is the way to produce the smooth, unctuous mouthfeel that is going to get your baby interested in eating fishies. Get the cook right and you basically need to do nothing else–for now.
- 1 Salmon (center-cut filet recommended)
- Butter
- Dried green herbs ((your choosing; parsley recommended))
- Lemon
- Sesame oil (optional)
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil or spray a baking pan to ensure fish does not stick.
- Remove skin (if still attached) and lightly pat the filet dry. Optional: very lightly apply sesame oil to the exterior. Place filet in the center of the pan.
- If your filet has a mix of thin and thick portions, cook for five minutes and check doneness; if thinner edges are cooked, remove from the rest of the fish portion and return the pan to the oven, cooking the rest of the fish for another 3-4 minutes. If your filet is thick and uniform throughout, cook for eight minutes, removing to see inside has just crossed from raw to cooked (dull pink); if still raw, return to the oven and cook for one or two more minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top with a bit of butter, a spritz of lemon, and a sprinkle of chives or parsley (or other seasoning). Allow to cool.
Using a fork or your hands, flake the fish so that small strips fall off the filet. Start with two or three pieces and continue giving more to your child as he/she requests it. Serve with soft coins of carrots or stringy (and soft) green beans.
See our salmon cake and salmon salad recipes to repurpose leftover fish and/or change things up. For yourself, the salmon is already cooked right–you probably just need some flavor. Nothing better than a small splash of soy, scallions, and sesame seeds over rice; but a bit of barbecue sauce wouldn’t hurt it, either.
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
